Coin News
Announcing the Custom Order Management System for U.S. Challenge Coins, LLC! We have released the first ever in challenge coins the ability to submit a quote, approve artwork, track your system and engage our company directly through our automated system. This system revolutionizes the way challenge coins, pins, patches, and much more are processed from start to finish. No more emails and phone calls when you can log in and see what the status is at anytime and any where. This advancement is a huge leap that no other challenge coin site or company comes close to offering. U.S. Challenge Coins, LLC is leading the way at shaving time and frustration away for our customers with a system like this.
Your projects are saved in the history without the need of starting fresh each time. Literally everything you need is at your finger tips with our virtual processing system. Forget the days of having to ask for this and that. Now when you need a custom product just login into our system and let us know. We are eliminating our inefficiencies almost completely with this introduction. All other companies in the challenge coin field are in the dust with the capabilities we introduce each year and this system puts us on the leading edge of technology.
Try using the system today and see how easy it is to get the product you need and even track it from submission to arriving at your door. We offer a full inclusive system to help you through your project. Welcome to the future of custom challenge coins!
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Excelling at a job or task is something that Soldiers continually strive to achieve in the military. Many try their hardest to go the extra mile or give it their all when given a task. Hard work is expected out of Soldiers, and efficiency and productivity are noticed.
Leaders and peers notice the extra effort of Soldiers. There are ways of distinguishing and honoring them from certificates of appreciation to a verbal “thank you.” One way leaders show gratitude and appreciation, is a unique way that will not expire or easily be replaced.
That unique way often comes in different shapes, sizes, colors and is often personalized. That way of showing appreciation is through a medallion, a coin that is earned through hard work and dedication to the job or mission at hand.
“To me, a coin is like an Army Achievement Medal or award,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Byron Loyd, the command sergeant major for Division Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. “There are two types of coins I give: the regular battalion coin that represents the battalion, and then my personal coin that has my name and rank on it. It symbolizes something solid from me as a senior leader. It’s my way of saying thank you for the hard work I see you do.
“When I was a young Soldier, my first coin was given to me as a private by then Maj. Gen. Colin Powell. I said to myself, ‘Wow. This is a trinket to have.’ That is when I found out more about the coin challenge and the background behind military coins.”
Generally, those in command positions have personalized coins. However, one doesn’t always have to be senior ranking to show his or her appreciation through a coin. For example, a Soldier can buy a coin from the Post Exchange and award their fellow Soldiers with it for doing good deeds. Many would agree though, that the more unique the coin, the more value it means to them.
For Cpl. Eric Gillson, a chaplain assistant, currently assigned under 3rd ID, receiving coins from distinguished individuals makes his job worthwhile.
One coin, a circular medallion, its edges encrusted with a gold plate and the center filled with white paint and a Navy master chief’s rank, is one of his favorites. It is special because it came from someone that is not in his direct chain of command, but sees him often. Corporal Gillson was charged with maintaining the Chaplain’s Corner, a small office where servicemembers would go to get their morning coffee, socialize and read the daily quotes and riddles on the board. The master chief would come in daily and Cpl. Gillson’s hard work paid off.
“He said to me, ‘I like your style, and I see the hard work you’re doing here,’ and it meant a lot to me,” said Cpl. Gillson, a St. Paul, Minn. native. “I felt good, because I felt like I received a coin for just being me, just being who I am on a day-to-day basis.”
Another one of Cpl. Gillson’s favorite coins is one that he earned when he was a private first class.
“I had arrived early to a spiritual retreat, and they needed help setting things up, so I helped them out, and continued to for the rest of the four days I was there,” he said. “At the end of it, I was coined by Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver, who is the U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains. Getting your first coin from a major general as a private first class was really cool.”
Although there are many different legends contributing to the origin of military inspired coins, one of the most well-known is that of a World War II pilot.
On one particular night during the World War II era, a pilot was handed a token of appreciation – a solid, bronze medallion encrypted with his squadron’s insignia.
According to Command Sgt. Maj. Loyd, the medallion was given to him by a fellow pilot in his squadron. The pilot had never owned anything as valuable as this coin, so he placed it in a leather pouch and hung it around his neck for protection.
Shortly thereafter, the pilot’s aircraft was damaged by the enemy during a mission, requiring him to land behind enemy lines. German soldiers captured the pilot, confiscating his personal belongings from his pockets. However, they missed one item, his leather pouch that contained the treasured coin.
En route to a prisoner of war camp, the Germans and the pilot made an overnight stop in a German-held French village. British troops then bombarded the area, which drew confusion and chaos and allowed for the pilot to escape.
