Award Plaques

Engraved Award Plaques

Because of their versatility, plaques are often used in place of more traditional awards. Award plaques, as opposed to trophies and ribbons, also tend to have a more sophisticated and evergreen look. Ribbons fade and the little leaguer atop the old tarnished trophies looks younger and younger with each passing year. Award plaques, on the other hand, never seem to go out of style if they are designed well and can be a continued source of pride for the earner, mounted on the wall and drawing less negative attention than the ancient trophy collecting dust on the desk. Plaques also will stand up to the passage of time with grace if they are cared for simply and properly.

Perpetual Award Plaques

A very common kind of award plaque is the perpetual award. A school, company, or organization will often create a perpetual award plaque for a distinction that they assign annually, like a contest, or that is on-going, like an athletics record. These plaques comprised of a wooden plaque base with engraved metal, such as bronze or aluminum, additions. Primary of these additions is usually the name of the school, company, or organization, and a symbol, crest, or insignia that represents them. The plaque will also include an engraved piece stating what the award or distinction is; for example, “The Annual John Philip Sousa Award”). Finally, the plaque will have rows of small metal pieces. It is on these miniature, flat metal plates that the names of past winners of the award, as well as the full date or year they won it, will appear. The plaque is almost always fully complete with blank plates, waiting for future winner’s names to be inscribed on them.

Designing An Award Plaque

Award plaques are widely varied. They can be shaped as simple rectangles, squares, circles, or ovals. They can be made of any kind of wood that is sturdy and not brittle, as well as stained with many different colors, or even painted any color of the rainbow. They can include etched or engraved metal to reflect to organization that sponsors them. They can also have photographs and raised reliefs or sculptures added to them. They can be made to hang on a wall or to sit,
freestanding, on a flat surface.

Award plaques can even be designed with the group or organization that is giving them away. For example, a baseball award can be in the shape of a baseball diamond with a sculpted bat and ball attached.