Company
October 16, 2023
Key Takeaways
Finding the right way to display your challenge coins is a personal decision, but the end result should instill a sense of pride in your accomplishments.
We’ll look at the top ideas for how to display and protect your challenge coins. The top challenge coin display case ideas we’ll look at include the following:
These cases can be ordered from a manufacturer or reseller, or you can connect with a local craftsman to make one customized to your needs (or even make it yourself!). We invite you to think about these options when choosing the perfect challenge coin display case for your collection.
These challenge coin display case ideas can be modified in an infinite number of ways. You can choose different materials, shapes, assembly sizes, finishes, paint colors, designs, or placement options depending on how much your budget is, how much room you have available, how many items you have in your challenge coin display, and many more variables.
A hanging wall cabinet is an excellent choice for those who have a challenge coin collection to proudly display. The most common layout for a cabinet is to have it mounted on a wall for hanging.
These cases are usually made of wood, with simply hardware and finishes to let your challenge coins be the standout feature. You can include as many rows as needed depending on how many coins you have.
Additional features to think about are the final stain or paint color for the outside, the type of door you want (glass or wood), felt backing to prevent scratches on your challenge coins or the case, and any additional stamps or emblems you wish to include.
For those who don’t want to hang their challenge coin collection on the wall, a standing cabinet is a good compromise. You can have a standing case that is fully vertical, or you can build it so that your challenge coins sit at a slight angled slope.
This is a good option if you have a slightly smaller collection that you want to display next to other collectibles or memorabilia. Or, you can opt for a larger design that takes up the entire length of a dresser or tabletop.
This can add a feeling of museum quality to your challenge coin display, and would work very well for collectors as well.
An open-air challenge coin display rack that sits on a tabletop or desktop allows you to build any shape you’d like for the base, and lets you pick up your challenge coins if you want to take one with you.
One of the most recognizable shapes for a challenge coin display rack is the American flag. This design can be used for military members, as well as law enforcement officers using the “thin blue line” design.
The lines for each stripe in the flag are etched out to become grooves where you will set your military challenge coins for display.
If you don’t want to use the American flag as the backdrop for your military challenge coins, you could also choose to use the logo or emblem of the branch of the military you served in, or another logo of your choice.
For example, the anchor of the U.S. Navy would make a great backdrop for the military challenge coins of a veteran sailor. Or, if your unit had a mascot, you could choose to design a base around that character or icon.
The common factor for this type of challenge coin display is the open-air design. This would not prevent your challenge coin collection from rolling off if it is not stored on a completely flat surface, but it would allow you to take your challenge coins with you if you have an upcoming meeting with that group.
For some, a simple challenge coin display rack with a basic, single-row design is all they need. These can be created with minimal materials and assembly, and can be dressed with understated finishes or stains.
If you only have a few cherished challenge coins you want to display, you could build one or more single-row challenge coin display racks to show off your collection. This would also work if you had multiple locations where you wanted to feature a challenge coin holder.
Some challenge coin display cases are intended to be used with other memorabilia as well.
For example, some cases or racks have a section in one corner reserved for a folded American flag, if you were chosen as the recipient for a fallen loved one or friend. You could also have a larger case to display a military dress uniform in addition to your larger coins, or an open section in the center could be used to house other medals in addition to your challenge coins.
You can dress up any desktop or tabletop challenge coin display rack with a clear plastic or glass housing over the top to create an elegant coin display case.
This can add a museum-level quality to your challenge coin display case, protecting it from the elements while also leaving them visible for others to enjoy.
These can be challenge coin display cases with single or multiple rows, and the case could also sit over a “stadium”-style arrangement with rows that rise one after the other.
A closed challenge coin desktop box makes for an excellent challenge coin holder. This challenge coin box could be latched or even locked if desired.
Skilled craftsmen could paint or even etch detailed designs into the lid for an expert touch. A case like this can be a meaningful gesture to a friend or fellow servicemember, commemorating the time you have spent together by helping them preserve their challenge coins for years to come.
If you only have one or two favorite coins to display, and don’t want to go through the hassle of a larger case, you can order a simple plastic or metal stand that allows you to stand up your challenge coin on a side table or desktop.
They are no different than any other simple stand design - just scaled down to accommodate the handheld size of your challenge coin.
A shadowbox challenge coin holder creates the illusion that your mementos are “floating,” when they are in fact suspended by two plates of plastic or glass.
Shadowboxes can hold up to a few coins at a time, so they’re good for veterans or collectors who don’t have very many to display. The downside to this concept is that it can be difficult to arrange the coins again if you open the case for any reason.
A small capsule box is another great option for one or two challenge coins that deserve special prominence. They are smaller than most other case options, and the lid is either solid or featuring a clear glass window.
The base also usually has an insert for your challenge coin to rest in, protecting it from any bumps or jostles.
