A medal is usually a coin-like sculpted object of metal or other material that has been engraved with an insignia, portrait or other artistic rendering. main - title Coin keywords numismatics coin review Insignia (the plural of Latin insigne: emblem symbol is a Symbol or Token of personal power, Status or Office A portrait is a painting, photograph, Sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person in which the face and its expression is predominant A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific, academic or some other kind of achievement. Medals may also be created to commemorate individuals or events or even as works of artistic expression in their own right. Art medals are a well-known and highly collected form of small bronze sculpture and are considered a form of Exonumia. There are also devotional medals, which may be worn as a matter of religious faith. In the Roman Catholic faith a devotional medal is a Medal issued for religious devotion Medals are popular collectable items either as a form of exonumia or “paranumismatica”, or of militaria phaleristics. Exonumia is the study of Coin -like objects such as Token coins and Medals and other items used in place of legal currency or for commemoration Militaria are artifacts or Replicas of Military, Police, etc collected for their Historical significance
The most common form of medal is round and made of bronze, but they may be produced in any shape desired and formed of any material that is suitable for sculpting, molding, casting, striking or stamping. Molding is the process of Manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a pattern. Casting is a manufacturing process by which a liquid material is (usually poured into a mold which Introduction A press, or a machine press is a Tool used to work Metal (typically Steel) by changing its shape and internal structure Stamping is a Metalworking process by which Sheet metal strips are punched using a press tool which A medallion is a large medal which may be commemorative or produced as a work of art or souvenir, and occasionally referred to as a “table medal”; in colloquial use, the term medallion is sometimes used to refer to ornamental jewelry worn as a pendant as part of a necklace. A medallion is a piece of Metal, usually carved or Engraved; circular (like a Coin) and large that is used as a Work of art, Souvenir Art medals can also be produced in a parallelogram shape as a plaquette or larger plaque (the latter term also having non-medallic applications). A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal ceramic stone wood or other material typically attached to a wall stone or other vertical surface and bearing
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Medal features
A medal has three basic parts: the obverse (the “front” surface of the medal, which will contain the portrait if one is present), the reverse (the “back” surface of the medal, which may be blank or engraved with a design), and the rim (the outer edge of the medal. ) The rim of an art medal is usually blank, but may be inscribed with a motto, privy mark, engraver symbols, an assayer’s purity markings for precious metals, or the series number of a medal intended to be produced as a pure objet d’art in a limited-quantity production run. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A privy mark was originally a small mark or differentiation in the design of a Coin for the purpose of identifying the mint, moneyer or some other aspect of the coin's An assay is a procedure where a property or concentration of an Analyte is measured In Fine art, a work of art (or artwork or work) is a creation such as a Song, Book, Film, Video game,
Medals intended to be worn, such as military and some prize medals, have additional parts. A suspension is added to the top of the medal to hold it to a suspension ring, through which a ribbon is run and folded during the mounting process. The other end of the ribbon is usually run through a top bar, and a brooch pin is affixed to the back of the top bar for attaching the medal to the wearer’s garment. The front of the top bar often has an inscription, name, symbol or other design. Some worn medals may lack certain of these features, while others may have additional devices or attachments.
Although bronze has been the most common material employed for medals, a wide range of metallic and non-metallic media have also been used. These include precious medals like silver and gold, as well as base metals and alloys such as copper, brass, iron, aluminum, lead, zinc, nickel, white metal, pewter, and German silver. An alloy is a Solid solution or Homogeneous mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a Metal, which itself has The white metals are any of several light-colored Alloys used as a base for plated Silverware, ornaments or novelties as well as any of several Lead Pewter is a Metal Alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 percent Tin, with the remainder consisting of Copper and Antimony, acting Nickel silver is a metal Alloy of Copper with Nickel and often but not always Zinc. These medals might be gilded, silvered, chased, or finished in a variety of other ways. Gilding is the art of applying a thin layer of gold simulated gold or other metal to a surface Plating describes surface-covering where a Metal is deposited on a conductive surface Repoussé (ʀəpuse)or repoussage ʀəpusaʒ is a Metalworking technique in which a Malleable Metal More exotic materials that have been used to fashion art medals include glass, porcelain, coal, wood, paper, terra cotta, enamel, lacquerware, and bois-durci (an early form of plastic). Porcelain is a Ceramic material made by heating raw materials generally including Clay in the form of Kaolin, in a Kiln to temperatures Terra cotta ( Italian: "baked earth" is a Ceramic. Its uses include vessels water & waste water pipes and surface embellishment in Building construction An enamel paint is a Paint that dries to an extremely hard usually glossy finish Lacquerware is objects which are decoratively covered with Lacquer which is sometimes inlaid or carved
Orders, decorations and medals
