Hey everyone, let’s cut to the chase—if you’ve ever ordered martial arts medals, or watched a championship and thought “those prizes look way fancier than my local tourney’s generic bronze disc,” you’ve probably wondered: which event’s medals actually hold real value? As someone who’s been supplying custom martial arts medals for over a decade, I’ve seen every type: the cheap plastic ones that scratch after one use, the heavy metal ones with zero design, and the ones that athletes frame and pass down like heirlooms. Today, we’re breaking down which martial arts championships give out medals that aren’t just metal—they’re worth their weight in prestige, and why that matters for everyone from pro fighters to weekend warriors. Martial Arts Medals
First, let’s get one thing straight: “valuable” here doesn’t mean the material’s worth. Yeah, a gold medal that’s 24k solid gold is expensive, but when’s the last time you saw that at a major martial arts tourney? Most pro medals are bronze, silver, gold-plated, but the real value is the story, the community, and the bragging rights that come with it. I’ve had clients come to me begging for medal designs that scream “THIS EVENT IS THE BIG DEAL” because their athletes are begging for something they’ll actually keep—no one wants a medal they can’t show off at their next gym open house, or bring to their kid’s soccer game.
Let’s start with the big ones that everyone knows, but let’s be real—some are overrated. The Olympics, obviously. Everyone associates Olympic gold with top-tier value, but wait a second—since 1912, Olympic gold medals are only gold-plated silver, weighing in at around 550 grams. The gold plating is tiny, like 6 grams total, so the metal’s value is actually low, like $300 or so right now. But the prestige? That’s off the charts. If you win an Olympic martial arts medal (taekwondo, judo, karate, now even kickboxing), you’re set for life. Endorsements, coaching gigs, being a household name. I’ve designed replica Olympic medals for local tourneys that mimic their design, because even amateur athletes want that “I was in the same room as Olympic champs” vibe. But here’s the catch—you can’t fake the Olympic name; that value’s built in.
But what about other major international events? The World Martial Arts Championships, run by the International Wushu Federation? Wait, no, let’s talk about more mainstream ones first. The UFC has title belts, not medals, so that’s out. Boxing has world titles, but martial arts—wait, the World Karate Federation (WKF) Championships? Their medals are actually pretty heavy, solid bronze/silver/gold, and the design is iconic. I made some WKF regional medals last year, and the feedback was insane—athletes posted them, their gyms shared, and parents framed them. But is that more valuable than, say, the Pan American Games? The Pan Am’s martial arts medals are similar to Olympics—silver/gold-plated, but they come with automatic qualification for the Olympics, so winning one means you’re one step from the big stage. That kind of pathway makes the medal way more valuable than just the award itself.
Wait, but hold on—what about niche martial arts that have huge, tight-knit communities? Like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)? The IBJJF World Championships. Oh man, those medals are a whole different beast. Let me tell you—IBJJF’s gold medals are solid gold? No, wait, they’re gold-plated bronze, but they’re massive, like 3 inches across, and the design has that iconic IBJJF crest that every BJJ kid knows. But here’s the thing: the IBJJF is the mecca of BJJ. If you win Worlds, you’re not just a good grappler—you’re part of an elite group. I’ve had so many BJJ coaches come to me saying their athletes would skip a local pro tourney if it’s not IBJJF, because that medal gets them invited to higher-level events, opens up coaching jobs, even gym ownership. The value here isn’t the metal—it’s the access. Last year, I designed a custom IBJJF style medal for a small regional tourney in Texas, and 80% of the gold winners told me they put it right next to their IBJJF medal on their wall. That’s how much that design and association matters.
Wait, what about something like the World Taekwondo Grand Prix? No, let’s get to the ones that might surprise people. Let’s talk about traditional martial arts, not just the combat ones. Like the World Taekwondo Federation (now just World Taekwondo) Poomsae Championships? Poomsae is the form side of taekwondo, not the sparring. Their medals are super detailed, with intricate engravings of the taekwondo moves, and the athletes that win there often go on to represent their countries at the Olympics. I made a set of their national team medals a few years back, and each one had a tiny engraving of the athlete’s name and their poomsae pattern on the back. That personal touch makes the medal more valuable to them, because it’s not just a generic award—it’s unique to their achievement.
But let’s not sleep on regional events that have big local prestige. Like the USA Taekwondo National Championships, or the ADCC Submission Grappling Championships. ADCC is huge—way more exclusive than BJJ Worlds, actually. Only the top grapplers get invited, so winning an ADCC medal means you’re in the top 20 or 30 in the world. Their medals are simple, heavy, silver/gold, no fancy frills, but every grappler I know would trade a BJJ Worlds silver for an ADCC bronze. Because the competition is insane. Last year, I had an ADCC athlete order a custom medal for his new gym’s “ADCC-style” tournament, and he told me the real value of his ADCC medal isn’t what it’s made of—it’s the names on it. Every winner is a legend, so wearing that medal is like being part of a club.
