Challenge Coin or Lapel Pin: Which Is the Better Unit Gift?

Both make a lasting gift for a unit, a department, or a team, and both are fully custom. The short answer: a challenge coin is the bigger, more personal keepsake, presented hand to hand and kept on a desk or in a display case. A lapel pin is the lighter, lower-cost piece that people wear, which makes it easy to give one to everyone.

For 100 people, a standard 2 inch coin is $5.13 each plus a $150 mold fee, about $663 all in. A 1 inch enamel pin is $2.32 each plus a $38 mold fee, about $270. Shipping is included in both, and there is no charge until you approve your design.

Side by Side

• •Minimum order: 25 coins, or 50 pins
• •Price at 100: $5.13 per 2 inch coin, $2.32 per 1 inch pin
• •One-time mold fee: $150 for a 2 inch coin, $38 for a pin, both waived at 300 or more
• •Size: coins are usually 1.5 to 3.5 inches across; pins 0.75 to 1.5 inches
• •Detail: a coin has two sides and room for names, dates, and a motto; a pin has one face and works best with a bold, simple design
• •Production: 18 to 21 business days after proof approval for either

When a Challenge Coin Is the Better Choice

Choose a coin when the gift marks something: a retirement, a deployment, a promotion, an award, or the end of a tour. The weight of the metal, the second side for a personal message, and the tradition of presenting a coin with a handshake make it feel earned. Coins also suit smaller groups, since the minimum is 25.

When a Lapel Pin Is the Better Choice

Choose a pin when you want everyone to have one and to wear it: a whole unit, a department, an association, or an event crowd. At larger quantities pins get very inexpensive. At 500 pieces a 1 inch pin is $0.88 each, with the $38 mold fee waived at 300 or more.

Why Many Units Order Both

A common plan is a pin for every member and a coin for the people being recognized. The same artwork can usually drive both, so your design is done once and shown to you on a free proof for each piece. Mention both in your quote request and we will price them together.

Get Your Exact Number

The figures here are the published prices from our product pages, so you can budget from them directly. The calculators on the challenge coins and lapel pins pages show every size and quantity. When you are ready, start in our Design Studio for a free quote and a free proof.