Eventually, he was caught by French soldiers who mistook the American pilot as a German citizen. Because he was stripped of all identification, the pilot was desperate and seeking for some way to prove he was American to his French allies. Once he presented his coin to the Frenchmen, they recognized the Allied American and brought him back to his squadron.
Today, a coin can represent a token of appreciation, or be used as a challenge to a fellow Soldier.
If Soldiers are out together and one has a coin, he can challenge the others to present a coin on the spot, said Command Sgt. Maj. Loyd. For those who fail to produce a coin, they are required to buy drinks for the table.
For some Soldiers, a coin means more than a pat on the back or a certificate of appreciation; receiving a coin from a distinguished leader brings a boost of morale for the Soldiers. Hopefully, Soldiers who see their peers doing the right thing and getting rewarded for it will be encourage to excel in their work, duties and personal goals. Coins seem like great compliments. However, some Soldiers feel that they lose their appeal after receiving so many during their military career.
“Soldiers who downplay the coin just shouldn’t,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Loyd. “It’s a sense of pride; it’s an on-the-spot impact award. As a command sergeant major who has been in for 25 years, I still value all of my coins, and I love to receive coins and give them to Soldiers for the good things that they do. It’s something a Soldier can remember me by.”
Corporal Eric Gillson, a chaplain assistant, currently assigned under 3rd Infantry Division, holds up one of his favorite coins he has earned during his deployment at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Tikrit, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cassandra Monroe.)
Corporal Eric Gillson, a chaplain assistant, currently assigned under 3rd Infantry Division, holds one of his favorite coins he has earned during his deployment at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Tikrit, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cassandra Monroe.)
Command Sergeant Major Byron Loyd, the command sergeant major for Division Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, stands next to his ever-growing coin collection. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cassandra Monroe)
Though it might not be known to many, AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Services) for a very long time has locked itself into one or two vendors for a very long time. I was walking through the Kirtland AFB BX when I came across Northwest Territorial Mint’s floor display of the standard stock coins. I was amazed, not because of their coins but that they broke into the AFFES scene. So I congratulate them first for making it there and second to think this is a great step in opening up the challenge coin area. If they have crossed over to additional stock coin sales form eBay, to Amazon, and now the floor space of my BX, just think of the possibilities.
I admire Northwest Territorial for being one of the oldest companies striking coins because they have done a lot of footwork for other companies to grow into. No matter the good or bad of how you might feel about the company you have to give them credit for what they have done. They have commercialized challenge coins in many ways, turned collectors into salesmen, and put challenge coins upfront in the Pentagon. What a feat that is when you think about it.
Sure there is a lot of innovation out there but it all starts from somewhere. So from my eye on that pine colored display to the thoughts in my head that one day I will follow suit and create that U.S. Challenge Coin stand in AAFES. We honestly have wanted AFFES for about 3 years now and to see another company break away and grab a hold is only that much more promising. We share a lot in common with NWTM that it feels good to see another company reach the pinnacle.
So those that collect Northwest Territorial Coins, you just got another sweet spot to grab them. I know I will be keeping my eye out for what they are doing because if you can learn anything, it’s from someone who has been doing it for a long time.
We have written about companies offer the deal of a life time with free dies for your coin orders but only if you meet certain profit points like a 300 coin order or more. We despise this kind of trickery and we hope you can appreciate the same feeling when you are being fooled into such a deal. We couldn't believe the amount of people that have lost the never ending battle of getting a good price with an a true amazing deal. They do exist, you just have to do your research. In today's budget conscience world you should be very proactive in eliminating the companies that deceive you in your coin orders.
To show we believe in this so much we have release dies that you can use in your orders for free! Use one of these 10 dies and you save 50% on your upfront cost. How would you like to pay $100 or less on your coin prep? We want you to walk away with the best possible deal you can get without anything hidden in your project. You may be thinking perhaps this is a trick to get you. If there is any doubt we just ask for you to shop around and see for yourself. We don't ask for a minimum order. You can order one coin and you will still get to use one of our sides for free. This isn't a limited offer either. This deal is for the life of your order and for the life of the company.
We have started with five of the top sides we do in 3D, and another five in 2D and hard enamel color. With our company you always get hard enamel free of charge. If you don't know about hard vs. soft enamel then let's explain why this is such a huge difference. Currently only two companies in the world offer hard enamel as a standard and soft enamel as a downgrade. Hard enamel doesn't scratch, flake, peel, or any other distortion. It's basically hardened glass. Still don't believe this? Do some research and find out why 99% of our customers become customers for life. Ask another company how much for hard enamel paint and see if they even bother to offer it. Even better you can pick the plating of your choice at no additional fee. 