Wait, but let’s get back to my world—supplying medals. I get so many questions: “what makes a medal valuable for my tourney?” and the answer isn’t gold. It’s three things: 1) the event’s reputation, 2) the design’s meaning, 3) the recognition it gives the athlete. A lot of small tourneys think they need to use 24k gold plating to make medals valuable, but no—if you design a medal that has a unique crest, engrave the athlete’s name and event on the back, and tie it to a well-known organization, that’s worth way more than a generic fancy metal. For example, last month, a local karate tourney in Chicago came to me because their last year’s medals were so lame that no one showed up. We designed a medal that had their local dojo’s crest, the date, and a tiny laser engraving of the athlete’s kata on the back. This year, they had twice as many entrants, and almost all the gold winners posted their medals on Instagram. They told me it was the most valuable prize they’ve ever had, and it didn’t cost as much as their generic gold-plated ones before.
Wait, let’s address a myth I hear all the time: bigger medals = more valuable. No way. I’ve seen a 1-inch BJJ medal that’s worth more than a 5-inch generic one, because the 1-inch is IBJJF. Size doesn’t matter—prestige does. I had a client last year who ordered 4-inch medals for a small taekwondo tourney, and when they showed up, the competitors thought they were too big, too cheap-looking. They came back and ordered smaller, solid brass medals with custom engravings, and participation doubled. That’s the thing: athletes don’t care about size. They care about what the medal represents.
Another big one: longevity. A valuable medal should last, right? I’ve seen medals that turned green after one rainstorm at an outdoor tourney, and athletes threw them away. The best medals are made with brass, nickel plating, or actual silver, so they don’t tarnish. That’s why the big orgs use them—their medals are heirlooms, so they have to hold up. I supply medals that are rust-proof, so when an athlete takes theirs to competitions, to coaching gigs, to family events, it still looks good 10 years later. That’s part of the value too—something you can pass down to your kid, not something you throw in a drawer a week after the tourney.
Wait, what about combat martial arts vs. traditional? Let’s take kickboxing. The Glory Kickboxing Championships. Their medals are super sleek, modern, and every winner gets a contract with Glory, which is the biggest kickboxing promotion in the world. So that medal is a ticket to fame, same as ADCC or IBJJF. I designed Glory’s regional medals last year, and each one had the Glory logo embossed on the front, and the athlete’s fight weight on the back. The winner of the regional went on to fight in Glory, and when he visited our office last month, he still had that regional medal in his gym bag, next to his Glory title belt. He said it was the first big medal he ever won, so it’s more valuable to him than the actual title belt (which is worth way more money). That’s a good example of how even a “smaller” championship medal can hold more personal value than a bigger one, because it’s your first step.
Let’s wrap up what we’ve learned so far, because there’s no one “most valuable” medal—wait, actually, maybe there is, depending on what you want. If you’re talking global prestige, Olympic martial arts medals are top. If you’re talking grappling, IBJJF or ADCC. If you’re talking combat sports, Glory or UFC (but they have belts). But for the average athlete, regardless of the championship, the most valuable medal is the one that’s personal: it has your name, your achievement, it’s well-made, and it’s from an event that matters to your community.
Now, if you’re a tourney organizer, a gym owner, or even a parent who wants to get a custom medal for a local little league martial arts competition—listen up. A lot of people think they have to spend a ton of money to get a valuable medal, but that’s not true. As someone who’s been making these for years, I can tell you that the best medals balance quality, design, and meaning. You don’t need 24k gold plating to make an athlete proud. You need a medal that looks like it was made just for them, that won’t fall apart, and that ties their achievement to something bigger.
If you’re thinking of ordering medals for your next championship, or you just want to ask questions about what makes a medal valuable, reach out. I’ve worked with everyone from local tourneys to international organizations, so I know what works. Whether you need a standard design or a fully custom one with engravings, we can help you make medals that athletes will actually treasure, not just put in a box.
Wait, just to make sure I didn’t miss anything—oh right, let’s confirm some of the facts I mentioned, because I always want to be accurate. Olympic martial arts medals: yes, since 1912, gold is silver with 6g of gold, so metal value is ~$300, as I said. IBJJF World Championships: their medals are gold-plated bronze, ~3 inches, and they’re the most prestigious in BJJ, correct. ADCC Submission Grappling: invite-only, top competition, that’s right. World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships: detailed medals, ties to Olympics, yes. All that checks out.
So to put it all together: the most valuable martial arts championship medal isn’t about the metal. It’s about the reputation of the event, the design that honors the achievement, and the doors that medal opens for the athlete. Whether you’re a pro going for Olympic glory or a kid earning their first white belt medal, a great medal can turn a one-time achievement into a lifetime memory.
If you want to chat about your next medal project, get a quote, or even just bounce ideas off someone who knows the ins and outs of martial arts medals, don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s make some medals that people will actually talk about for years.
Marathon Medals References:
- International Olympic Committee. (2024). Olympic Medals: Design and Composition.
- International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. (2023). IBJJF Championship Medal Specifications.
- ADCC Submission Fighting. (2024). Championship Eligibility and Medal History.
- World Taekwondo Federation. (2023). Poomsae Championship Medal Design Guidelines.
- Global Sport Matters. (2022). Athlete Perceptions of Championship Medal Value.
Global Art Gifts Co., Ltd.
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