Close to three million Americans serve in the U.S. military, making it the third-largest military by size. As a result, there are many brave veterans all over the country today.
Perhaps you know one or more veterans and want to pay your respects to them. One thing you can do is to present them with a personalized challenge coin.
Challenge coins are commemorative items given to veterans. They can also be used as “keys” to enter exclusive events with other veterans.
Here’s how to design a military challenge coin:
Decide on the Basic Design
Your first step should be to decide what you want the overall look of the coin to be. For example, do you want a small coin or a large one? Do you want a minimalist design or one that’s more intricate?
It’s best to look at a collection of challenge coins. This gives you an idea of what types of challenge coins are popular and helps you decide how you’d like to design yours.
You can learn more about the presidential challenge coin to see a great example of your own challenge coins.
The Components of Challenge Coins
The base of the challenge coin can be made of almost any hard material. However, a strong metal base is usually the best option.
It’s common to use stainless steel, pure silver, or gold. Copper challenge coins are less popular but are more affordable.
The next consideration is the size of a challenge coin. Challenge coins are meant to be light and easy to carry around. The recipient should be able to fit it into a pocket without any hassle.
Some challenge coins are less than 1.5″ in diameter and are super lightweight, but they can get lost if one isn’t careful. On average, a challenge coin is 1.75″ in diameter.
You can also create challenge coins that are between 2″ to 3″ in diameter. While slightly heavier, these are perfect if you want to have a more exquisite design. If you aren’t afraid of showing off, then go bigger!
Best Practices for Custom Coin Design
Now let’s look at a few best practices for designing your challenge coins. Most challenge coins don’t have a space for putting a chain. You can consider adding a loop to turn it into a necklace or a keychain.
You can also engrave the recipient’s name on the back of the challenge coin. You can even put their contact information in case the challenge coin gets lost.
Make sure you present the challenge coin in a case. The case should also include a cloth and cleaning liquid.
Create Your Personalized Challenge Coin
Now you know how to make a personalized challenge coin for any veteran whom you know.
Decide what size you’d like to make the challenge coin. You’ll also have to decide what material is best for the coin. Depending on the recipient’s personality, you can choose whether you want a simple or complex design.
You can visit our blog to learn even more about coin design ideas and coin collecting!
