How Deal Toys are Actually Made

Metal Edition

What You’ll Learn

Why metal has long been used to commemorate meaningful achievements
Which metals are used in custom deal toys and what each communicates
How small-batch metal casting differs from mass production
The casting methods most often used for commemorative objects
Why finishing and hand refinement matter as much as the casting itself
How craftsmanship shapes the longevity and character of metal deal toys

Metal has been used to commemorate achievement for centuries. Long before modern deal toys, bronze, brass and other cast metals were used to mark victories, alliances and milestones that were meant to last.

When metal is used in contemporary deal toys, it carries that same sense of permanence. Weight, texture and finish do as much communicative work as form itself. Understanding how metal deal toys are made helps explain why they feel fundamentally different from mass-produced awards or decorative objects.

Why Metal Is Chosen for Deal Toys

Metal deal toys are often selected for what the material conveys as much as for how it looks. Cast metal has physical presence. It feels deliberate, durable and resolved.

Common metals used in custom deal toys include pewter, brass, bronze, aluminum, stainless steel and, in select cases, precious metals for limited presentations. Each brings different characteristics. Pewter allows for fine detail and softer forms. Brass and bronze suggest legacy and gravitas. Aluminum offers precision and lighter weight. Stainless steel emphasizes strength and modernity.

Metal carries historical and symbolic weight that has shaped commemorative objects for centuries, as outlined in A Short History of Deal Toys.

Whether metal is the right choice depends on what the design is meant to convey, a question explored in Design vs Material: What Makes It Meaningful.

Finish is just as important as base material. Polished, brushed, matte, patinated or plated surfaces dramatically change how a piece is perceived. A subtle satin finish communicates restraint, while high polish or plating introduces emphasis and ceremony.

From Concept to Cast Form

Small-batch metal deal toys are not produced through automated or high-speed manufacturing. They begin with intent and interpretation.

The process typically starts with a concept rather than a part. Designers work from sketches, reference imagery, digital files or symbolic ideas tied to the transaction. These are translated into a physical form through sculpting or digital modeling, often balancing recognizable elements with abstraction.

Once the form is resolved, a prototype is created. This may be sculpted by hand, machined or produced through digital modeling and fabrication. The prototype exists to refine proportion, surface detail and overall presence before any metal is poured.

Mold Making and Casting Methods

Unlike mass-produced metal parts, custom deal toys rely on molds designed for short runs. These molds are made specifically for the project and are not intended to produce thousands of identical pieces.

Several casting methods are commonly used:

Investment casting (lost-wax casting) allows for complex forms and fine detail. A wax version of the object is encased in a ceramic shell, burned out and replaced with molten metal.
Centrifugal casting is often used for softer alloys and detailed shapes, using rotation to force metal into fine features.
Sand casting may be used for larger or simpler forms, though it offers less surface resolution and is less common for commemorative work.

Each method prioritizes accuracy and surface quality over speed.

Refinement and Finishing

Once cast, metal pieces require extensive hand work. Excess material is removed, surfaces are refined and details are sharpened. This stage determines whether a piece feels crude or considered.

Finishing techniques may include polishing, brushing, sandblasting, patination, plating or selective texturing. Lettering and graphic elements are added through engraving, etching or secondary machining rather than molded-in shortcuts.

In hybrid designs, metal elements may be mounted to crystal, Lucite or stone bases, requiring careful alignment and structural planning.

How Small-Batch Casting Differs From Mass Production

Small-batch metal casting is fundamentally different from industrial-scale metal production.

Mass-produced metal parts rely on permanent steel dies and automated processes designed to produce thousands of identical components efficiently. Tooling is expensive, changes are difficult and customization is limited.

Custom deal toys use short-run molds and manual processes that allow for adjustment, nuance and interpretation. Per-piece cost is higher, but flexibility and fidelity to the concept are dramatically improved. Variation is not a flaw, it is part of the character of the object.

The Role of Craft in Metal Deal Toys

What elevates a metal deal toy beyond a decorative object is craftsmanship. Skilled hands make decisions at every stage, from surface refinement to final assembly. These decisions are informed by experience rather than automation.

Metal is unforgiving. It reveals proportion errors, weak detailing and poor finishing immediately. When done well, it rewards restraint and precision.

For this reason, metal deal toys tend to age well. Their surfaces develop character rather than wear. Their weight and solidity continue to communicate meaning long after the transaction itself fades from memory.

Expert Insight: Where Metal Deal Toys in Production Are Won or Lost

Metal casting produces a form, but finishing determines how that form is experienced. Surface preparation, edge refinement, texture and restraint in polishing all shape how weight, quality and intent are perceived.

This stage cannot be automated or rushed. Over-finishing erases character. Under-finishing exposes flaws. The strongest metal deal toys are the result of deliberate choices made after casting, when experienced hands decide what to leave untouched as much as what to refine.