Every challenge coin is crafted to show honor and appreciation for a team’s achievements, and including a custom spinner is sometimes the best way to include an extra layer of personality and sentiment to a design.
Spinner coins come in all kinds of different shapes and sizes,
and
interactive elements
accentuate the design, making them more memorable and meaningful to the men and women receiving them.
Spinner coins are the perfect gift for someone who has a hard time sitting still. More personal and customizable than a fidget spinner, anyone would have a hard time putting one of these coins down for long. The spinner upgrade is also an easy way to help your coins stand out in a crowd.
Spinner challenge coins like this one with floating spinners in the shape of a propeller are among the most unique designs we create. All it takes is a small flick to send this propeller spinning, making sure no one will want to set it down.
Spinner Challenge Coins
NMSCD Internal Spinner Coin
We've help design all kinds of different spinner coins, but this one stands apart from the crowd because of the custom shaped spinner at the center. While most choose a medallion shaped internal spinner, this spinner coin design combines elements of an anchor, a set of scales and a caduceus.
Spinner Challenge Coins
NMSCD Internal Spinner Coin Side 2
We've help design all kinds of different spinner coins, but this one stands apart from the crowd because of the custom shaped spinner at the center. While most choose a medallion shaped internal spinner, this spinner coin design combines elements of an anchor, a set of scales and a caduceus.
Spinner Challenge Coins
Bottle Opener Spinner Coin
Not only does this coin incorporate a custom shaped spinner, there is also a bottle opener hook at the top of the design. Custom bottle openers are a popular choice for all kinds of different challenge coins, and including a spinner in this design results in an especially unique design.
We love designing spinner challenge coins with moving parts that add another layer of depth to a design. Whether it's a propeller, as spinning heel spur for a boot-shaped coin, or, in this case, a pair of dice that always turns up lucky number seven, custom spinners are perfect for making a statement with your design.
Spinner Challenge Coins
Rough Riders Internal Spinner Coin
Coins with spinners as large as this design will often take people by surprise because an unsuspecting recipient will assume it's just a medallion-shaped challenge coin. Once they realize the round spinner at the center rotates freely, they're sure to get excited.
Spinner Challenge Coins
Rough Riders Internal Spinner Coin
Coins with spinners as large as this design will often take people by surprise because an unsuspecting recipient will assume it's just a medallion-shaped challenge coin. Once they realize the round spinner at the center rotates freely, they're sure to get excited.
Spinner Challenge Coins
Information Resource Management Spinner
The two sides of this spinner coin have many of the same features, but the subtle changes encourage the holder to spin from one side to the other so they can find all the changes to the scene.
The two sides of this spinner coin have many of the same features, but the subtle changes encourage the holder to spin from one side to the other so they can find all the changes to the scene.
Spinner Challenge Coins
Heel Spur Spinner Coin
Most of the spinner coins we help design have internal spinners or floating spinners, but some coins defy convention. The spinning heel spur design of this coin is a unique example of how to mix and match custom options to create a fun and interesting design.
Spinner Challenge Coins
Fuerza Aerea Colombiana Challenge coin Spinner
Fuerza Aerea Colombiana Challenge coin Spinner
Spinner Challenge Coins
Fuerza Aerea Colombiana Front
Fuerza Aerea Colombiana Front
Army Challenge Coins
Alpha Company Challenge Coin
Including cut outs in a design is a great way to make artwork that stands out from the crowd. These Army unit coins have a unique Viking design at the center that is framed with cut outs at the top and bottom of the artwork.
Challenge Coin Customer Reviews
How to Approach Making a Set of Custom Spinner Challenge Coins
The best way to make an interesting spinner coin is to consider how adding any sort of interactive element will elevate your coin design. A custom boot shaped challenge coin with a spinning heel spur is the perfect example of how to accentuate a design with a characteristic spinner, but there are countless other ideas like spinning globes, propellers and jet fighters that make for memorable designs.
Whether you need a set of military challenge coins, corporate challenge coins or any other type of design, adding a spinner that moves along with the theme of your design will take your coins to the next level.
Choosing the Right Type of Custom Spinner for Your Challenge Coin Design
There are two general styles of spinner coins to choose from: Internal spinners and floating spinners. In regard to challenge coin cost, they are considered the same, but each comes with advantages and disadvantages in style, functionality and aesthetic.
Internal spinners sit within a cut out portion of a challenge coin design. They can be large, taking up almost the entire design, or they can be relatively small. In either case, it’s important to remember that the spinner needs enough room to rotate freely. The smaller the cut out portion of the coin, the smaller the spinner will have to be. Smaller spinners rotate easily, but sometimes don’t have enough mass to spin quickly for a prolonged period of time. If you're looking for a spinner coin that spins quickly and easily, consider a design with a larger cut out and a heavier spinner.
All spinners are held in place by a pin that acts as the axis of rotation. In the case of internal spinners, the pin is usually aligned with the top and bottom of a coin and allows the spinner to rotate inside the cut out with a light flick. Floating spinners, on the other hand, are more like the hands of a clock. The spinner sits on top of the coin face and rotates clockwise and counterclockwise while the coin face stays still.
These types of spinners often take up a lot of space, obscuring the design of the coin face. This is why it’s so important to ensure a spinner adds to the theme of the artwork because it will no doubt be the centerpiece of the design.
While internal spinners and floating spinners help us categorize most of the spinner coins we help design, there are some designs that defy categorization. We are always on the lookout for new and interesting ideas for spinner coins. If you have an idea for your own unique spinner coin, give us a call today, and we’ll help bring that idea to life!
