5 Tips for Designing a Great Challenge Coin

7 minute read

Published on: 08 May 2023

Last modified on: 21 May 2024

5 tips for designing a great challenge coin
Table of Contents

Challenge coins have become an important part of the military culture. They are small tokens that can be earned by members of the armed forces to mark a specific achievement or moment in time with a unit or organization.

Top Highlights

  • Challenge coins mark achievements or moments in military culture, also serving as tokens of recognition, loyalty, and allegiance across various organizations
  • Knowing your audience is crucial in challenge coin design, reflecting an organization's identity, values, and significant events
  • Visual appeal in challenge coins is achieved through specific patterns, designs, or engraved logos, enhancing collectability and member pride
  • Using high-quality materials in challenge coins ensures durability and reflects an organization's commitment to quality, important for lasting recognition
  • Incorporating a hidden message or the organization's logo in a challenge coin adds personal significance and strengthens community and identity among members

Additionally, challenge coins are used as a token of recognition that signify membership, loyalty, and allegiance. They are given as rewards by various institutions, organizations, and companies to their members on different occasions such as annual general meetings, graduation parties, and so on. There is no standard format for designing challenge coins; each one is custom-made according to the needs of the organization or company. If youโ€™re designing a custom challenge coin, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are 5 tips for designing a great challenge coin.

Designing a Great Challenge Coin Tip #1 - Know Your Audience

When designing a challenge coin, you need to know your audience. What do the people in your organization identify most with? What is your corporate culture like? What do they find important? Knowing these things will be incredibly helpful when designing your coin.

designing a great challenge coin
Know Your Audience When Designing Your Challenge Coin

Think of the best of your organization. What do you want to instill in your members? What do you want them to remember about their experience and interactions with the company? After that, itโ€™s time to analyze the aspect of the company that will be represented on your coin. Are you having a special occasion? Maybe itโ€™s a charity-oriented coin where your organization has supported some important cause or event. Whatever it is, think about what is most crucial and meaningful for your organization.

Knowing your audience will help you select the themes and images you use on the coin. It will also help you select the appropriate wording for the coin. If you have ever seen a challenge coin, you have probably noticed that many coins have the same design elements on them. This is because different organizations like to use the same design elements. This is important because it helps create a sense of community among the different organizations with members who like to collect coins.

Designing a Great Challenge Coin Tip #2 -Make it Visually Appealing

Visually appealing coins are the most commonly used challenge coins. Many people in various organizations use coins as a way to promote their organization and show membership. As such, visually appealing coins are often used because most people will want to collect and keep the coin as a reminder of their membership.

Challenge coins are often designed to be visually appealing in two different ways. The first way is by using specific designs that are meant to be visually appealing. This is the case with many coins that have a specific pattern or design on the front. The second way challenge coins are visually appealing is by having an engraved logo or another special message on the coin. A great example of this is an engraved seal.

Designing a Great Challenge Coin Tip #3 - Use High-Quality Materials

Using high-quality materials is important in the design of a challenge coin, not only for the visual appeal but also for durability. Challenge coins are usually given to members when they graduate from training or when they hit a specific milestone. As such, they are meant to last a very long time. Challenge coins are often given as gifts to remember a specific time in a personโ€™s life and because of this, they need to last. Using high-quality materials will ensure the materials are durable and will last for a long time.

Another important reason for using high-quality materials is that it shows the organization is dedicated to quality. This will help show members are committed to quality, which is important for brand recognition and loyalty. High-quality materials can be more expensive, but it is worth it for the long-term benefits.

A challenge coin should have the logo of the organization on it. The logo is important because it allows people to quickly see who the coin represents and what organization it comes from. The logo is also important because it helps members identify each other. The logo should be on the front of the coin and be big enough to be easily visible.

Designing a great challenge coin can be overwhelming.  Learn how you can create the perfect coin to honor those special moments with these five design tips.
Use Your Logo in Your Design When Creating Your Custom Challenge Coin

Designing a Great Challenge Coin Tip #5 - Add a Hidden Message

Challenge coins often include a hidden message as well. The hidden message may be the same as the one that is engraved on the coin or it may be slightly different. It can be helpful to include a hidden message as well because it allows people to keep the coin as a reminder of the moment they received the coin.

The message engraved on the coin can be a helpful message for the people in the organization. It can be a motto, a saying, or a statement that will help remind members of something important. It can be about the organization members are a part of or about a set of values members hold dear. It can also be a reminder of something the members did that is important and worth remembering.

Designing Your Next Challenge Coin

A challenge coin can be a great way to promote an organization and help create a sense of community around different groups of people. It can also be used to commemorate important events and milestones. This is why it is so important to design a challenge coin that is right for the group. Doing so will help members bring back memories every time they look at it.

Challenge coins are meant to be a representation of an organization and the members of that organization. They are often given to members when they complete training, reach a milestone, or are part of an initiation. Challenge coins are meant to be visually appealing, durable, and come with a special message or logo. They are meant to last a long time and be handed down between generations.

At Custom Challenge Coins, we are industry leaders in creating high-quality challenge coins made to your specifications. We are able to transform your design into a beloved challenge coin. However, if youโ€™re unable to come up with a design on your own, contact us to get in touch with our knowledgeable challenge coin team. We can work together to create a custom challenge coin.

Jack Thompson

Jack Thompson was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After retiring from the military, Jack moved to Austin, Texas, to start a new chapter in his life. He has always been passionate about storytelling and decided to become a writer and podcaster. He runs a successful podcast where he discusses military history, shares personal anecdotes, and interviews other veterans. Jack also writes often about military traditions and history.

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All Rights Reserved. All symbols, logos and slogans depicted are registered trademarks of their respective owners. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense visual information does not imply or constitute endorsement. By submitting designs to CustomChallengeCoins.net, subsidiary of MetalPromo LLC, the purchasing party warrants that he, she, or it has/had the legal right to reproduce (or have reproduced) any logos or other images associated with his/her/its order. Samples on the site are for illustrative purposes only and are not for sale.
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