There are many different forms and methods of recognizing an exceptional effort, and many of them are through the help of medals. You will find that medals are awarded in sports and as well as for other events and for achievements as well. Medals and awards may be made from many different types of materials; however, they are used for more or less the same purpose: recognize the best in the field and encourage others to do the same as they have.

However, if you have checked out the market for different kinds of medals, you probably have found that there are medals which are made from different kinds of materials, and all of them have many different kinds of advantages and disadvantages. Some of the more common materials which you will find include the following:

• Platinum medals: you will have probably seen this kind of a medal being awarded during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The platinum medal is something which was awarded for those athletes whose efforts have exceeded the limits of that of the gold medal and as such is truly special, especially the one which was presented in the Olympics. Platinum is a metal which possesses a really unique beauty and as platinum is a very ductile it can be molded into any shape possible, and it is really pure as well, and it can retain its white color for a very long time and not fade. Given that platinum is hypoallergenic people who have sensitive skin won’t have to worry about suffering from any allergic reactions. This is what makes the medals truly unique and if you have achieved such a medal then you will own something which is truly one-of-a-kind.

• Acrylic medals: These days there are a number of different materials which are not natural and are being used. These days you will find that a number of schools and sporting events are giving acrylic medals and trophies to the exceptional students and athletes. This is because acrylic as a material is very resistant to many different kinds of damage, such as exposure to sunlight, it can take impact damage very well and it is also very light in weight. Given these benefits, wouldn’t you also want to use acrylic medals as well?

• Plastic medals: These days plastic is being used increasingly as a material for many different kinds of purposes. While there is a bit of a battle ranging on about the use of plastic bags versus paper bags, it can be said that plastic does indeed offer a few different benefits when it comes to using them in medals. Plastic doesn’t corrode, as opposed to many of the other materials which are used, which ensures that the medal will look great and last for a long time. On top of that plastic is also very light, just like acrylic. Plastic can also have excellent finishing, which makes it look just as good as medals which are made of gold, but as plastic is much easier you will be able to save money as well.

So as you can see, there are truly many different kinds of metals and materials which you can use if you truly want to reward someone for their special effort. There are many medal sellers whom you can contact, many of whom sell medals made from all of these different materials.