Challenge coins can vary hugely in price. Find out why here.
Curious about the cost of custom challenge coins? You're not alone – many people ask us this question! But finding a clear answer can feel like finding a needle in a haystack.
Why is it so tricky? Because, like many custom-made products, the price of challenge coins changes depending on your unique needs.
Because of this, prices can range from US$0.55 to US$13.85 per coin – and that’s before adding extras.
To help you navigate these costs, we'll break down what factors do and don't impact the price of a challenge coin. We at Badges And Medals have made hundreds of thousands of custom challenge coins, making us experts in their pricing. Scroll down to start or click the links below to skip to a specific question:
The more challenge coins you order, the less you pay per coin. This is because larger orders help suppliers run their machines more efficiently and lower costs like rent, materials, utilities, and salaries. The savings are passed to you. Think of it like buying in bulk at the grocery store.
Here's how different order amounts change the price of a 50mm challenge coin from Badges And Medals:
Most challenge coins come in simple plastic sleeves. For a more luxurious feel, you can buy velvet or vegan leather boxes. These cost about US$10.80 each for a set of ten and fit all coin sizes. They often feature a satin-lined lid and a velvet base to hold the coin.
If you want something more budget-friendly but still more luxurious than a sleeve, choose cardboard boxes instead. They cost between US$6 and US$7.20 per box for a set of ten and are recyclable.
At Badges And Medals, you can add features such as your logo to the top of the box for free.
Suppliers often charge a fee for creating the mould for your challenge coin. This is usually a one-time fee because the mould can be reused for future orders of the same coin. At Badges And Medals, this setup fee is around US$115.
Challenge coins offer a variety of customisation options to make them truly unique. Most of these features will affect the price, some increasing it and others decreasing it. Let's explore these features:
Challenge coins are typically made from zinc alloy or brass. It's impossible to tell the difference between the two metals just by looking at them; all challenge coins are plated to give them their gold, silver or bronze colour, hiding the metal beneath. You have to hold them to notice the difference: brass is much heavier than zinc alloy.
People tend to choose brass when they want a challenge coin that feels more high-quality. However, brass coins are about 20% to 30% more expensive than zinc alloy coins, because brass is more expensive.
Challenge coins are typically about 50mm wide. There isn't a specific reason why - it's just what most suppliers go for. Choosing a larger size will cost you more because it takes more materials to make. For example, a hundred 50mm coins are about 28% cheaper than a hundred 70mm coins.
An example of a 70mm challenge coin, designed for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Most challenge coins are 3mm thick. Increasing the thickness to 4mm or 5mm adds weight, which is a great way to enhance the perceived value of the coin. Adding a millimetre or two in thickness might sound like a minor change, but it can significantly impact the cost of your coin. Increasing the thickness to 4mm, for example, will cost you an extra US$0.20 to US$0.30 per coin.
Enamel is used to add colour to the face of a challenge coin. It increases the price of your coin because adding it takes skill and involves high-temperature fires. But it's not the number of colours that determines the cost. Instead, it's the amount of enamel used. For example, a 50mm wide challenge coin with a face full of enamel will cost US$0.25 to US$0.30 more than one with none.
A cut-out is a section of a challenge coin removed to add depth or highlight a specific element. Usually, cut-outs don't affect the cost because the area is too small. However, if a significant portion is cut out, it can lower the cost of your challenge coins because they will take less metal to make. For example, you can save up to 10% on your challenge coin by adding cut-outs.
Engraving is a great way to create a unique connection between the recipient and their challenge coin. Most suppliers can engrave words or designs onto the face or edge of a coin using a laser. Common choices include the recipient's name or unit number. It typically costs about US$0.30 more per challenge coin to engrave the coin's face and US$0.40 to engrave the coin's edge.
One of the most visually striking ways to customise challenge coins is by incorporating unique materials into the design. Imagine having part of your logo made from seashell or plastic "metal" sheets. The cost for these customisations varies based on the material chosen. For instance, at Badges And Medals, adding seashells to one face of the coin would cost an additional US$0.40 per coin.
Moving parts transform challenge coins into a fun, interactive experience. They include any part of a challenge coin that can rotate, slide, dangle, or swivel. For example, a coin that spins! Moving parts typically start at an additional US$0.80 per coin, though the cost can vary depending on the type of movement you're after.
When something is 3D, it has depth, width, and height. In other words, it's not flat. Adding 3D elements to a challenge coin makes it more eye-catching. Typically, adding 3D elements increases the cost by about $0.30 per coin. This is because 3D areas require more metal, which adds to the overall material cost.
You can customise your challenge coin's edge with special patterns to make it stand out more. Think of it like a fancy border on a picture frame. These designs can range from subtle to flashy. Most of these edge designs don't impact the cost of your coin. On the rare occasion that they do, it will cost you an extra US$0.10 per coin. So, get creative with your edge choices!
You might think that some features would drive up the price of your custom challenge coins, but surprisingly, they don't. Here are four features that might seem costly but aren't:
Most suppliers have standard shipping rates, so you can get your challenge coins delivered without worrying about being charged extra based on where you are.
When you're looking to create custom challenge coins, the first step is often developing a unique design. The good news is most suppliers offer this service for free. Why? Because it’s beneficial for both you and them. You get to play around with different designs and see if the supplier is a good fit without worrying about extra costs. For suppliers, providing free design services builds trust and opens the door to more business; when you’re happy with the design, you’re much more likely to place an order.
Surprisingly, the shape of a challenge coin doesn't impact its cost. This is because each coin needs its own custom mould, and the process of making these moulds is the same regardless of where the coin is round, square, or something unique.
Plating is when you cover one metal with a thin layer of another metal. Think of it like a layer of paint: it allows you to change the colour or texture of your challenge coin to better match your goals, like a gold coin to recognise ten years of service and a silver coin for five. It also protects the coins from rust and damage.
You might think different platings come with different price tags because they're made from different metals, but that’s not the case. The plating is just a few microns thick, making the cost of the metals almost negligible. The main cost comes from the labour, which stays the same regardless of the plating colour because the process doesn’t change.
Textures are an excellent way to bring interest to your challenge coin. Whether it's crosshatching, sandblasting, or another pattern, adding texture can elevate the look and feel of your coin face. The best part is that most textures don’t cost extra. Since they're incorporated during the mould-making process, the cost remains the same regardless of the texture you choose.
Glow-in-the-dark colours do exactly what their name suggests: they shine brilliantly in the dark, adding an element of surprise and excitement to your challenge coin. They are used to highlight specific features on the coin face, like your logo or other key details, rather than colouring the entire coin. The best part? They don’t cost a penny more than regular colours.
Now that you know what affects the cost of a challenge coin, you can see why their prices can vary so much. It boils down to the design you choose and the number of coins you order.
On average, you can expect to pay anywhere from US$0.55 (for a bulk order of 50,000 small coins) to US$13.85 (for a smaller batch of 25 large coins). And remember, this is just the starting price - setup fees and customisation can add more to the final cost.
Here is a cheat sheet to make things easier:
At Badges And Medals, we’re all about making custom challenge coin pricing easy to understand. Our comprehensive guide has given you the insights you need to make your next challenge coin purchase an informed one.
But if you want to skip the guesswork and get an exact price, the quickest and simplest way is to reach out to experts like us. Just fill out this quick contact form, and within one working day, you’ll have a free, detailed quote in your hands.