When you first decide to create a custom challenge coin, you likely hop online to check out the options available. And if you’re like most people, you probably find the results to be very overwhelming. The custom coin minting industry is a very saturated market – with many custom coin companies making big promises about custom-designed challenge coins for an unbelievable price. There are some excellent, reputable coin companies out there – but buyer beware – there are many coin companies that you may want to avoid. They are offering cheaply-made coins that lack the creativity, quality and durability that all challenge coins should possess. Before choosing a custom coin minting service, here are a few things you should consider:
- Who is making your coins? This might be the most important question that you can answer. Are your coins handcrafted by a master artisan – or are they being made by an inexpensive overseas mint that mass-produces challenge coins and has little oversight as to quality. Many of these challenge coin companies that offer great “discount rates” are creating those “discounts” by using cheaper metals, limited design choices and a much less-intricate design process. Even worse, many of the “discount” challenge coin mints actually don’t do any of the design or minting themselves – they simply act as “middle men” by taking the orders and sending them out to cheaper mints overseas, where all of the design and manufacturing actually occurs. How custom-crafted does that sound? If you want to ensure that you’re getting a truly custom and expertly-crafted challenge coin, you have to know who is designing your coin.
- What metal and finish will your coin have? When it comes to custom challenge coins, metal matters. The type of metal used seriously affects the durability of the coin – as well as the look and feel. Excellent challenge coin companies have actually developed their own patented metal products that are created to not only enhance the design, but to outlast most metals on the market. It’s a difference that you can really see and feel. Since challenge coins are meant to be passed down from generation to generation, it is important that they are scratch and rub resistant and will hold their brilliance. When you shop based on price, you MUST inquire on the type of metal and finish being used or you may end up with a cheaply made coin that will tarnish and dent. These new metals will maintain their appearance and integrity and look incredible through the years.
- Will you be involved in the design process? When you are designing a custom-made challenge coin, the design process should be all about what YOU want. A great challenge coin company will be happy to work with you every step of the way and help you in designing a custom challenge coin that truly reflects the spirit and the design elements of your group, unit or organization. If you have an idea – they should be able to make it happen! A truly artistic challenge coin company can help you along the process, offering their opinion and guidance, without hindering your style. Remember: designing a challenge coin should be a collaborative and fun When you are working with a great challenge coin designer, your ideas can be transformed into a coin that will exceed your expectations and WOW everyone who sees it.
Find the Best Custom Challenge Coins for Sale
If you are looking to create a custom challenge coin and want to find simply the best challenge coins for sale, you need to check out Phoenix Challenge Coins. Phoenix Challenge Coins is custom challenge coin minting company that has made a name for itself in the challenge coin world for creating hand-crafted challenge coins that are heads above the competition in terms of style, artistry, creativity, and quality. Phoenix Challenge Coins uses cutting-edge patented technology, Challenge Coin Armor™ and Armor Shield™, which creates a much stronger, more durable finish. Phoenix Challenge Coins are built to last everyday carrying and will last for generations. And this is important: Phoenix Challenge Coins does not sub out its design work to cheap overseas coin minters. Each challenge coin is expertly designed by Phoenix’s master challenge coin artisan, Eric Richards. Want to learn more? Check out Phoenix’s design process and shop for military coins, unit coins, corporate coins, police coins and fire coins direct from Phoenix Challenge Coins’ web site.