Case Studies — Concept Builds, Real Numbers
Every project below is a concept project: real specifications, real pricing bands and the
real production schedule we build to, but not yet a client we can name. We would rather label that
honestly than borrow another company's photos.
Why these are labeled "concept"
MedalSmith is a new brand. Real client cases go up as soon as the client signs a release — a case with a
name, a department or a race behind it is worth ten anonymous ones. Until then, these four show exactly
how we spec, quote and schedule, so you can judge the process instead of the badge count.
800 finisher medals — half marathon
| Quantity | 800 pcs |
|---|---|
| Size / material | 3" (75mm), zinc alloy |
| Finish | Soft enamel, 5 colors, antique gold plating |
| Ribbon | 1.5" polyester with dye-sublimated sponsor print |
| Packaging | Individual poly bag, 100 per inner carton |
| Unit price band | Request quote |
| Mold fee | $80 – $150 (one-time) |
| Timeline | 21 days: mold 6 + sample 4 + production 8 + QC 3 |
What the schedule had to solve:
the race date was fixed and the sponsor artwork arrived three weeks late, so the ribbon print ran in
parallel with medal production instead of after it.
150 challenge coins — county sheriff
| Quantity | 150 pcs |
|---|---|
| Size / material | 2" (50mm), 3mm thick, zinc alloy |
| Finish | 3D crest relief, antique bronze, reeded edge |
| Back | Unit motto + 8 lines of text, 1.5mm minimum character height |
| Presentation | Acrylic capsule (optional add-on) |
| Unit price band | $3.50 – $4.20 (100–299 pcs) |
| Mold fee | $150 – $300 (3D, one-time) |
| Timeline | 24 days: mold 7 + sample 5 + production 9 + QC 3 |
What the schedule had to solve:
the crest came in as a photo of a shoulder patch. Two days went into redrawing it as line art before
the die could be cut — the step that decides whether a coin looks issued or improvised.
300 service awards — 10-year milestone
| Quantity | 300 pcs |
|---|---|
| Size / material | 1.75" (45mm), zinc alloy |
| Finish | Hard enamel, gold plating, flat polished surface |
| Personalization | Laser-engraved name + hire date on the back |
| Packaging | Velvet pouch + printed card |
| Unit price band | Request quote |
| Mold fee | $80 – $150 (one-time) |
| Timeline | 19 days: mold 5 + production 8 + engraving 3 + QC 3 |
What the schedule had to solve:
300 individual names meant every piece was handled separately for engraving. That step cannot run in
parallel with production, so it was booked into QC week instead of after it.
50 pins — nonprofit fundraiser
| Quantity | 50 pcs (the minimum) |
|---|---|
| Size / material | 1.5" (38mm), zinc alloy |
| Finish | Soft enamel, 4 colors, silver plating |
| Attachment | Butterfly clutch |
| Packaging | Printed backing card with a QR code to the donation page |
| Unit price band | Request quote |
| Mold fee | $80 – $150 (one-time) |
| Timeline | 18 days: mold 5 + production 7 + QC 2 + packing 2 |
What the schedule had to solve:
a 50-piece run pays the same mold fee as a 500-piece run. The honest advice was to order 100 and sell
the extra 50 at the event — the unit price dropped by roughly 18% and the mold cost stopped dominating
the budget.
What a real case will include once a client signs off
- Client type, region and procurement purpose (named, or anonymized at the client's request)
- The problem: budget, deadline, artwork state, what went wrong with a previous supplier
- A spec table and a stage-by-stage timeline with actual dates
- The cost range, if the client permits disclosure
- 5–8 authorized photos and a 15-second vertical clip
- The client's own words — not a testimonial we wrote for them
If you are ordering with us and are willing to be case study #1, tell us on the
quote form. We will do the run at cost in exchange for the release and the photos.