Dating award medals [Risolto]

Hi all, I would like your thoughts on dating award medals. Award medals will often have three different dates: the date of institution, the date of strike indicated by hallmark, and the date engraved/embossed when awarded. Originally I was adding award medals based on the first date of institution, as the date was normally included on the medal itself; however, I am thinking the hallmark may be the best indicator for the medal, as it has the actual date the medal was made. On the awarded date, I find it to be PMD and use it only when no other known date exists for the medal. Should we use the first date, and that date only, or use a range of dates that the medal was struck/made? And if hallmarks are used as the date, should each mark be listed separately or as a single date line as a range?

Object are date by when they were made, with the exception of countermarked coins, (which basically void the original object and use the material to make something new, then we use the countermark date)