VOCABULARY TERM: PRODUCT MEDAL

Product Medal. A medallic item made of a composition that is the business product of the issuing firm. It is surprising the number of enterprising firms that have used what they manufacture or sell to fashion into a medal. Most such product medals are fabricated by the manufacturers themselves and not by employing the services of a conventional medalmaker. Most product medals are distributed free to prospective customers of the issuing firm as a form of advertising.

Obvious metal firms dealing in bronze, brass, copper, silver and such could have medals in typical fashion made by medal manufacturers. But any composition that can be fabricated – struck, cast or molded into a permanent form – could be made by the companies themselves.

The Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1892 may have been the impetus for the creation of this item. An early example – it may have been one of the first – is the hard rubber medal (with a mirror inside) made by the Hamburg Rubber Comb Company of Hamburg, Germany.

The Dutch Boy Paint Company made one of lead to characterize its lead-based paints (when such content was considered a benefit). Others have been made of leather, plastics, ceramics and such in addition to many metals.

To read the complete entry on the Newman Numismatic Portal, see:
Product Medal (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516553)

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