How to Design a Challenge Coin: What to Send Us

You do not need to be a designer, and you do not need finished artwork, to start a custom coin. The most common question we get is some version of "how do I prepare the artwork for my unit coin?" and the honest answer is that you can send us as little as a rough idea and we will turn it into a proof for you to review before anything is made.

The fastest way to start is our Design Studio, a step-by-step builder that walks you through product, purpose, size, and personalization, with optional slots to upload your front and back artwork. If you would rather just describe what you want, you can do that too. This guide covers what actually helps us get your first proof right.

The Short Version: What to Send

That is genuinely enough to get started. Everything below is detail that helps, not a checklist you have to complete before reaching out.

• •Your unit crest, department seal, logo, or a rough description of the design
• •Any text for the front and back (names, mottos, dates, rank)
• •A reference image if you have one (a photo, a screenshot, or a sketch is fine)
• •A rough idea of size and quantity (we can recommend both if you are unsure)

Plan Both Sides: Front and Back

Almost every challenge coin is two-sided, so it helps to think about the front and back separately from the start. A common and reliable split is to put the main visual identity on the front and the personal or specific details on the back.

The front is usually the strongest single emblem: a unit crest, a department seal, or a command logo. The back is where text and specifics live well, such as a name, a date range, a motto, or a short dedication. You do not have to fill both sides. A clean back with just a name and a year often looks better than a crowded one. If you only have artwork for one side, send that and tell us what you would like on the other.

Artwork Files: What Works Best

You can send JPG, PNG, or PDF files. If you have a vector file (AI, EPS, or a vector PDF) or a high-resolution image, that is ideal because our design team can scale and clean it up without it going blurry, but it is not required.

A few things that make a real difference: send the highest resolution version you have, send a logo or seal on its own rather than cropped out of a busy photo, and note any exact colors if they matter (a Pantone or hex value, or just "the same red as our patch"). If all you have is a hand sketch or a picture of an old coin, send it anyway. Our artists redraw reference art into production-ready line work as part of the proof, so a starting point is worth far more than a blank page.

Size and Finish (or Let Us Recommend)

Coins usually run between 1.5 and 2.5 inches, and 2.0 inches is the most common all-purpose choice. Smaller sizes cost less per unit and suit simple designs and higher quantities; larger sizes hold more detail. If your design has fine linework or a lot of text, we will let you know during the proof if it needs a slightly larger size to read clearly.

For finish, soft enamel is the economical standard, hard enamel gives a smooth polished look, and plating options like antique gold or antique silver set the overall tone. If you are not sure, you do not have to decide up front. Tell us the feel you want (traditional and ceremonial, modern and bold, premium award piece) and we will suggest a combination. Our minimum order for challenge coins is 25 pieces.

What a Proof Looks Like

Once we have your idea, our design team prepares a digital proof: a rendered image of your coin, front and back, showing the artwork, text, size, and finish as they will be produced. Proofs are free and typically ready within about a day.

You review the proof and either approve it or ask for changes, and revisions are part of the process, not an extra charge. Nothing is produced and there is no charge until you approve your design. That is the whole point of the proof step: you see exactly what you are getting before you commit.

Ready When You Are

If you have artwork, have it handy but do not worry about polishing it. If you only have an idea, that is a perfectly normal place to start. Head to the Design Studio to begin your free quote and free proof, or reach out and describe what you have in mind and we will take it from there.