Direct answer: Six things set the price of a custom medal: quantity, size, finish, shape, ribbon and schedule. At Colucci Custom Awards, a soft enamel medal costs $5.17 to $6.08 each at 100 pieces, depending on size from 1-1/4 to 2 inch, plus a one-time $90 to $95 mold charge. Custom orders vary with the customization and design. To get an exact number, run the medal cost estimator or request a free quote. Ask for the unit price and any setup fee on separate lines.
In its 2023-24 participation survey, published in September 2024, the NFHS counted 8,062,302 high school sports participants. That was the first year total participation passed 8 million. Every program that recognizes those athletes at the end of the season needs a medal budget that the athletic department or tournament committee can sign off on.
Four quoting traps break that budget: a mold or die fee that shows up after approval, neck ribbons priced separately from the medal, separate setup charges for gold, silver and bronze, and rush shipping added once the ceremony gets close. Price the quantity, the design and the included services together. With one clear spec, every medal quote compares cleanly.
Key Facts About Colucci Custom Medals
Colucci Custom Awards custom medals are factory-direct and Made in the USA. The Colucci family began crafting awards in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1940, and the manufacturing is still there.
- Made in the USA: Every CCA product line, medals included, is made in Columbia, South Carolina.
- Factory-direct pricing: CCA owns the manufacturing, so there is no middle-man markup.
- Published prices: Prices are on the site. Custom orders vary with the customization and design.
- Online designer: The medal designer gives you a starting point for your artwork and award concept.
- Free digital proof: Every order starts with a free digital proof before production.
- Timing: Turnaround depends on the customization and design, and CCA sometimes ships overnight.
Colucci Custom Medal Prices by Size and Quantity
These are the published per-medal prices for soft enamel medals on the custom medals page. The minimum order is one medal, and every order starts with a free digital proof.
| Medal size | 25 medals | 100 medals | 500 medals | One-time mold charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-1/4 inch | $5.70 | $5.17 | $4.69 | $90 |
| 1-1/2 inch | $6.03 | $5.47 | $4.96 | $90 |
| 1-3/4 inch | $6.37 | $5.77 | $5.24 | $95 |
| 2 inch | $6.70 | $6.08 | $5.51 | $95 |
On orders under 25 medals the mold charge is higher: $135 for the 1-1/4 and 1-1/2 inch sizes and $142.50 for the 1-3/4 and 2 inch sizes. Hard enamel, antique and sand blast medals follow the same quantity ladder with their own published prices; see the hard enamel, antique and race medal pages, or run the medal cost estimator for your exact size and count.
What a 100-Medal Quote Must Include
A price for one medal does not tell you the per-medal price at 100. A quantity price does not tell you what a single replacement costs, either. Always ask for the exact quantity you plan to order.
Start with the cost estimator, then check the result against the published product price or a written quote. Every estimate needs a defined medal type, size, quantity and level of customization.
A complete quote lists each of these on its own line:
- The per-medal price at exactly 100 pieces.
- Any one-time setup charge (often called a mold, die or tooling fee).
- Ribbon and personalization charges.
- Shipping, taxes and any approved rush charges.
- The total for the full order.
To budget, multiply the unit price by 100 and add the separate charges. Then divide that total by 100 to get your all-in cost per medal.
Show the approver both numbers. The unit price covers the medal itself. The all-in figure is what your team or event actually spends.
Build spares into the first count, too. Ask what a small reorder after the event would cost and whether it triggers a new setup charge or a minimum order quantity. A late replacement order can cost more per medal than the original run.
What Drives the Cost of Custom Medals?
Quantity and the number of designs
Bulk custom medal orders earn quantity price breaks because a bigger run lowers each medal’s share of the setup work. The maker’s quote sets the actual tiered pricing for your count.
Distinct designs count too. Ask whether your gold, silver and bronze finishes simply swap the metal plating on one shared mold setup, or whether each category is priced as a separate production run. If 1st, 2nd and 3rd place share the same relief, ask the maker to confirm in writing that only the plating changes.
Size and thickness
A larger medal uses more material and gives you more design space. Thickness, weight and relief change the spec as well, so diameter alone is an incomplete comparison.
Pick a size that keeps your event name, mascot and award category readable. Going bigger without improving the layout adds cost but not quality.
Soft enamel, hard enamel and finishes
Soft enamel leaves the color slightly recessed between raised metal borders. Hard enamel is polished flush for a smoother surface. The choice changes both the look and the production work.
Price soft enamel medals and hard enamel medals with the same size and artwork. Get the price difference for that exact configuration. Don’t assume a flat surcharge.
An antique medal finish uses tonal contrast to bring out recessed detail. A sandblast finish adds a different texture, so ask which areas get it and whether the quote covers it.
