Help wanted finalising newbie's design

[+sTeamTraen]

I'm getting some microcoins (1-inch) made by the good people at Oak Coins. There will be 500 coins (own icon, trackable, own prefix) and 300 pins, which I will sell for a small sum or maybe include as bonus items with orders for multiple coins.

 

The design is very simple, partly to keep the coin looking "tidy" (it's only small!), but mainly due to a total lack of artistic talent and imagination on my part. (Someone else is selling much, much nicer train-themed coins in a nearby thread. Mine are just "cartoons".)

 

Here's the thing: I'm being asked to choose between four kinds of metal. In this picture, from top to bottom and left to right, they are: nickel, gold, copper, and black nickel. I guess all you coin aficionados will have spotted that already. For me it's unknown territory.

 

My questions are: which would look best? Will it affect saleability? Should I go for one colour on the first run and maybe make some others if I do a reprint? Etc, etc. All advice gratefully received.

 

By the way: please do not pre-order coins by posting here, send me e-mail inquiries, etc at this stage. I will announce the coins, prices, shipping conditions, etc when they are ready to go out, and not a moment before. Also please do not ask me for swaps; I'm not a coin collector, so I guess I'm just in it for the money

 

Front:

 

Back:

 

PS: Sorry for the big pictures!

 

PPS: You just get the locomotive; "Track" at geocaching.com (groan).

Edited January 26, 2007 by sTeamTraen

[+9Key]

I would go with the polished nickel, but use hard enamel / semi cloisonne instead of the soft enamel fill. You get a nice smooth feel to a coin with a hard enamel finish.

[+UOTrackers]

I would go with the polished nickel, but use hard enamel / semi cloisonne instead of the soft enamel fill. You get a nice smooth feel to a coin with a hard enamel finish.

I agree with what 9key said. Your design is fine though! It's a personal coin, and I'd love to hear what it represents for you and your team!

[+3doxies]

I think the nickel looks best. I also think it's a really cute coin!

[+sTeamTraen]

I agree with what 9key said. Your design is fine though! It's a personal coin, and I'd love to hear what it represents for you and your team!

 

From the sales page (in preparation):

 

Wondering about the name "sTeamTraen"? It has nothing to do with trains! When we started geocaching, we lived in the small village of Traenheim (pronounced Train-highm), in Alsace (France). If you try to say "the team from Traenheim" in the local dialect, "sTeamTraen" is not too far from what you'll hear. When we sign a cache log, we clip a little locomotive shape from the log using our sTeamTrain™ cutter, and add a little plume of smoke from the funnel. So the coin and pin design is shaped just like our caching "signature".

[+ranger216]

very nice coin...

I am in for at least 4

 

There are so any micros anymore.. nice to find a coin to put in one

[+sTeamTraen]

I would go with the polished nickel, but use hard enamel / semi cloisonne instead of the soft enamel fill. You get a nice smooth feel to a coin with a hard enamel finish.

 

I have no idea what that means (I feel like I did the first time I ordered a sandwich in a US deli, and got asked 6 questions I never knew could be asked about a sandwich), so I'll ask Oak Coins .

 

If it's the option called "Soft Cloisonne" that adds $0.40 per coin (per http://www.oakcoins.com/calc/) then it will be touch and go. Between the dollar's current low value, the small size of the coin, the tracking and icon fees which are the same for any size, and the 19.6% value added tax which I have to pay to import them to Europe and which can't be reclaimed on re-exporting, I don't want to get into the "sticker shock" zone for US customers. (On the other hand, the same price will probably seem like a bargain for Europeans; we pay $7 or $8 just for a TB tag over here.)

[gridlox]

Black Nickle

 

Why?

I think that cartoonish looking art like yours look really cool done with the black outlines so it looks like a picture from a comic or coloring book.

 

Here's a pic of the SuperCacher coin that I designed done in Black Nickel so you can see what I mean.

 

D-man

[+The Amigos]

The polished nickel is very nice. I like how you came up with your coin design.

