What material do I use for a medal insert?

[Tracey Bakewell]

I am pulling my hair out trying to find the perfect medal for my local rec girls basketball teams. And both suppliers I've been using only have generic medals. Their previous engraver would supply them with female basketball die cast medals and engrave on the back. So, unless anyone know who I can buy female basketball die cast medals from, I was thinking of using the medals that you put an insert in, and engrave the insert out of SOME kind of material that I could vector cut and have it stick in the insert? This website seems to be doing that, just not sure what material they're using... http://www.aaaawards.com/custom_medals.htm

Any ideas anyone? Thanks!
Tracey

PS: I have the same request for the local martial arts as well. I'm sure my next challenge will be what artwork to use! Gish!

[Vicky Orsini]

Hi Tracey. You can use Rowmark's LaserLights for this. http://www.rowmark.com/laser/Laserlights/laserlights.asp
Or, if you do sublimation, you can get sublimatable discs from your local supplier.

[Brian Robison]

Hi Tracey,
I do a lot of the ones with black painted brass but I think you may be looking for something else. What about the IKON metals? I bet that would look nice.

[Joe Hayes]

Vicky we use Flexi Brass by Rowmark instead of the LaserLights - Just a personal preferance. We get it from Johnson Plastics with 3M tape on the back - engrave, cut out, peel and stick.
You might also check with Catania Medallic Specialty, Inc. they might have a medal that will work great for you. I believe they make a laser engravable medal.

[Dave Lyda]

Try using 2 inch black steel engraving discs. We do this alot and really like the results. Also you can buy marbleized discs in green, blue, red colors from various trophy supply dealers. The discs also come in aluminum so the engraving is silver colored.