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.
You’re Dead in the Water Without Engineers
Within the Coast Guard, engineers are charged with keeping equipment operational as well as on the cutting edge of our technological advancement. That means being prepared to fix ships, cutters and aircraft that break down, performing maintenance to stop things from breaking down in the first place, and even remaining up to date on the changes in the tech field to know what best can be used to make everyone’s jobs easier. In short, no Coast Guard team is complete without their engineers, and the crew of the USCGC Bertholf wants to make sure everyone knows it.
This Coast Guard coin pulls out all the stops in getting its message across. For starters, at a whopping 3”, it’s far bigger than the average challenge coin. Creating an oversized challenge coin is one of the easiest ways to indicate just how impressive and crucial the recipient is to accomplishing your mission. And at this size, the custom chain-link edge is particularly impressive. It’s not the first time we’ve created a custom edge to resemble the links in a chain, but immediately you can see how using the natural contours of the chain link to create the unique shape of the coin changes not only the look but also the feel of the coin in hand.
Another aspect of the coin design that changes the feel of the coin is the diamond plate design filling the background. Diamond plating is the kind of thing that’s immediately recognizable to anyone who’s spent time aboard a ship, and, as such, it’s a popular option for Coast Guard and Navy coins. However, where a lot of other coins crowd the diamond patterns close together to fill the space, this coin allows a little more room between the individual diamonds to create a more realistic look.
Even after talking about the size and the diamond plate pattern of the coin, we’ve only just scratched the surface on what makes this coin so special. The cutterman insignia graces both the front and the back of the coins. On the front, it’s plated in antique silver like the rest of the coin, while the insignia on the back is plated in antique gold. This dual plating was chosen because silver is the color of the insignia when worn by any enlisted soldier, while gold is the color designated for officers.
In addition to being dual plated, the insignia is also 3D. This gives it a layered and rounded appearance, while also allowing the final look to remain true to the metal pin of the insignia worn by the sailors onboard the USCGC Bertholf. The globe at the center of the coin, surrounded by cutouts, also makes use of the 3D mold for a more realistic look and feel. Each of these design elements would make for an impressive coin in their own right. Combined here, they create a final product that’s truly one of a kind.
Put Your Custom Coin in the Spotlight
In detailing all of the things that combine to make this coin special, we didn’t even mention the expert use of cut outs to enhance the overall appearance. In the hands of a different artist or a different challenge coin maker, this coin would be too busy and over-crowded with different elements, but when you partner with Signature Coins, you gain the ability to choose a number of different upgrade options and still get an impressive challenge coin. Everywhere you look on this coin, there’s something else to catch your eye and be impressed by. It’s that factor which earns this coin a place in our Signature Spotlight.
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.
