Custom Virtual Race Medals Shipped to Every Finisher

Virtual races let anyone, anywhere, run the distance and earn the medal by mail. The award has to ship cheaply and survive the journey: lightweight, flat-pack friendly, and recognizable without a ribbon attached. We build virtual race medals optimized for global mail-out. See every race medal category we make for virtual and in-person events.

Virtual events span every distance and cause. We design the medal to ship efficiently — lighter zinc, compact packaging — while still feeling like a real achievement when it lands in the mailbox.

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Custom Virtual Race medal produced by MedalOrigin

Product Samples

Quick Specs — Technical Reference

Specification	Standard	Options / Upgrade
Material	Zinc alloy, lightweight	Iron for lowest ship cost
Size	44–76mm by event	Compact for flat mail
Packaging	Flat-pack poly bag	Ribbon packed separately
Enamel	Soft or hard enamel	Pantone matched
Finisher data	Name engraving optional	CSV from registration
Shipping	Ships to 50+ countries	Full customs docs included
MOQ	100 per design	Best pricing 1,000+
Production	7–15 days after sample	Rush available

Why Virtual Race Medals From the Factory Floor

A virtual race medal travels further than any other — often across borders to a runner who never saw the start line. We design awards that ship efficiently and arrive intact: lightweight zinc, compact flat packaging, and a design that reads even without the ribbon. Browse the race medals overview or plan shipping in the design guide.

Most virtual race medals run 44–76mm with soft or hard enamel and a detachable ribbon (packed separately to save postage). We ship to 50+ countries with full customs documentation.

Design Detail

What Makes the Medal Worth Training For

After 15 years producing medals for races from 200-runner local events to 40,000-runner city majors, these are the factors that separate the medals runners keep from the ones that end up in a drawer.

Engineered for Global Mail-Out

Virtual medals ship individually across borders, so weight and pack size drive cost. We use lighter zinc (or iron) and compact flat packaging, with the ribbon packed separately to keep the envelope slim and postage low.

Recognizable Without the Ribbon

Because the ribbon is often packed separately, the medal itself must read as an achievement on its own. Bold shape, clear enamel, and a clean 3D element make it recognizable the moment it lands in the mailbox.

Optional Finisher Personalization

Virtual runners love a medal with their name. We can laser-engrave names from your registration CSV — permanent, high-contrast text. A 5–10 piece proof run is included before full production.

Any Distance, Any Cause

Virtual events cover every distance and charity. We design the family from one identity with per-distance variants, and ship to 50+ countries with full commercial invoice, packing list, and certificate of origin.

Size & Quantity Planning by Distance

A practical starting point for sizing medals and ribbons by distance. We fine-tune sizes and quantities in your free design.

Race distance	Recommended size	Typical plating	Ribbon	Quantity tip
Virtual 5K	44–64mm	Bronze or nickel	Packed separate	Lightest mail option
Virtual 10K	51–76mm	Nickel or gold	Packed separate	Standard finisher
Virtual half	76–89mm	Gold	Packed separate	Heavier award
Virtual challenge	64–76mm	Two-tone	Packed separate	Series/cause branding
Kids virtual	44–51mm	Nickel or painted	800mm × 20mm	Child-safe

Die-cast vs stamped vs acrylic medals

Three production routes, three very different finisher medals. Here is how they compare.

Feature	Die-Cast (Zinc)	Stamped (Brass/Iron)	Acrylic
Process	Molten zinc injected into a steel mold at 385°C	Sheet metal struck between dies	Laser-cut and printed sheet
3D relief	Deep sculptural relief, from 0.4mm minimum detail	Shallow raised or recessed, flat overall	Flat, print only — no relief
Detail	Highest — skylines, portraits, fine texture	Moderate — line logos and text	Graphic print, no dimension
Weight & feel	Hefty and premium	Lighter	Lightweight
Best for	Marquee finisher medals	Budget or basic medals	Lightweight, colorful events
Relative cost	Higher	Lower	Lower

Customization Options — Features That Make Your Medal Unforgettable

Spinning Center Element

A compass, gear, or race logo that rotates 360 degrees independently from the outer medal body. The spinner uses a precision rivet post for smooth, durable rotation — popular for races with a journey or navigation theme. Adds roughly 30–50% per-unit cost due to the second mold piece and assembly labor.

Bottle Opener Function

A stainless steel opener insert riveted into the medal body — our most popular add-on for race medals. The post-race celebration accessory built right into the award. Insert style is more durable than integrated edge style and keeps the medal's aesthetic integrity.

Multi-Piece Interlocking

Two or three separate medals that fit together to form one larger image — ideal for race series spanning multiple events or a challenge combining different distances. Each piece is a standalone medal with its own ribbon. When assembled they reveal a complete design that drives series registration.

LED Illumination

A flashing LED embedded behind translucent enamel makes your race logo or skyline glow — unforgettable at evening award ceremonies and popular for night runs. The CR2032 battery is integrated and replaceable. Requires minimum 5–6mm medal thickness; tested for 48+ hours of continuous illumination.

Dual-Plating Two-Tone

Gold body with nickel (silver) skyline highlights, or silver body with rose gold landmark elements. Masking during plating allows two metallic finishes on one medal. Small per-unit surcharge, large perceptual payoff for medals with distinct foreground and background elements.

