There are many different styles, or types, of lapel pins. Along my path of collecting pins, I’ve researched and identified several mainstream and popular styles of pins that are manufactured. I’ve found that most lapel pins are actually struck, meaning they begin as a flat piece of metal which is then struck using a die at very high pressure, resulting in an impression being made into the once flat piece of metal. This impression is what ultimately becomes the lapel pin after extensive processing and refining. There is another type of process which seems to be very popular, especially where there is relief detail, or 3d dimensional detail. This process is called Die Casting. Die casting is different from die striking in that the pins are created from a cast rather than being struck. This is idea for 3-dimensional objects and details that are more difficult to strike due to the availability of thick metal blanks. With casting, the beginning blank metal thickness does not matter, as it is melted down prior to the casting process. Casting involves molten metal, of which varying types or blends are used in the creation of die cast pins. This molten metal is then poured into a cavity, known as a mold, where it takes on the shape of the design. The cast is left to harden, and the the mold is removed from the pin, revealing the final lapel pin. This process is more commercially available because molds can be made from a variety of materials such as wax, clay, plaster, or rubber, whereas die striking mostly requires a design to be molded into steel or another hard metal suitable for striking. These cast pins are a great collectible item, as most of them resemble real 3-dimensional objects you see every day. They can be cast to emulate musical instruments, vehicles, and even products.