A Day in the Spotlight
Quite often, our blogs are created either around a single design element that multiple coins share, or they’re about one customer who’s created a unique and interesting challenge coin program. But every so often, we get an order in that’s so impressive we think it would be a mistake not to share it with you.
Maybe they aren’t pushing the boundaries of what’s typical in the custom coin design world, but they do showcase what is possible when the different options we offer are utilized to their best effect. These coins are our Signature Spotlights.
A Personal Challenge Coin Earns the Spotlight
Military units and police stations aren’t the only customers creating coins worthy of the Signature Spotlight. While it’s true that a large number of our coins carry their purposes clearly on one or both of their faces, for some of our orders, the intention of the coin isn’t as obvious.
This coin was ordered by Robert Kopelen with very little fanfare or information. His initial quote request featured clear artwork and a simple line that he was “Looking for a coin that is not circular, but unique.” With that in mind, we set out to include the requested words, imagery and a special custom shape to make Kopelen’s coin unique. And until he offered the cryptic “for a graduation” message in an email, no one stopped to ask him what he wanted his 100 coins for.
When you’re looking for a quick and easy way to distinguish your coin from others, making use of our cut-to-shape option is the best bet. We can create coins in any shape you can imagine, and while mascots and unique emblems are the most common shapes chosen, other geometric shapes are also perfectly suitable options. The triangular shape of Kopelen’s coin is interesting in the way that the specter’s head and his staff extend beyond the boundaries, but nothing else does. The way the angles of the triangular shape taper the globe on the back is of particular interest.
Kopelen’s coin is also an exceptional example of how best to use text to enhance, and not distract from, the design of your coin. The front face of his coin reads, “The quieter you become, the more you can hear,” while the back offers, “In the midst of chaos, there is opportunity.” Both quotes seem to be right at home on a graduation day coin. Though the inclusion of a quote from Sun-Tzu certainly implies the graduates are preparing for a battle.
Beyond that, the text is situated around the edge of each coin face so it doesn’t impose on any of the artwork. And the other enigmatic aspect of it is the strikethrough on the “you become.” Without explanation as to why, Kopelen requested the strikethrough after seeing the first proof of his artwork, and then immediately purchased his order of coins after that one change was made.
The Kopelen coin is a perfect look at how even a simple 2D coin can achieve exceptional detail. Each fold in the specter’s robe is created by nothing more than a raised stroke of metal, and yet the detail that adds to the final product is quite impressive. This coin is a master class in what’s possible when you bypass fancy upgrades and work hard to produce a coin that’s going to be the most meaningful to the people who receive it.
Put Your Custom Coin in the Spotlight
This coin is for a graduation, but we don’t know anymore about it than that. We like to think that a group of friends whose high school or college years were spent getting together to play D&D got a special gift from their dungeon master when their last semester came to an end. But even if we’re way off, the fact still remains that someone got a very special and unique coin to usher in the next phase of their life. And the coin in question wasn’t made special by including a bunch of design bells and whistles. This was simply a case of having a vision and using the basic tools available to achieve that vision.
If you think your custom coin is deserving of a spot in the Signature Spotlights series, let us know in the comments, or shoot us an email. And be sure to continue creating interesting and unique designs that catch our eye.
