Military challenge coins are a great way to commemorate significant events and connections. The first instances of challenge coins are believed to have happened in ancient Rome for a soldier performing well in battle. But today, challenge coins have increased scope in various other events as well.
Challenge coins are a great way to build the spirit of your team. And when designing it, it’s natural that you would want to come up with something unique, showing that you care and have spent time and thought behind it. Designing military coins is not really a very easy task, neither it is difficult as long as you know what you are doing.
Here, we have shared some tips for designing custom challenge coins and before you start with your coin designing endeavor, keep these tips in mind to help you with your designing process.
Things to Keep in Mind
Military challenge coins are a small space to work with and that is the first thing that you should keep in your mind while designing it. The space available will probably be just enough to fit a logo or a few words along the edges. You can also include a specific date to make the coin exclusive. Just keep in mind that you may need to print more coins in the future if you choose to do that.
So, the space being small, it’s best to work with a graphic designer who can reshape the images and the words to fit inside the circle and make the coin visually appealing.
Choose the Metal Style
Challenge coins can be crafted from various materials and can be plated differently. The material you choose for the coin will impact its quality and weight. So, you should choose wisely. Always keep the event in mind, i.e., what purpose the coin will serve.
Another thing to make sure is whether the design can be crafted with the material you choose. For example, hard enamel metal has a smooth surface whereas soft enamel has a textured surface. So, every design will not go with every material.
Maximize Space and Color
Choosing the right color for your coin is important. At times a challenge coin can be simple, but depending on the occasion, sometimes colors play a vital role in the design. So, choose the right color that is consistent with your event or brand.
Also, as mentioned, the space available on a challenge coin is very small. So, you’ll do well if you cut short the messaging to the most vital information. Adding too much to a coin can look crammed up and unprofessional.
Make Use of Both Sides
The military challenge coin will have two sides and a good design should focus on utilizing both of them to their fullest. Although you can choose to go for the same design on both sides, you shouldn’t do so. Instead, make the two sides different. One side can have the logo and the other side can include other details like the event reference.
Designing both sides separately will allow you to include more details and make the coin more customized and unique.
Keep Your Audience in Mind
Keeping your audience in mind will help you create the perfect piece of memorabilia for your event or team. So, consider what will be appealing to your audience. Will the design provide enough value that they will hold the coin dear for years to come?
The coin can be commemorating a special event that one feels lucky to attend. Or, it can signify something that will bring joy to the person when he looks at it in the future. Hanging onto the coin can have different reasons. So, it’s important to find out that reason and include it in your design.
Military coins are a symbol of honor and the person receiving it is made feel special. So, while designing it, you should keep all the tips discussed above in mind and create a design that will not only be unique but the individual receiving it will hold it precious for years to come.