It was die-cast and made of either tombac or later zinc. Originally this was done to distinguish the copper-coloured tombac (copper-zinc alloy) coins, from pennies. The medallion of the medal is round, wide, and made of Tombac. The Queen Elizabeth II medal is tombac (a copper-zinc alloy). A gilt tombac laurel branch was affixed to the ribbon. As of 1915 the "Patrone 88" bullets became tombac plated.