Designing the Best Custom Challenge Coin - Edging Options

There are a few different options you will have to decide upon when building a custom army challenge coin. Here we will go in-depth into the different type of edges there are and the uses and benefits each one have for a coin. For more information please take a look at our complete challenge coin buyer's guide on our website: Army Challenge Coins

Choosing the Best Edging Options for Your Challenge Coin

When choosing to design a custom challenge coin the decision of what edge to use is an important one to make. The edging used on your coins will affect not only the look of your coin but how it feels in your hands. There are four types of edging you can choose from when designing a custom coin.

The most popular is called the straight edge. It is the edge that is considered standard and there is typically no extra charge for this edge. The least popular edge is the reeded edge. It gives your coin the look of a quarter and is the most expensive edge to produce, so it’s best to check the prices with your coin builder if you are thinking about this option.  Reeded edged coins do make your coin look and feel more valuable almost like they were real currency and will certainly give your coins a sense of worth.

There are three different edges that are very unique and normally come at no additional charge. They are a Rope Border, a Chain Border and Concertina Wire Border. These three borders offer a unique edging to a coin and are typically offered at no additional cost because each is created as part of the die.

A coin with a rope border with brass plating is one of the more popular options and will give you a formal or official look and is one of the more popular coin combinations.

Having a chain borders are not very commonplace in challenge coins currently and in today’s world of trading and collecting challenge coins, any coin that is different is more collectable. If you are going for an edgier coin for a fighting unit you might to think about using a concertina wire border as it will give you the type of feel and look you are going for. This type of edging is increasingly popular with combat engineer and military police type units.

The final edging category is the Diamond Cut Edges which can be applied only to round coins. Diamond Cut edges add a very impressive and attractive look to your coins. Coins with this edging option are normally seen as high-end and will give your coin a more attractive look as it changes the way light reflects from your coin. Diamond Cut edges also give an efficient and razor type feel to your coins. There are four different Diamond Cut styles: Swirl, Wave, Scallop and Cut Net.

The most popular are the Swirl and the Wave, but when selecting one or the other it comes down to what look you are going for. One of the best ways to decide which Diamond Cut you would like for your custom coin would be to pull out your challenge coin collection and go through them. Close your eyes and hold each different coin in your hands, turning it over to get a feel for which you prefer. Then take a look at each coin in the light and then in low light and ask yourself, is this the right cut for me?

Diamond Cut edges have an additional price because they all require a separate cutting stage to the production of a coin. Because it is an extra step it allows you to add a different look to any round coin that is to have antique plating. You can produce an antique Diamond Cut Edge or a bright Diamond Cut Edge simply by scheduling the cutting before or after the plating. Knowing this trick might save you some money on your custom coin order, but you will have to check with your coin maker in advance.

Finally there is the Edge Text option. This allows you to add text to the edge of your coin such as a saying, a quote, locations, names, ranks or campaigns. This type of edging adds “depth” to your coin. Most people at first glance will notice the front and back of your coin, but over time and use this type of detail can add worth and collectability to any coin. Image owning a coin for a few months and noticing something you had not seen before. This is also a great conversation piece when sharing and talking about your unit’s coin.

I hope you have found this guide helpful and informative. Building a custom coin is a rewarding and fun task. For more information about designing and making custom challenge coins please visit our custom coin guide on our website: http://armychallengecoinsforsale.com