Challenge coins are small coins, or rather medallions, that carry an emblem or a logo by a certain organization, company, or similar. In the past, they were used to prove membership to a certain organization, but now they’re used by many around the world for different purposes. They’ve also been a huge part of the American military tradition as they were used to reward hard work and excellence. They are typically made out of metal, typically zinc, bronze, or brass and are small enough to fit inside your palm. Some are even made out of 24-carat gold. The emblem or the insignia is etched into the coin while some messages or a motto can be engraved around the edges. The majority of the challenge coins are round, but they do come in different shapes as well.
Even though challenge coins were mostly used as awards and to prove membership, today they are used for branding. Many companies are putting their logos and mottos on challenge coins which are then being handed out at conferences, sales events, and similar. It isn’t uncommon for schools and colleges to create their own challenge coins as well. You can order custom challenge coins and have them made by your own design, or hire a professional to help you.
As GS-JJ.com explains, you can now easily design your challenge coin by using a new online system that allows you to layer, rotate, add pictures and text, and choose the color palette. It’s a brand new technology which allows you to completely design your challenge coin by yourself thru the website. It’s called online design technology.
Img source: wizardz.co.za
When creating a custom challenge coin, there are several things to keep in mind. Firstly, you want your design to be unique, eye-catching, and memorable. There are numerous collectors out there always searching for fun, unique items. If your design is easy to remember and it sparks conversation, people are more likely to remember your brand and return to you for services. It’s like every other kind of advertising really. Collecting challenge coins could help you get the idea of what they typically look like and inspire you. On the other hand, if you’re creating them for you personally rather than for a company, then go crazy – you can truly make anything you desire. Consider the colors you’re using and what message you’re trying to send. Colors on the coins should match the colors of the company and the design should send the message you want – maybe your target audience is young people and you want to seem playful and cool, but maybe you’re targeting older people and are dealing with more serious matters in which case your design should clearly show that.
Of course, if you’re having trouble coming up with ideas on your own, you can consult a professional. Explain what you’re doing, what your goals are, what message you’re trying to send to your customers, and of course, how big is your budget. Hiring someone to help you out is a particularly good idea when it comes to creating a design for challenge coins as they are small and you want the final version of the logo to be scalable down to a tiny coin.