Custom Packaging

Beyond the standard poly bag: velvet pouches in your race colors, gift boxes with custom-cut foam inserts, acrylic display cases for age-group winners, or custom-printed card backing with race branding. Each option is quoted separately based on quantity.

Factory-Direct — What That Actually Means for Your Race

No Middleman Markup

Every medal goes from our Huizhou factory directly to your race — no distributor, no promotional-products middleman, no awards shop marking it up 2–3 times. Your per-unit price reflects actual manufacturing cost plus reasonable margin, which is why race directors who order 500+ medals annually switch to us and stay.

Consistent Year-Over-Year Quality

Your mold, Pantone enamel formulations, ribbon design files, and plating specifications are all archived. When you reorder next year, we retrieve everything — same detail, same color accuracy, same ribbon feel, same weight in hand. Race directors ordering 5+ consecutive years confirm batch-to-batch consistency is why they stay.

Never Missed a Race Date — 15 Years, Zero Late Deliveries

Mold making, die-casting, polishing, plating, enamel filling, laser engraving, ribbon production, assembly, QC, packaging — all 12 steps happen under our roof. In 15 years we have never missed a client's race date. We build buffer into every schedule; your medals arrive before packet pickup. Guaranteed.

Factory-direct medals — by the numbers

15+

Years making race medals

30,000+

Medals produced per day

50+

Countries shipped

100

MOQ per design

385°C

Zinc die-casting

Electroplating steps

Certifications: ISO 9001, BSCI, Sedex, Reach, RoHS, Disney-approved supplier.

Medal Order Planning Matrix — Quantity, Mold & Lead Time by Event Size

Every race distance is its own production run — its own mold, its own 100-piece minimum, its own plating schedule. This is how a race director plans the whole event family without paying for tooling twice.

Event size	Typical quantity	Molds needed	Unit-price tier	Production window
Local 5K / fun run	100–300 finishers	1 mold (one distance)	Base tier at 100; steps down at 300	7–15 days after sample approval
Half marathon + 5K	300–1,500 finishers	2 molds (one per distance)	300–1,000 tier per design	7–15 days, two runs sequenced
Full marathon	1,000–5,000 finishers	1–2 molds (finisher + age-group)	1,000–5,000 tier	10–15 days; parallel laser stations
Ultra / championship series	500–2,000 across distances	2–4 molds (distance family)	1,000+ tier per design	12–15 days; schedule by distance
Multi-city race series	2,000–10,000 total	Shared shape family, one mold per city	5,000+ tier	Staggered 2–4 weeks by city

Defect Library — Symptom, Cause, Prevention

The faults worth knowing before you approve a sample are the ones that appear in the metal, not in the artwork.

Symptom	Likely cause	How it is prevented
Flow lines on the face	Cavity not polished enough, low machine pressure, or shot fired too fast	Mold polishing schedule and pressure set per part; first-off inspection after casting
Porosity / pinholes	Mold not venting properly	Vent channels cut and checked before the run; samples inspected under magnification
Short fill at sharp corners	Pressure too low for that section	Gate and pressure tuned at sampling; corners radiused at the artwork stage
Plating blisters	Parts not cleaned before the bath, or sealing oil baked before fully dry	Cleaning and full-dry check before plating; tunnel-oven schedule fixed at 100°C / 40 min
Enamel colour bleeding	Fill area below the minimum (0.3 mm soft / 0.5 mm hard)	Artwork thickened at the proof stage; Pantone matched before production
Ribbon print misregistration	Artwork not set up with bleed and fold allowance	Print file checked against the 4-fold construction before the run

Finish & Packaging

Virtual Race medal finish detail — Virtual Race medal — 3D die-cast relief, Pantone enamel and plating detail

Explore related medals & guides

Race Medals Overview All 15 race types we make 5K / 10K Medals Short-distance awards Charity Walk / Run Fundraiser awards Medal Packaging Flat-pack and mail options Medal Ribbons Detachable ribbon options Medal Design Guide Shape and size planning Bulk Custom Medals Volume pricing

Virtual Race Medal FAQ — Answers From the Factory Floor

How do you keep virtual medal shipping cheap?

We use lighter zinc (or iron) and compact flat packaging, with the ribbon packed separately so the envelope stays slim and postage low. Weight and pack size are the main cost drivers for global mail-out.

Can the medal look good without the ribbon?

Yes — we design virtual medals to read as an achievement on their own, with bold shape and clear enamel, since the ribbon is often packed separately.

Can you engrave each runner's name?

Yes. We import your registration CSV and laser-engrave names for permanent, high-contrast text, with a 5–10 piece proof run before full production.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes — to 50+ countries with full commercial invoice, packing list, and certificate of origin included, so customs clearance goes smoothly.

What size works best for virtual races?

44–76mm. Smaller sizes (44–64mm) keep mail cost lowest; 76–89mm for half-marathon virtual events. All ship flat.

What is the MOQ and lead time?

100 pieces per design, unit price stepping down at volume. Production 7–15 days after sample approval; rush options with in-stock molds.

Start Your Virtual Race Medals Project

Tell us about your event — the distance, the location, and how many finishers you expect. We will create a free custom design with 3D renderings and a detailed line-item quote within 24 hours. No obligation.

Prefer to browse first? Explore medal materials, see our 12-step manufacturing process, or review our design guide.

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