When Are "Medals" Not Medals?

The obvious answer would be "whatever YOU want to collect". But I understand that your question is seeking a more specific answer.

I use "the intent" of why the item was produced. In the case of your lovely item, it's obvious that it was produced for a very important occasion. It is also one of many tokens and medals that exist for World Fair events from many years. So there is a "set" that it could be included in.

I divide tokens from medals if the item has any exchange value. If it does, it's a token.

Last, the general term medal almost always applies to pieces that flip side ways and are both up together on either side.

That's how I consider medals. BUT I often venture across genres on a subject and may include any small items such as key chains, Fobs, pinback buttons, and so on.

I don't. I realize that fobs are sometimes made from coins/medals and that some are struck from dies used to strike medals, but to me they are different pieces of exonumia.

I have a few fobs in my collection and always describe them as such, even though they essentially match medals I also have.

I hope you enjoy yours, whatever you choose to call them!

When I look at definitions of medals, the fob fits them exactly. It is medal which is also a key fob.

From a collecting point of view it hardly matters, of course. I have a bunch and group them together as fobs because they have more in common with each other than with medals as a class.

I collect all sorts of exonumia, and I quickly realized that everything can be classified into multiple categories. The collector has to decide, somewhat arbitrarily, how to group them for collecting purposes.

For example, under the class of medals, there are medals with images of royalty on them. These can also be classified by the type of metal used, whether they have a loop or a clasp (to be worn), whether they also have commercial promotion on them (many in Canada do), and so forth.

How your collection is organized is distinctive to each collector, and is what makes it a fun hobby, not a job where you are obligated to follow someone else's rules.

I agree with all the comments above. I would add the terms medalet, (a small medal) and looped medal to the conversation.
If it hangs it could be a fob, or part of a ribbon or a keychain. I guess if it is struck with a die or cast and can be held in your hand it would be either a medal or token if it isn't a coin. If it is uniface irregular or rectangular and rather large it could be a plaque.
Exonumia and as you already know, is fun to collect and there is no hard and fast rules.

Folks - fobs, pinback, etc. Are CROSS GENRES. I'm not calling any of those medals, or tokens.

My comment was made so that folks might include other memorabilia or collectible fields within their search possibilities to COMPLEMENT those medals or tokens.

It is staggering to behold, without a doubt. And so close to Las Vegas!

DrD - thank you, I had not previously heard of those terms. They make sense. Good to know.