Medal is a broad term that can indicate either an order, a decoration, or a true award medal. An Order is a Decoration, awarded by a government a dynastic house, or a religious body to an individual usually for distinguished service to a nation or to humanity The Jewish historian Josephus records that when, in the 4th century BCE, Jonathan, the high priest, led the Hebrews to aid Alexander the Great, Alexander "sent to Jonathan. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' . . honorary awards, as a golden button, which it is custom to give the king's kinsmen. " This is the first documented mention in history of a medal. Later when an elaborate system of Roman military decorations and punishments was developed it included medal-like medallions called Phalerae. As with most other military forces the Roman military adopted a "carrot and stick" approach to military with an extensive list of decorations for military gallantry A phalera was a Gold, Silver, or Bronze sculpted disk worn on the Breastplate during parades by Roman soldiers who had been awarded
From the late Middle Ages on, it was common for rulers and other wealthy persons to commission personal medals, often as large as three inches across, usually with their portrait on the obverse (front) and an emblem on the reverse. Stefan Szlaszewski was a Polish military officer and a notable commander of mountain troops of the Polish Army in the period preceding the World War II. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An emblem is a pictorial Image, abstract or representational that epitomizes a Concept — e These were presented to friends and followers, or given to other rulers. They were not intended to be worn, although some were set as pendants on chains around the neck. A pendant (from Old French) is a hanging object generally attached to a Necklace or an Earring. They would often be produced in different metals, from gold to lead, depending on the status of the recipient. Sometimes medals to commemorate specific events, including military victories, were commissioned, and from this grew the military medal which later became an object to be worn, normally only given to military participants.
An order is perhaps the most elaborate form of medals, typically awarded for distinguished services to a nation or to humanity. An order differs from other forms of medal in that it often implies a membership of an organization. This is because orders were originally fraternities of knighthood (see Order (decoration)); even today most orders have several classes, known as knights, commanders, officers, members etc. An Order is a Decoration, awarded by a government a dynastic house, or a religious body to an individual usually for distinguished service to a nation or to humanity These "medals" (or insignia) of the orders are usually very elaborate, and can be worn in different ways depending on class.
- For a full treatment on orders, see Order (decoration). An Order is a Decoration, awarded by a government a dynastic house, or a religious body to an individual usually for distinguished service to a nation or to humanity
A decoration is a less elaborate form of medal, typically shaped like a cross or a star. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since It is usually awarded for one-off actions of some type, and is usually worn with a ribbon on the left chest. The Victoria Cross is the highest British decoration for bravery in war. See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since This decoration is worn on the left side suspended by a ribbon.
A medal is usually the most junior of all the awards, usually shaped like a circle or otherwise like a coin. main - title Coin keywords numismatics coin review It is usually awarded for participation in a particular organization, but it may also be for one-off actions of some kind. In the latter case, the boundary between a medal and decoration is blurred. A medal is usually worn with a ribbon on the left chest.
The Medal of Honor of the United States armed forces is a bravery award worn around the neck, and may therefore be more rightly classified as a decoration. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For the military meaning see Armed forces. For the Soviet sports society see Armed Forces (sports society Armed Forces The Awards and decorations of the United States military list this country's medals. Awards and decorations of the United States military are Military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed
Medals, as well as orders and decorations, are usually presented in a formal ceremony. These awards are normally worn on formal occasions only; on everyday occasions, only the ribbons of such awards are worn. Ribbon bars are small devices that are worn by Military, Police, Fire Service personnel or by civilians.
Table medals
Generally circular, table medals are issued for artistic, commemoration or souvenir purposes, not for commerce. Tokens and Table Medals of coin-like appearance are part of the Exonumia subcategory of Numismatics, while Orders, Decorations and Medals are considered Militaria (military related). In the study of Numismatics, token coins or tokens are coin-like objects used instead of Coins The field of tokens is part of Exonumia. Exonumia is the study of Coin -like objects such as Token coins and Medals and other items used in place of legal currency or for commemoration Numismatics (numisma nomisma "coin" from the νομίζειν nomízein, "to use according to law" is the study or collection of Currency Militaria are artifacts or Replicas of Military, Police, etc collected for their Historical significance In the U.S. Military, modern medals are often referred to as challenge coins. The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States A challenge coin is a small Coin or Medallion (usually Military) bearing an organization’s Insignia or Emblem and is
The Nobel Foundation, the organization awarding the prestigious Nobel Prize, presents each winner "an assignment for the amount of the prize, a diploma, and a gold medal. The Nobel Prize (Nobelpriset (Nobelprisen is a Swedish prize established in the 1895 will of Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel; it was first awarded in Peace, Literature . . " This example of a medal would be displayed on a table or in a cabinet, rather than worn by the winner.
The Carnegie Hero Foundation is the issuer of a bravery medal, most commonly issued in the US and Canada but also in the UK. This large bronze table medal features Andrew Carnegie's likeness on the obverse and the name of the awardee and citation engraved on the reverse. It is usually issued for lifesaving incidents.
