I voted for pins (buttons) because I have 2 medals from previous years...
Even though I bet they are more intriguing to look at then a pin...
Thats really all there're good for, being looked at.
You can't really wear them, you can't tote them around with you comfortably, and trading them is kinda pointless...
Plus all they really represent, is the fact that you competed in a FIRST competition, and that we are all winners in some way.
But can't a pin mean exactly the same thing?
Maybe even more so then a medal?
The lunacy medals only gave the year,
The pins could have the year, theme, maybe even the regional it was awarded at?
Plus, you could trade them outside of FIRST events for non-FIRST pins, and help spread awareness about FIRST.
I think a Pin would be a much better idea, under one condition...
They can't be some cheap little pin, where you have to squint to read what it says.
If FIRST switches to pins, they need to be THE GREATEST PINS EVER!
I also think FIRST could give out award pins to teams that won awards during the competition, along with stickers they can put on their robot, saying that the robot won the :blank: award at the :blank: regional.
(Think robot bumper stickers)
But thats just my $0.02
(actually that was more like a $1.50. Sorry if I over did it
)