(April 15, 2019) — Celebrating your first Fiesta in the Alamo City? You’ll notice that San Antonians go crazy for Fiesta medals. While some these colorful, shiny baubles are giant and uber-detailed, others are small and sentimental. And they’re coveted by collectors. Each Fiesta medal displays a business, organization or cause, honoring San Antonio’s diverse heritage.
Fiesta medals have a fascinating history. In 1946, King Antonio first gave out commemorative coins to local children at parades and other events. Soon, coin tossing became tradition, and children would proudly display and wear their coins. In 1971, King Antonio XLIX Charles G. Orsinger distributed what are considered to be the first official Fiesta medals by collecting coins from the children and punching holes in the middle.
Before this, Fiesta medals were only reserved for Fiesta royalty. In fact, the oldest Fiesta medal in the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures’ database is a silver “King’s Medal” complete with gold ribbon, worn by King Antonio XI Sterling C. Burke in 1927. When Orsinger made the medals available to all Fiesta revelers, medal collecting really took off. It’s been a cherished tradition ever since.
Naturally, as UTSA has grown and Fiesta UTSA has become a signature part of the university’s traditions, Roadrunners couldn’t miss out on the fun of creating their own Fiesta medals. Most of UTSA’s earliest medals feature an image of Rowdy. Over the years, various departments began creating their own Fiesta medals to add to the celebration and to recognize the different programs that make UTSA so unique.
Check out a few of our 2019 favorites and add these beauties to your Fiesta medal collection:
UTSA’s Official 50th Anniversary Medal
The official UTSA 2019 Fiesta medal features the 50th anniversary insignia on one side and a fan-favorite vintage UTSA logo on the other, honoring the history of the university while looking forward to our future. A portion of the proceeds for each medal sold willhelp support the Roadrunner Pantry. Cost: $8
Available at Roadrunner Express
Fiesta UTSA Medal
The idea for the official Fiesta UTSA medal featuring Rowdy and a birthday cake was developed during the fall semester, when three student graphic designers in Student Activities were having some fun sketching Rowdy. Before they knew it, Rowdy was jumping out of a birthday cake and the medal design was born. Each of the designers contributed ideas to the final image, but the ultimate design was executed by Daisy Fuentes, a junior Community Health major and vice president of events for Roadrunner Productions.
Cost: $5
Available through Roadrunner Productions and via social media (@UTSA_RP on Twitter and Instagram or @UTSA_RPsnaps on Snapchat)
Mr. & Ms. UTSA
The 2019 Mr. & Ms. UTSA Fiesta medal was designed by Hunter Kim and Grace Adedipe, UTSA’s 2019 Mr. & Ms. UTSA. It is inspired by the sash and crowns worn by UTSA royalty.
These medals cannot be purchased. Talk to Hunter and Grace about their platforms for a chance to get one.
UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures’ Medal
The Institute of Texan Cultures’ 2019 Fiesta medal was designed by Amber Phifer, director of advancement, and Cristina Winston, exhibition coordinator. The medal symbolizes the institute’s mission to promote the uniqueness and beauty of the many cultures that came to Texas and features museum artifacts and objects representing the diverse cultures displayed on the exhibit floor.
Cost: $10
Available at the Institute of Texan Cultures’ museum store
UTSA Alumni Association Medal
This limited-edition medal is designed to look like papel picado, the decorative Mexican folk-art tissue paper that is used at parties and celebrations. The orange, oversized medal features a Roadrunner head and UTSA’s 50th anniversary logo, celebrating the university in a traditional “everything’s bigger in Texas” style.
Available through the UTSA Alumni Association
UTSA College of Business Medal
The College of Business’ inaugural 50th anniversary Fiesta medal was designed by Monica Garcia, a senior human resource major. The medal depicts the iconic facade of the Business Building and features a backstamp of UTSA’s 50th anniversary logo.
Cost: $5.
Available in the College of Business Dean’s Office or online.
UTSA Top Scholar Medal
The UTSA Top Scholar Fiesta medal was designed by Amber Chin, a second-year scholar majoring in Psychology and English. In this medal, she represents the program’s core values of knowledge, leadership and service, while highlighting a fun component of Fiesta culture – the piñata.
UTSA Campus Services
Campus Services and the SGA invite Roadrunners to help stock the Roadrunner Pantry in exchange for a free 2019 Campus Services Fiesta medal, designed in UTSA’s signature colors and featuring a UTSA bus.
Available at Campus Services.
UTSA Campus Tech Store
The Campus Tech Store Fiesta medal supports a great cause. When you purchase one of the Tech Store medals, a portion of the sale goes to benefit the Roadrunner Pantry, the on-campus food pantry available for free to students who struggle with food insecurity.
Cost: $8
Available at Campus Tech Store
UTSA Physics and Astronomy
The inaugural UTSA Physics and Astronomy Fiesta medal depicts the department’s unique research. Starting with a space background and adding a burrito – a piñata donkey in UTSA colors – wearing lab goggles, the medal showcases astronomy and physics with a planet and an atom.
Cost: $10
Available at the Department of Physics and Astronomy