So if you are looking to save some money and still get one awesome coin then look no further. We are offering 10 different and unique sides for you to use on half your coin. It's a deal that can't be passed up and we are striving to give you even more stock dies to choose from. Consider this just another free service you get with U.S. Challenge Coins.
The other day I was paying a visit to a fellow coin dealer and while I was in her store for about 4 hours I seen a wide range of customers come and go. Some browsed and some bought but all the same it was an ordinary day in her shop. Her shop is unique as it is positioned outside of one of the largest overseas military installations which as you can imagine attracts some very serious challenge coin business. I mean she does high volume at very competitive prices. I often joke with her (I’m serious, she just doesn’t completely understand) that I am coming to buy her company. I mean she does more in a day than probably the majority of challenge coin companies in the US do in a week. Yes, it really is that impressive.
So as I sat drinking coffee with her and picking her brain about business and she asked me about what we have going on I started noticing something that I never really caught on to. There were a lot of people coming in with artwork that was finished and to a high standard. I peeked in closer to have a review or two and I started seeing very familiar names like Symbol Arts, Coinsfor Anything, and a few other companies. I thought wow that’s some great stuff until the famous words “How much can you do this coin for” entered the arena. As a coin guy I couldn’t resist myself so I started asking questions without saying who I was.
One gentleman I asked what brought him to her shop for a quote directly. He responded this company quoted me over $1,000 just for a 100 coins to be made. After asking this simple question a few more times to a few more people it became apparent that this was a major driving factor. So what does this mean? After seeing several orders come in throughout just my 4 hour stay with my friend I realized how badly U.S. companies are shooting themselves in the face, yes the face, the foot would be an understatement. As they churn out free artwork that is breathless they keep sending it into the hands of people who don’t care and want their product based on price.
Now as you read this you might be saying who cares if some guys go somewhere else for coins. Well the reason why this is significant is the growing population aware of overseas coin pricing is getting bigger each day. They can accept a lower quality because most of them are not important enough to have a large budget for coins. The last reason is 99% of American coin companies outsource to overseas mints whether they admit it or not. So while they get the overseas cost they pass no savings what so ever to the customer and customers are calling bullshit on many of these companies.
Even my friend charges about twice as much as U.S. Challenge Coins but she has the in person convenience factor. However, she is still cheaper than any U.S. based coin maker. For example if a company such as SymbolArts can do a $1,000 for 100 coins, I watched that same order get 300 coins for $762 in her shop. I could have pulled 300 pieces for about $650, and actually still made a profit. Do you see the slow death of an industry yet? I don’t mind at all because I know I have a serious competitive edge and to the best of my knowledge I have never lost an order to her although I am sure I have lost orders to another company (and to those that chose another, I hope it worked out).
Now this is an article written from a company point of view and note as hobby notes. Many people out there think about price. They don’t know quality till after you deliver coins so as a major sticking point price is your all selling point. If you think a quote for 100 coins being over $1,000 is reasonable then you will surely be out of business soon enough.Has it been a while since you had contact with your coin maker? Forgot who took care of you last? Don’t worry we get dozens of these phone calls each week and who could blame you for not remembering. Coins aren’t on everyone’s priority list. Heck, you probably don’t remember for a reason. Maybe the service was so-so, maybe their product was just ok, maybe someone else did the order and you replaced them. Whatever the reason for you not to remember, just keep in mind it’s probably one of the best things that could have happened for the both of us.
See you get a fresh start with a company that is going to show you a coin you can’t get elsewhere in jaw dropping quality for about 1/5th the price of other companies. So not only are people going to appreciate your coin more when they get it, but you are going to save a bundle with us making your coin. So there is one benefit to forgetting who made your last coin (assuming it wasn’t U.S. Challenge Coins).
We couldn’t be happier that it happened because we get expand our customer base, reach new people that didn’t know a coin company like us existed, and gives us an opportunity to show off our stuff and prove we are not just talk. We add hundreds of new clients each month and we are waiting for you to come aboard too. So see it’s a mutual benefit for the both of us for you to forget who made that coin.
Everyone from the White House to Sgt. Joe has called with this exact scenario and we understand completely. Don’t feel uncomfortable picking up the phone and asking us if we were the ones. We will probably say no, but we will remake your coin without a hesitation and I think you will truly be glad you made that lost phone call and we will also.Free Artwork! Free Coin Dies! Free Shipping on Custom Challenge Coins!
Written by Adam M.
Today's Google, Bing, or Yahoo search will yield you with many options to have your custom coin minted at very competitive prices. Many offer different deals and some are more exciting than others especially when you hard earned money is at stake. So how do you know what to choose? Where do you start? After all, this could be your first time having to order coins and you are not familiar with the business of making challenge coins.
