Contact: Michael Hickmon 931-624-3724
V. 2/2026 Always use the latest version of this document
- I can assist with coins and patches (embroidered or PVC)
- 50 pieces is the minimum order for coins
- Other metal-type items are also available
- Poker chips are also available
- No minimum order for patches
- 50 pieces is the minimum order for coins
Please read this document in its entirety. Every step of the process must be reviewed carefully for errors.
I do not operate this as a business. I do this as a hobby to help fellow emergency personnel get the best price possible instead of paying larger markups, and it also allows me to collect coins and patches. In most cases, I cannot process purchases through a department.
Manufacturer / Production Partner
- I use a metal manufacturer in China because I have had good results with both quality and pricing.
- As one example, Symbol Arts states on its website that most of its coins are made overseas, with some made in the USA.
- I do not provide the manufacturer’s name because I handle the coordination directly, and collecting coins is part of why I do this.
- I have completed about 60+ coin designs/orders with this manufacturer.
To determine the price of a coin, we need the following.
The final price depends on the quantity ordered and the specifications below.
Quotes are valid for 30 days.
When I say “per coin,” that includes ALL fees. So $8x50pc= $400 total delivered
- 50 pieces: In my experience, approximately $8-$10 per coin, delivered. This includes the fees associated with production and shipping.
- 100 pieces: Approximately $6-$8 per coin
- 200-300 pieces: Approximately $4-$6 per coin
- I have also had orders for around 300 pieces priced in the $2-$3 range per coin.
- These are estimates based on past orders. The actual price must be quoted by the manufacturer after the specifications below are provided.
- Coin size (round or custom shape). If you provide the length, the manufacturer can determine the proportional height.
- Anything under 1.5 inches may make small text difficult to read. Around 2 inches or larger is a common challenge coin size.
- The options below can be searched online if you would like visual examples.
- Thickness (3 mm or 4 mm is standard, but thicker options are available)
- Coin edge style (smooth, rope, grid, custom, etc.)
- 2D or 3D design
- Metal plating color
- Shiny or antique: copper, gold, silver, or bronze
- Matte gold or silver
- Dual plating: antique bronze + antique silver, silver + gold, or antique silver + gold
- Black dye
- Black nickel
- Enamel can also be sprayed over the coin as a plating/finish. This is an option I have seen used more recently.
- Metal type (does not determine the plating color)
- Zinc alloy (most common with my manufacturer; lighter in weight and durable)
- Brass (heavier and more expensive)
- Iron (I have not used this option; more expensive)
- Silver (I have not used this option; more expensive)
- Colors – number of colors used
- The current Pantone color system is used for color matching.
- If blue appears on both the front and back, it counts as two color applications, not one.
- Additional options include glow-in-the-dark, transparent, and solid colors.
- On the proof’s color list, the left column applies ONLY to the front, and the right column applies ONLY to the back.
- The current Pantone color system is used for color matching.
Artwork
- Artwork fee: My manufacturer charges a $50 artwork fee. If the coin order is placed, that amount is deducted from the final total. The fee usually is not required up front, but if you decide not to proceed after artwork is created, I will need to collect it to pay the manufacturer.
- If you can provide any artwork, sketch, reference photo, or drawing, it does not have to be professional. The manufacturer can use it as a reference and recreate it professionally. I have had people send simple hand drawings, and that is completely fine.
- I can also create basic artwork in PowerPoint. Because of time constraints, this may take longer than if you provide a drawing or clear reference.
- AI artwork (skip this section if you are not using AI)
- AI can be useful for generating detailed coin concepts. For example, you can describe a very specific scene and use the result as a visual reference. Highly detailed, photo-like AI artwork may require UV printing rather than traditional enamel. You can search “UV printed challenge coin” for visual examples, and I will also post examples I have completed on my website.
