Metal choice shapes more than appearance — it affects weight, cost, and how a medal will age over the next twenty years. Here's a practical comparison of the three materials we work with most.

Brass

Brass is bright, affordable relative to bronze, and takes fine detail exceptionally well, which makes it the workhorse metal for school, club, and corporate medals. It plates cleanly in gold, silver, or antique tones and holds up to daily handling without dulling quickly.

Bronze

Bronze is heavier and slightly softer than brass, giving it a denser, more substantial feel in the hand. It's the traditional choice for championship and Olympic-style medals, largely because that extra heft is part of what makes a medal feel earned.

Pewter

Pewter is the softest and most affordable of the three, with a naturally matte, silvery tone that doesn't require plating. It's a strong option for large-order runs — service pins, volunteer recognition, bulk participation medals — where budget matters as much as looks.

• Best for formal honours: bronze
• Best all-rounder: brass
• Best for large or budget-conscious runs: pewter

A note on plating

Any of the three base metals can be plated in gold or silver tone, so the base material mostly affects weight, cost, and durability rather than final colour. If you're ordering a tiered set — gold, silver, bronze — we typically cast all three from the same base metal and vary only the plating, which keeps cost and weight consistent across the set.