Sourcing award medals from China

UK duty on award medals

Heading 7117 covers imitation jewellery. This guide concerns wearable award medals considered within that heading; confirm the finished design rather than treating every object called a medal as the same product. The table separates hand-made metal designs without glass, other metal designs and other materials. The repeated code covers different medal constructions. See the wider tokens and commemorative coins guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all listed lines carried 4% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. It attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, and seal-product import controls. Imports of cat and dog fur products are banned. For CITES or seal materials, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirements before ordering.

Give your broker the material composition, photographs, manufacturing method, glass details and intended use. Confirm the commodity code before shipment. If classification remains uncertain, ask HMRC or your customs broker whether an Advance Tariff Ruling would be appropriate and confirm its legal effect.

Specify the medal face, finish and ribbon

Specify the base metal separately from the plating or coloured finish. Agree the outline, diameter, thickness, weight tolerance, raised and recessed artwork, enamel colours, reverse inscription and engraving position. State whether the medal is supplied with its ribbon already attached, and approve a physical sample of the complete assembly.

For ribbons, specify width, finished length, printed artwork orientation, colour and attachment method. Check that the ribbon passes through the suspension loop without twisting and that the connecting ring closes properly. For medals intended for children, assess the neck loop, detachable parts and sharp edges as part of your product safety review.

Where a medal is supplied as imitation jewellery, confirm with the relevant authority which UK REACH restrictions on cadmium, lead and nickel release for prolonged skin contact apply. Ask a laboratory which tests fit the medal's materials and intended use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 200 stock-design award medals with ribbons; illustrative values under 7117 19 00 90, invoiced at £200 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £500. Duty at 4% is £20. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £520, so it is £104. Import taxes total £124; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £20 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Artwork: compare spelling, event name, reverse text, relief and colour fills with the approved sample.

Finish: check edges and suspension holes for burrs, and inspect plating for bare patches, staining and scratches.

Assembly: pull-check the ribbon attachment against an agreed sample, check ring closure and look for fraying or twisted ribbons.

Packing: reconcile quantities by design and finish, and check that individual protection prevents medals rubbing together. Agree the scope through the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A correct digital drawing can still produce shallow lettering, filled-in detail or an inscription obscured by the ribbon loop. Approve a production-method sample with the actual finish before accepting the run. Keep the approved spelling and artwork with the order.

Other failures include mismatched medal and ribbon colours, open connecting rings and scratching during transport. Record each defect against the agreed sample and separate affected stock while you resolve it with the supplier.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.