Vintage 1974 Cheney High School Invitational Award Medal

This is a vintage participation or achievement medal from a Cheney High School Invitational event, dated to approximately 1974. The medal features a die-cast, circular medallion with a distinctive scalloped or wavy decorative edge, crafted from a base metal with a brass or gold-tone finish. The center of the obverse showcases a stylized, cartoon-like mascot character, which appears to be a bird-like figure in a dynamic pose, set against a textured, pebbled background. Surrounding the mascot is a raised-letter border that reads 'CHENEY HIGH SCHOOL' on the top arc and 'INVITATIONAL' on the bottom arc. The medallion is suspended by a small jump ring from a two-toned grosgrain ribbon draped in a horizontal fold style, featuring a vertically split salmon-orange and royal blue color scheme. Measuring approximately 1.5 inches in diameter for the medal alone, the piece displays a characteristic aged look with a darkened patina in the recessed areas and minor surface oxidation. The ribbon shows slight fraying at the edges and minor fading consistent with age. This item is a classic example of mid-to-late 20th-century scholastic awards, demonstrating standard mass-production techniques used for high school athletic or academic competitions during the 1970s.

I have examined the images of the 1974 Cheney High School Invitational medal. The piece features a gold-tone base metal medallion with a stylized mascot, suspended from a split-color grosgrain ribbon. The die-casting shows standard quality for 1970s scholastic awards. My visual inspection indicates a level of oxidation and patina in the recessed areas consistent with a fifty-year-old copper-alloy or brass-plated piece. The ribbon exhibits expected age-toning and minor fraying. Historically, such items were mass-produced by regional trophy companies, making them common in high school athletic contexts. The market for generic high school memorabilia is niche, typically driven by alumni or local historical collectors rather than broad sports memorabilia investors. Comparables for mid-70s invitational medals generally achieve prices in the $10-$30 range depending on the specific sport or student achievement associated with the event. The rarity is low, though the sentimentality to the specific institution provides its primary value. Please note that while the item appears authentic to the period, I cannot definitively verify metal composition or the absence of modern reproduction techniques through digital images alone. For full authentication, an in-person examination would be required to assess weight and surface wear at a microscopic level. Provenance documentation, such as a school yearbook or contemporary newspaper clipping from the 1974 event, would further solidify its historical context and potentially increase its desirability to local collectors.