Many times you see this eye catching advertisement in Google or on many challenge coin websites, only you pay more for your product than if they charged you for the mold or shipping. Ok now let’s demystify the reality of minting a challenge coin and really think about it. Most of these sites that boast these wonderful and candy like promises of "Free Die Fee", "Free Mold", or "Free Shipping" are delivering something hidden and not so free. This title makes you feel warm inside and a makes you feel like you need to order NOW, but when you look at the base price of the coins and see $2 or more a coin and minimum orders of 150 or more coins there is a catch. Let's breakdown the normal cost for an overseas order for coins at 100 pieces:
U.S. Challenge Coins .com
100 pieces at 1.75” in diameter, high polish nickel plate, 20 colors, PVC pouch, twisted diamond edge, 3D both sides (everything a normal coin might include)
Unit Price: $1.25
Mold Fee: $165 (one time only, includes the 3D charge both sides)
Processing Charge (to pay the factory): $30-$40
Shipping: $74.00 to your door (depends on fuel surcharge, and this is overnight UPS)
Total: $404
Average Price Per Coin: $4.04
The above shows everything included like edging, 3D, and the other bells and whistles. So let’s see what some places charge you and let’s see the ultimate deal you’re getting with an average of what you will find for sale on the world wide web.
Average Companies Making Challenge Coins Overseas or Stateside (times amount by 4 or 5 for US cost)
100 pieces at 1.75” in diameter, high polish nickel plate, 20 colors, PVC pouch, twisted diamond edge, 3D both sides (everything a normal coin might include)
Unit Price: $2.50
Mold Fee: FREEEE!!!! (assuming this would be a 300-3000 coin order, but it’s not and we will pretend you actually get a free die for a 100 coin order)
Processing Fee: NADA!!!!
Shipping: TOTALLY ON US!!!!!
PVC Pouch: $.05-$.10 each coin
20 Colors: $.02 per color over 8 so +$.24 each coin
3D: $100 per side
Twisted Diamond Edging: $.45 both sides
Total: $529.00
Average Price Per Coin: $5.29
The second one is using the same mint as the first but hides their cost in the Unit Price and can afford to give a free die if you order a huge amount of coins because you are really paying for it after all. In comparison you were just charged a $125 difference by getting the same product from two different places. Do you feel good about the Free stuff now? You don’t benefit when you buy from companies that make you think you are getting something for free when they are just raising the price at one end just to get you at the other.
Shopping around and finding the right company matters. Many places out there give you a high end product because 99% of the mints use overseas factories and generally all use the same place. It’s time people start getting transparent information in the hobby and commercial entity of challenge coins. We could run the same examples using the above ones at 2000 coins and you would see a gross difference in price. We think showing the average person the smallest order possible and having an outcome of $125 difference is enough though. Next time you want to see free just ask the 1st company to raise the price per unit and give you everything for “free”.
This is free advice to make people look at what they are really paying for. U.S. Challenge Coins is dedicated to educating the buying public before they make purchases their wallet will later regret. You don't have to buy from us, but we do hope you walk away knowing what to look for when you are seeing companies that promote their sites in this way. They have to deceive to get the business because the way of doing business is not strong enough to sustain a company in the long run. All we ask is for you not to become an unknowing victim of circumstances. As always good coin hunting!
Resolutions are one of the key events when it's time for New Years. This year I am compiling U.S. Challenge Coins resolutions for 2010 of what you can expect from us. Thinking about each thing that we do can be overwhelming because the scope is more than just a store. We do a lot of different things like sponsoring team events, travel to conferences, host a community, trading, and much more. Sure you see a lot of it when browsing through the site, but there are other plans we have ahead of us and we are going to include some of those in our New Year's resolution. So here it goes:
1. We will rid the site of useless content like the Milipedia that only attracts SPAM.
2. We will add a more community spirit into the site because collecting doesn't have to be a solitary thing. We want people to have a site that covers everything they want to do in their hobby.
3. We are opening our ears and listening to our members more starting now. We are posting surveys and asking for your input to drive the website into a better site for you.
In the spirit of development and giving people even more for free we have opened up a trading grounds. Looking at the main menu to the left you will see our trading link. This is not to trade with U.S. Challenge Coins but to trading openly with other users. You may submit a new coin your unit has for sale but you may not use it as a full time store. We want people to come in and get trading. The forum is always open for chit chat about the site and now that includes trading right here on the biggest challenge coin site too! We are excited about this and we hope you will enjoy the new service.
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