- A UV-printed challenge coin has the design digitally printed onto the coin surface and cured with ultraviolet (UV) light. In simple terms, the design is printed on top at high resolution rather than relying only on engraved metal channels filled with enamel. Traditional enamel is still the most common style, but UV printing allows much more detailed or photo-like artwork. UV-printed coins can still include 2D or 3D metal features.
- If you use AI and want a traditional enamel-style coin, tell the AI that the design is for a metal challenge coin and should be suitable for enamel production.
- Artwork revision guidelines
- Please have a general idea of the colors, layout, and major elements you want before artwork begins. Reasonable corrections and revisions are expected, but repeated changes made simply to test different colors, placements, or concepts can slow the process and may result in additional fees.
- For example, changing an element from one side of the coin to the other or trying multiple color combinations simply to “see how it looks” can create unnecessary revisions. I am happy to request legitimate corrections and reasonable design changes, but repeated revisions followed by a complete redesign may result in additional artwork charges.
- A complete redesign after artwork has already been created may result in additional charges.
- The manufacturer will work with us to get the coin right, but changes based only on a later change of preference may be treated as new artwork rather than a correction.
- If artwork is approved and you later request additional revisions, extra fees may also apply.
- Please have a general idea of the colors, layout, and major elements you want before artwork begins. Reasonable corrections and revisions are expected, but repeated changes made simply to test different colors, placements, or concepts can slow the process and may result in additional fees.
- EVERY VERSION OF THE ARTWORK, INCLUDING REVISIONS, MUST BE CAREFULLY CHECKED FOR ERRORS.
- SPELLING – Read every word carefully. A duplicated or missing letter can be easy to overlook and may be reproduced exactly as approved.
- LETTER / ARTWORK SPACING
- COLOR CODES
- Silver and gold may appear as gray and yellow in the artwork. If gray and yellow are not listed among the color IDs at the bottom of the proof, they may represent the metal plating rather than enamel colors.
- If you are unsure about anything on the proof, please ask before approving it.
- Triple-check every artwork as though an error is present and must be found. I strongly recommend having at least one or two other people review it as well.
ONCE THE FINAL ARTWORK IS APPROVED, ANY ERROR THAT WAS VISIBLE IN THE APPROVED ARTWORK BECOMES YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
3D DIGITAL MOCKUP
- A 3D digital mockup is normally created after the artwork is approved and is generally used for coins with 3D work.
- The mockup shows how the machine will cut the coin mold. It generally does not show the final enamel colors. In the mockup, the displayed colors are used to show the raised and recessed areas/depth of the coin.
REVIEW THE DIGITAL MOCKUP JUST AS CAREFULLY AS THE ARTWORK. IF SOMETHING DOES NOT LOOK RIGHT, SAY SOMETHING BEFORE APPROVING IT. ONCE THE MOLD IS APPROVED AND PRODUCTION BEGINS, CORRECTIONS MAY REQUIRE A NEW MOLD OR, IN SOME CASES, REMAKING THE ORDER.
I am human and I do not make a profit from this, so I cannot absorb the cost of correcting an error that was visible and approved. It is possible for the artwork to be correct while the digital mockup contains an error, so both must be reviewed. If the manufacturer makes an error that was not part of the approved artwork or mockup, they will correct it.
MOLD
- The mold is kept for three years unless the coin is reordered during that period.
Production and Shipping Time
- Artwork: Initial artwork generally takes 3-7 days
- Production: Roughly 3 weeks for the digital mockup, mold creation, coin production, coloring, etc.
- Shipping: Typically 10-12 days. International shipping, tariffs, customs, staffing, and other delays can affect this timeframe. Previously, shipping was often 2-7 days.
- Total estimated time: Usually 4-7 weeks. Please allow an additional two-week grace period for circumstances outside my control. The timeline also depends on how quickly artwork, mockups, and other details are reviewed and approved. For example, a two-day delay in approval generally adds two days to the overall timeline. The manufacturer may also close for holidays and will usually give advance notice when possible. I try to explain everything up front so there are no surprises and so the coin can be produced correctly from the start.