Getting Started on Your Own Set of Custom Spinner Challenge Coins
One of the first things to consider when you create a coin with moving parts is that the final design will require more than one coin mold. The coin itself will, of course, need a mold, but the spinner piece will also need a mold. Once each is finished, the two pieces are put together to form a finished spinner challenge coin. This makes custom spinner coins more expensive than your everyday challenge coin, but they are also so much more than your average challenge coin.
Our custom challenge coin template provides some insight on coin pricing as well as places to sketch out your ideas and check off the options you like best. Fill one out and include it with your free quote form, and our art team will set to work on your first proof of artwork.
Choose the Best Custom Coin Maker to Help Bring Your Spinner Coins to Life
Our Signature Coins team has been handcrafting interactive coins since the year 2000. The custom spinner coins we help create come in all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes. If you’re ready with your own spinner coin idea, fill out a free quote today, and see what makes us the best challenge coin maker online.
We offer free artwork and revisions to every customer, whether you need a set of interactive challenge coins, a traditional set of medallion shaped coins or any other design. Every order comes with free overnight shipping, a 100% quality guarantee, and you won’t have to pay a dime until you are completely satisfied with your design.
A challenge coin is usually a metal coin or medallion, bearing an organization's insignia, emblem or logo and carried by the organization's members. Traditionally, challenge coins were used by the military and displayed by service men and women to prove exclusive membership when challenged, and to enhance the military units' morale.
Historically, challenge coins were awarded by military unit commanders in recognition of special achievement made by a member of the unit. They are also known to be exchanged and traded during recognition visits to different international organizations, bases and service tours. These coins have been heavily collected by active and retired service members and law enforcement personnel for years.
Modern challenge coins are made in a variety of sizes and often include popular culture references such as superheroes as well as known characters in a parody. Many companies today are using them to build morale in teams, link people with similar interests and even to promote their brand. Challenge coin designs today are pushing the boundary of what a challenge coin could mean or be used for. One thing is for sure, personalized coins further strengthen the sense of bond within people that both give and receive them.
Challenge coins are often used as a physical token or symbol to represent membership to an organization, unit, or team.
Challenge coins also serve as a lasting personal award for anyone that has received one. Since they are custom and long lasting, challenge coins serve well to commemorate the time and experience put in to overcome overwhelming obstacles or the extraordinary effort and sacrifice needed to reach a given achievement. These keepsake coins become a life long reminder of the achievements made.
Challenge coins can also be used as a token to commemorate a special event or anniversary. You can view some of our commemorative coins here.
Our bravest first responder services also have a history of using challenge coins. Whether for fire departments, emergency medical technicians or law enforcement officers, challenge coins have been used to award bravery, acts of heroism and department camaraderie.
Many companies today have been started by veterans, or are veteran owned and are beginning to use the challenge coin tradition to help represent accomplishments in their businesses. This modern approach to awarding challenge coins has garnered some criticism from the traditionalists. Signature Coins has been making challenge coins for 20 plus years, and we see more and more companies joining in on awarding custom challenge coins to customers, staff, and volunteers. They are using them to build morale in teams, link people with similar interests and even to promote their brand or charities.
Generally speaking you give someone a challenge coin when you want to honor them for a good deed or for their hard work.
Challenge coins still play a major role in the military today, much like a "Thank you Plus" or "Great Job Plus". In the armed forces not every action rates an honorable medal or certificate, for those moments when someone is deserving of more than a thank you, awarding them with a challenge coin fills the gap.
As a very simple miltary example. You're out on a 3 day field op. One of your guys or gals busts their butt during a particularly stressful couple hours of it. Shows great attitude, effort, and was overal top notch. If you tried to write it up, it wouldn't "quite" be "award worthy" but definitely deserved "recognition."
Now even if you’re not a veteran or a member of the armed forces, you can still recognize and award someone with custom challenge coins.
You can use challenge coins to reward employees after the completion of a special project or if huge accomplishments have been made company wide. The coin design can be representative of the achievement, the employee or the company goals. Studies show when employees are recognized for a job well done, they feel more satisfied with their job performance, are more likely to reach for higher goals, and are more loyal to their organizations.
Finding the right time and place to give someone a challenge coin can be, well, a bit challenging.
Military tradition has a few ways of approaching this honor. One being "The Secret Handshake" where commanding officers, department officials or the president himself would shake a soldiers hand and "slip" them the coin via the handshake. Transferring the coin shouldn’t be dramatic or obvious, like a quiet wink and a nod, this honor is more personal to the people giving and receieving the award and less ceremonial. Although a bit more obvious, another military tradition is to hand them out in front of a formation or during a meeting, but it's more commonly done one on one.
As more civilians and businesses use challenge coins, they have taken a more ceremonious and inclusive approach to awarding them. When looking to give a challenge coin to an employee or team member most businesses will do it during a team meeting. Some businesses have even integrated their employee award recognition into their annual and quarterly ceremonies. Awarding their employees in front of others can be a great way to show the rest of the team that you too can be "recognized" if the effort is there.
Modern marketers are also finding that custom challenge coins make for great business cards, so many high end service providers, such as lawyers, accountants and commercial developers are now giving their custom coins out as a means of promoting themselves or their business offerings.
Challenge coins typically cost $3.00 -$5.00 per coin for a full production run of 100 coins generally speaking.
More specifically though, it depends. Challenge coin pricing is dependent on a variety of factors including size, quantity, and coloration. Your organization’s insignia or logo, as well as the brand standards surrounding it, will often dictate coloration. The level of complexity, industry standards, and personal preference will dictate the size of the coin.
Designing challenge coins is a lot of fun, but there’s also a ton of things to think about before getting started. Luckily, we have years of experience making custom coins, and we’re happy to help you every step of the way.
We have put together a how-to guide that will tell you everything you need to know about challenge coin design.