Custom shapes, spinners and 3D detail
A round medal and a detailed custom silhouette are different production jobs. Cutouts, sculpted relief and moving parts all belong in the pricing request.
For spinner medals, name the rotating element and the frame around it. For 3D designs, mark which features need sculpted depth and which can stay flat.
Ribbons and personalization
Neck ribbon width, attachment clip style and custom sublimated or screen-printed ribbon artwork all change the finished package. Confirm whether the medal price includes a ribbon and whether assembly is included.
Names, placements and categories need clear instructions. For custom race medals, separate the shared event artwork from participant details before you ask for a total.
Rush requests and delivery
Production time and shipping speed are separate decisions. Overnight shipping is sometimes possible at CCA, but it is a shipping option, not an overnight production schedule.
Give the team your ceremony date, delivery address and required arrival date up front. Ask whether rush service is available for your design and how it changes the written total.
Compare Medal Quotes on Equal Terms
Compare matching specs, not headline starting prices. A published price tells you little until you know the quantity it applies to.
Use this table as your quote checklist. Fill in the second row for every other maker you contact.
| Maker | Pricing | Setup fee | Design proof | Where it is made | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colucci Custom Awards | Published on the site; custom orders vary with the design | Confirm as its own line on your quote | Free 3D digital proof, unlimited revisions | Columbia, South Carolina, USA | Depends on the design; overnight shipping sometimes possible |
| Every other maker you quote | Ask for the unit price at your exact quantity | Ask for it as a separate line | Ask whether the proof is free and how many revisions you get | Ask for the manufacturing location | Ask for a written ship date |
A blank line on a quote does not mean the item is free. Before you compare totals, ask every maker for the unit rate, the quantity it applies to and the setup fee.
If a maker manufactures overseas, ask whether the quote includes international freight, duties and customs clearance, and what a customs hold would do to your arrival date. CCA manufactures in Columbia, South Carolina, so domestic orders never pass through customs.
Still building a shortlist? Our guide to custom track and field medal companies covers that sourcing question. A current written quote stays the basis for your decision.
Where Medal Budgets Start to Unravel
- The count starts as a guess. Pricing gets requested before the athletes, coaches, divisions and spares are confirmed. Late additions change the order and the total. Build the count by award category and note which medals share one design.
- The artwork grows after pricing. A simple concept turns into a larger medal with more colors, reverse-side detail or a spinner. The original quote no longer describes the order. Ask for revised pricing every time the approved spec changes.
- The quotes cover different packages. One includes a ribbon; another prices the medal alone. Setup and personalization show up differently too. Put every component on one checklist before you compare totals.
- The delivery date comes up last. A ceremony deadline raised after the design work limits production and shipping options. Give your arrival date at the start and confirm the schedule before you authorize the order.
- The final total stays unclear. A unit price becomes the approved budget while other charges are still open. Require a complete written total, and assign one person to approve the artwork and purchase details.
Lock In Your Medal Spec Before You Request a Quote
Settle four things before you contact any maker: the count by award category with spares, the finish for each place, the ribbon style and the date the medals must arrive. A quote built on a settled spec is one your committee can approve in a single pass.
What matters most to championship teams is knowing exactly what they are approving. A low headline price stops helping once the quantity, ribbon, setup charge or manufacturing origin is unclear.
If you are still deciding between award styles, our guide to medals versus medallions explains the difference.
Ready to price your order? Send your quantity, artwork, preferred finish and required arrival date to request a free quote. Ask for the per-medal price at 100 pieces, any setup fee as its own line and the full delivered total.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much do custom medals cost for 100 pieces?
There is no single price. It depends on the size, finish, shape and ribbon you choose. Colucci Custom Awards publishes its prices on the custom medals page, and custom orders vary with the customization and design. Before you approve a budget, get a written quote with the unit price, any setup fee, ribbon charges and the full order total.
Do gold, silver and bronze medals require three separate setup fees?
It depends on how the maker prices the run. If all three places share one design and differ only in plating, ask whether one setup covers the full order. The free 3D digital proof from CCA lets you check each version before any money is committed, with unlimited revisions until the design is signed off.
Do soft enamel and hard enamel custom medals cost the same?
Not necessarily. Soft enamel leaves the color recessed between raised metal borders, and hard enamel is polished flush, so the production work differs. Ask for both prices on the same size, artwork and quantity to see the real difference for your order.
How long does it take to make custom medals?
It depends on the customization and design, so CCA does not promise a fixed production time. Overnight shipping is sometimes possible, but shipping speed is separate from production. Every CCA medal is made in Columbia, South Carolina, so put your required arrival date on your free quote request.
