5 Different Type Of Medals - You Should Know

by Health Sinclaire Awards Online

The medal is a small and portable artistic object given as awards for varying purposes. Medal used to be a thin disc mostly made up of metals carrying embossing and other designs on both facets. Medals may be intended to swear on the body, suspended from clothes or jewelry on various occasions.

According to Wikipedia, numismatists divide medals into the following types:

Awards are given for personal or organizational/team achievements.
Commemoratives for sale to commemorate individuals or events.
Souvenirs are similar to commemorative.
Religious for religious reasons.
Portraits to memorize a person
Artistic as an art object
Society as a badge

However, in practical life, the following are the main categories of medals used in the contemporary era.

Military Medals

Military medals used to award for a variety of achievements in different countries. Therefore, classification or order of military medals is differing nation-to-nation.

In 1780, United States Continental Congress first time awarded the Fidelity Medallion.
Just after two years, the Badge of Military Merit established in 1782.
The Légion d'honneur introduced by Napoleon I in 1802 for bravery and exceptional services.
British Army Gold Medals started from 1810
Prussian Iron Cross began from 1813
Waterloo Medal has given to all participants in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815

Modern orders established in most of the nations in the 19th century.

The Légion d'honneur of France as military and civil medals.
The Civil Order of the British Empire
The Medal of Honour is the highest military medal by the United States Government

Medals of America has a ribbon chart, which sets medals and ribbons in proper order. For instance,

Army Medal of Honour
Navy-Marine Corps-Coast Guard Medal of Honour
Air Force Medal of Honour

The recipients of military medals have to wear the medals in former ceremonies and national celebrations. They used to suspend medals on the left of the breast on the formal uniform.

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