Making the Most Lifelike Designs with Offset Printed Coins
Offset printed challenge coins are perfect for capturing life’s most important moments. What makes this style different than other challenge coin styles like 2D or 3D designs is the inclusion of an offset printed photograph on one or both coin faces. In the past, we have worked with the Indiana Dunes Park Rangers to create beautiful coins with a 3D mold of the ranger badge on one side, and an offset printed photo of the incredible lakeshore the rangers work to protect on the reverse side. Choosing offset printing made it possible for the team to create an authentic design that perfectly captures the natural scenery of the preserve.Offset printed challenge coins make it easy to include lifelike designs, and the whole process is incredibly simple. All we need is a photograph that you would like to include in the design, and our production team will be able to format the image so that it can be easily transferred onto freshly minted coins. The method is referred to as “offset” printing because the ink is not directly applied to the surface of the coins. Instead, photo prints are created on a rubber blanket and then rolled onto the molded coins and sealed into the design. The final result is the truest to life representation of a person or place.
Ideas Best Suited for Offset Printed Challenge Coins
If you envision a coin with a perfect representation of the world’s natural wonder like the Indiana Dunes coin or a design featuring a person or group of people, then offset printing is the best option to choose. While some design ideas are best suited for 2D or 3D coins, others work best with offset printing, like these coins we made for the Martinrea company.
Pat D'Eramo and Rob Wildeboer, the CEO and executive chairman of Martinrea, wanted something more memorable than a traditional business card to hand out at conferences. The first design they asked for was the full 3D design, but the final product they chose was the offset printed challenge coins. 3D designs are perfect for adding depth and fine detailing to artwork, but in cases like this, it is difficult to capture the true likeness of a person when working form a secondary source like a photograph. Offset printing is better suited for recreating intricate details like facial features and expressions. The same is true when including offset images of things other than people like these designs we made for MidAmerica Productions Inc. The images feature Carnegie Hall where the group has been performing since 1983. The coins are perfect for celebrating the start of each show season.
While challenge coins can be used for any kind of organization or team, they are traditionally handed out to show gratitude and honor to the most deserving people in our lives. In the military, they are earned through excellent service, courage and personal accomplishment. Receiving one is usually a mark of honor and distinction, but sometimes custom coins are handed out in loving memory of fallen heroes and family.
These coins were created to honor the lives of James Robert Proebsting and his younger brother Douglas Allan Proebsting. James served in the United States Army as a young man and later started his own business and a family. Douglas was also a family man and he passed away only a month after his brother. Friends and family carry these coins so they always have something to remember them by.
We are always humbled when our products are used to remember the most important members of someone’s life. Our production team took special care to ensure the offset printing process of making these coins was flawless so that the representation of the two brothers would be as true to life as possible.
