Quick Answer: A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They often have a commemorative purpose, and many are presented as awards. They may be intended to be worn, suspended from clothing or jewellery, although this has not always been the case. They may be struck by dies, as most coins are, or die-cast in a mould. A medal may be awarded to a person or organisation as a form of recognition for sporting, military, scientific, cultural, academic, or various other achievements. Military awards and decorations are more precise terms for certain types of state decoration. Medals may also be created for sale to commemorate particular individuals or events, or as works of artistic expression in their own right. In the past, medals commissioned for an individual, typically with their portrait, were often used as a form of diplomatic or personal gift, with no sense of being an award for the conduct of the recipient.