Two Is Sometimes Better Than One
You’ve created the design of your custom coins. You’ve chosen most of the customization options you’re interested in, and looked over the proofs our artists created for you. All that’s left is to choose the plating option that will best suit your design and make your coins stand out among the rest.
Proofs from Signature Coins will often come with multiple plating options shown—the initial option requested as well as a few other options that our artists think will be good choices for your design. One of the options you might want to consider is the dual plating upgrade we offer. It’s an easy way to ensure your coin will stand out and be memorable.
What Is Dual Plating?
At Signature Coins, we offer a wide variety of plating options. Most plating, in particular the precious metal plating options, are added immediately after the coins are struck. The coin is placed in a chemical solution containing the metal to be plated onto it. An electric current is added to the solution, and a permanent layer of precious metal adheres to the surface of the coin.
When dual plating, an extra step is added to keep the process clean and orderly. The coins are plated normally, and then need to be plated again. A special paint is added to the sections of the coin which are not getting the second metal plating.
Looking at this coin as an example, if the coin was plated in gold first, the sections that were intended to remain gold would be covered in the special paint. Those sections would then be immune to the silver plating process that takes place later. Because of these added steps, dual plating can add anywhere from 3-5 days to the production process of your coins. However, the finished product is more than worth the time.
The Effects of Dual Plating
When you choose the gold and silver plating option for your coins, the result is coins with a strongly increased perceived value and plating that both compliments one another and contrasts well. Gold and silver dual plated coins always create an eye-catching combination, but they are not the only dual plating option available.
Black nickel and gold also make for a really striking and compelling plating combination. The dark color of the nickel pairs perfectly with the sheen of the gold for a nice contrast, and when antique gold is used, the overall effect is to give the coins a classic and weathered look. 
For a truly unique appearance, pair a black nickel plating with a copper base metal. Coins dual plated in these two metals often have a kind of steampunk look to them, and because it’s not a very common combination, the coins that do make use of it are guaranteed to stand out.
In addition to our precious metal platings we also offer powder coating finishes. While these options aren’t often used together, we generally figure out what is possible when a customer asks us to do something we’d never done before. So when it comes to dual plating, let your imagination run wild.
Dual Plating as Embellishment
It’s easy to see why a customer might choose dual plating to add contrast and create a complete look for one or both sides of their coin, but changing the look of large areas of your coin is not the only reason for choosing dual plating. Dual plating can also be employed to great effect for adding small embellishments to a coin.
Government and military customers will often offset one aspect of their coin design with a different plating than the rest of the coin. If you want a seal, or a logo, or some other small embellishment, to stand out from the rest, plating it in a different metal is the easiest way to achieve that.
High polish dual plated coins make for great mementos and rewards given their high perceived value. And while they continue to be some of the most common dual plating options, they aren’t the only game in town. If you’re curious about how your coin will look making use of two (or more) different plating options, simply let the sales team know, and our artists will be able to create a proof that will show you the best option for your design.
