A Fiesta medal looks like the hardware you’d find on the uniform of a well-decorated soldier, which is fitting given that Fiesta, a ten-day celebration held in San Antonio each spring, started in 1891 as a way to honor Texas Revolution heroes. But unlike a military medal, Fiesta medals are bold kaleidoscopes of color inspired by pop culture and local history. They come in all shapes and sizes and are typically pinned on a sash worn to various Fiesta events. 

It’s hard to say when the first Fiesta medal was introduced. Some point to a bronze medallion from 1905, while others believe the first medals were the commemorative coins handed out at parades in 1946. Purists argue it all started in 1971. According to the San Antonio Express-News, that’s when members of Fiesta royalty sat in the lobby of the historic Menger Hotel with hammers and nails, punching holes in “king’s coins” so they could affix red, white, and blue lapel ribbons. Regardless of their origin, the small souvenirs have become a major symbol of Fiesta, with an entire subculture built around the designing, selling, and trading of medals.