Unofficial
Unofficial. A medal not made or issued by an authorized public agency, in imitation of an official medal. Usually official medals – coronation, inaugural, statehood medals, for example – bear some fund-raising purpose for the sponsoring organization, while unofficial medals do not. Customarily, unofficial medals are made only for very popular medal issues for private gain and with no benefit to the public organization. See official, imitation.
excerpted with permission from
An Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology
For Artists, Makers, Collectors and Curators
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY D. WAYNE JOHNSON
Roger W. Burdette, Editor