Also related are plaques and plaquettes. A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal ceramic stone wood or other material typically attached to a wall stone or other vertical surface and bearing In Physics, lattice gauge theory is the study of gauge theories on a spacetime that has been discretized onto a lattice. While usually metal, table medals have been issued in wood, plastic, fibre and other compositions. The US Government awards gold medals on important occasions, with bronze copies available for public sale.
Competition medals
Medals have historically been given as prizes in various types of competitive activities, especially athletics.
Traditionally, medals are made of the following metals:
- Gold (or another yellow metal, e. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 g. brass)
- Silver (or another grey metal, e. Brass is any Alloy of Copper and Zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen g. steel)
- Bronze
These metals designate the first three Ages of Man in Greek mythology: the Golden Age, when men lived among the gods; the Silver age, where youth lasted a hundred years; and the Bronze Age, the era of heroes. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus The Ages of Man are the stages of human existence on the Earth according to Classical mythology. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance The term Golden age is best known from Greek mythology and legend but can also be found in other ancient cultures (see below A silver age is a name often given to a particular period within a history typically as a lesser and later successor to a golden age, the metal Silver generally being The Heroic Age was the period of Greek mythological history that lay between the purely divine events of the Theogony and Titanomachy and the advent of historical (The current age is called the Iron Age. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. ) Note that the metals are progressively more prone to corrosion. Corrosion means the breaking down of essential properties in a material due to Chemical reactions with its surroundings
This standard was adopted at the 1904 Summer Olympics. The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated in St At the 1896 event, silver was awarded to winners and bronze to runners-up, while at 1900 other prizes were given, not medals.
Art medals
The first great artist to create medals was the Italian painter Antonio Pisano, known as Pisanello, who modelled and cast a number of portrait medals of princes and scholars in the 1440s. Pisanello (c 1395 &ndash probably 1455 known professionally as Antonio di Puccio Pisano or Antonio di Puccio da Cereto, also erroneously called Vittore Many other artists followed his example, in Italy, the Low Countries, Germany and France. In the seventeenth century medals were extensively used to commemorate events and glorify rulers. In the eighteenth century prize medals became common. In the 19th century art medals became popular. Art medals are a well-known and highly collected form of small bronze sculpture and are considered a form of Exonumia. In the early part of the century David d'Angers produced a great series of portrait medals of famous contemporaties and in the latter part of the century Jules-Clément Chaplain and Louis-Oscar Roty were highly regarded. Pierre-Jean David ( March 12, 1788 - January 4, 1856) usually called David d'Angers, was a French sculptor Jules-Clément Chaplain (July 12 1839 - July 13 1909 was a French sculptor and one of its finest medallists The early twentieth century saw art medals flourish, particularly in France, Italy and Belgium while later in the century Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland produced much high quality work. The Sanford Saltus medal is the most prestigious award for art medals in the USA. It has most recently been won by Ron Dutton.
Idioms involving the term medal
The idiom "What do you want, a medal?" is used in both British and American English, normally with sarcasm, to imply that someone is claiming their achievements (or deprivations) are more significant than they actually are. An idiom is a Phrase whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal Definition, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the Phonology North American English regional phonology In many ways compared to English English, North American English is conservative in its Phonology.
Many medals, ribbons and awards displayed on the uniform of a single soldier are sometimes referred to as "fruit salad".
See also
- Exonumia
- British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
- Awards and decorations of the United States government
- List of prizes, medals, and awards
- Awards and decorations of the United States military
- Ribbon bar
- Military decoration
- Category:Medallists for designers and makers of medals
External links
- Atlantic Provinces Numismatic Association
- Official Medals of the Numismatic Associations and Clubs of the Atlantic Provinces
- Exonumia defined
- El Arte de la Medalla (.com)
- Orders, Decorations and Medals
- Nobel prize
- Most Comprehensive and Updated Listing of Orders, Decorations and Medals
- Weiss Collection; useful introduction to art medals and medallists
- Medals 1400-1900. Exonumia is the study of Coin -like objects such as Token coins and Medals and other items used in place of legal currency or for commemoration This article concerns the orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms awarded by the sovereign in right of each nation Awards and decorations of the United States government are civilian awards of the U A list of famous Prizes Medals and Awards including cups trophies, Bowls Badges State decorations etc Awards and decorations of the United States military are Military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed Ribbon bars are small devices that are worn by Military, Police, Fire Service personnel or by civilians. A military decoration is a decoration given to Military personnel or units for Heroism in battle or distinguished service Sculpture. Victoria and Albert Museum. The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design housing a permanent collection Retrieved on 2007-09-22. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians
Dictionary
medal
-noun
- A stamped or cast metal disc, particularly one awarded as a prize.
-verb
- To win a medal
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