Company
October 16, 2023
If you are on a limited budget or just looking to keep the cost down on your challenge coins, don’t sweat it. We have a few useful tips that can save you money and get you the high-quality coins you need.
Getting the most bang for your buck starts with the unit price. Unit price is the price of each individual coin in a full order. How much each coin costs depends on a number of different factors like color, size, edging, planting, numbering and countless other customizable features. The more complex a coin is, the more expensive it will be.
What is the best way to keep the unit price down, and get the most coins for your money? We suggest focusing on size, colors and quantity. Paying attention to a few items in each of these areas will allow you to get the best bang for your buck. This will also ensure that you are getting exactly what you are looking for in a custom challenge coin.
Bigger coins will cost more money. They require larger molds and more material so they will be inherently more expensive. If you are looking to get the most coins for your money, smaller sized coins will always be the way to go. Knowing the use and purpose of your custom challenge will certainly make a difference on the size of coin you will want to produce.
Going too big or too small with your custom coin can degrade the coin’s impact if it doesn’t suit your design. To find the right size for you, follow these guidelines to strike the right balance:
The more detailed a design, the bigger you’ll want to go if you want a coin’s recipient to actually see the detail. Trying a very detailed design on a small coin means a lot more planning on how to use the limited space.
If you’re designing a small coin, keep the design simple with only one or two main elements to be focused on. Smaller coins (any coin less than 1.75”) are cheaper to produce, letting you stretch your budget for a bigger quantity of coins.
Bigger coins (any coin bigger than 2”) are great for coins meant for display on a shelf or desk because the larger size lets you make more dramatic designs. However, going bigger than 2” is going to make it hard to actually carry around. At this size the coin can become bulky and really more of a paper weight than a challenge coin that someone can display or carry with them.
Color is another option that has a significant effect on the unit price of coins. It takes extra time to set up a mold that has clearly defined breaks for color patterns, ensuring that no colors bleed together. The paint itself adds up, too. If you look at a single coin, it doesn’t look like it takes that much paint, but remember, multiply the paint from one coin by 300 or 500 or however big the order is. That’s a lot of paint. So, choosing to avoid color fills will save you money.
Something you might be thinking right now is, why would I want to get challenge coins without color? The truth is, you don’t need color to make compelling designs. Some of the most striking coins designs are those without any color but a simple antique finish to really make each detail of the coin stand out and “pop”. The antique finish is available in gold, silver, copper and black nickel. This option should not be overlooked, in particular when you are price conscious.
If you think your design really needs color, but you’re still looking for ways to save a little extra money, we have options for color on only one side as well. This is the best of both worlds since you get to save some money, but still get a splash of vibrant color.
The last thing to consider is quantity. It might seem kind of backward but ordering more coins helps you get more for your money!
Designing a custom coin is a lot of fun. You get to throw your ideas around and see how they flesh out. You get to go through revisions making artwork just right. And when you finally get to hold the first coin, you know it is a true original.
But a custom coin needs a custom mold. Mold fees cover testing the setup of the coin and the development of a unique mold. It can cost anywhere between $100 and $250 depending on the size of the coins and whether or not they are one-sided or two-sided in design. This is where quantity comes into play.
Consider if you can use the coin design for current and future needs. A good rule to make a coin that can be used for more than one event is to eliminate any dates on the design. This allows your coin to be current at any time for use now and in the future, allowing you to increase quantity and lower your per coin costs.
When you start the ordering process by requesting artwork, take a moment to talk with a member of our sales team. Give them your budget and they will find the best options to meet your needs. Getting smaller coins can save a lot of money on the bottom line, but maybe you really need a 1.75” coin and can’t figure out how to make that suit your budget.
Our sales team is friendly and full of experience. They will do everything in their power to help create a coin that suits your needs (both in design and budget). Check out our custom options on our pricing page and get a better idea of what we can create for you. Our experience has taught us that there is some wiggle room that allows our customers to save money without sacrificing high-quality design.