[YemonYime]

First of all, congratulations on taking the step into geocoins. These are much nicer than you're giving yourself credit for. Sometimes it's better to stick with a simpler design, and I can tell you that my youngest son has already expressed some serious interest because of his love for trains.

 

My advice would be to offer at least two different metals. You stand a better chance of selling the lot because collectors will want one of each. I'm not the biggest fan of polished nickel, but in this case, it works pretty well. You have enough darker colors surrounding it to make it work. I would also suggest you consider the black nickel as well. It's a nice contrast to the silver, and the black outlines between the metals will help give the coin your unique "drawn" look. Think about it...this really is a fun drawing of a train, and not intended to be a realistic rendition. When I see the black nickel version, I think of an old steam engine puffing out black soot and chugging along.

 

Bottom line, I like it alot.

 

Yime

[YemonYime]

Black Nickle

 

Why?

I think that cartoonish looking art like yours look really cool done with the black outlines so it looks like a picture from a comic or coloring book.

 

D-man

 

See? Great minds think alike.

[+Anthus]

These look cute! When you create micro geocoins, you need to stay simple --just like you did-- or it will become too busy an not an attractive coin. I prefer the silver/nickel. The gold seems to be drownded out by the yellow sun. I'd be curious to see what the black nickel would look like.

 

I'm agree with Yime. Offer 2 metals. Some people are partial to a metal so if you make it in more than one then you are likely to sell more of them.

 

On another note, the nickel is supposed to be more durable than the silver. If you plan on putting these in caches you might want to go with nickel.

 

I've also noticed that seeing the coins in-hand is different than seeing them in a picture. So, if you haven't already done so, I would also suggest receiving the proofs before you make your decision.

 

Good luck......Anthus

[+AtlantaGal]

I think the gold and black nickel are very nice.

[+chancerider]

Definitely the gold and black nickel. Very cute design, it makes a great personal coin!

[ParentsofSAM]

I like the 2 metals. The black nickel alot and the gold and nickel look good too.

[+Wij Drie]

Another European coin. I'm in for sure.

 

I like the Black Nickel and the Copper.

 

tot cache,

team Wij Drie

[+CachingCoins]

I like the black nickel best. It really sets off the colors. Cute coin. I'll have to get some of these & I'm not buying micros any more.

[thespongefactor]

I like black nickel and copper.

[+sfwife]

Cute. The black nickel is my favorite.

[+stepshep]

I like the black nickel first and a close gold. Cool coin.

[+Go JayBee]

I think that both the bright nickel and the black nickel really do your design justice...

Edited January 27, 2007 by Go JayBee

[+sTeamTraen]

Wow, what a lot of great feedback! Thanks to everyone who commented.

 

I've counted the following votes, or at least mentions, to date:

11 black nickel

7 silver nickel

4 gold

2 copper

 

Four colours seems like a lot. In any case I was planning to offer a free pin with a purchase of three coins, so maybe I will get three colours and then the pin will go with the complete set.

[+chaosmanor]

Add one vote for copper! It wasn't as easy to see that one as the others, due to the flash, but I got just enough of it to think that this is likely to be the best finish for a design that is mostly red. After this, the gold and silver are pretty close. I think the black nickle is too dark on a red coin. But whatever you do, we're in for some!

 

BTW: a word to anyone taking pictures of geocoins. DON'T use flash and don't take them inside. Go outside, find a spot with even light, out of direct sun, put down a black cloth (or other dark color, as long as it contrasts with the coin, and turn off the flash. In fact, with digital cameras, it is rare to actually need to use your flash for anything. I find it hilarious to see thousands of flashes going off at sporting events; they actually make the shot darker!

[+Droo]

My faves are the black nickel and gold. The bummer about offering 4 metals is that some of us addicts will have to buy all 4 when 2 would suffice!!

 

If you have a US vendour sell your coins will that save you on the import VAT? Just wondering.

Edited January 27, 2007 by Droo

[Team Macha]

Add my vote to black nickel. You design screams "Make me in Black Nickel!" lol

[+sTeamTraen]

My faves are the black nickel and gold. The bummer about offering 4 metals is that some of us addicts will have to buy all 4 when 2 would suffice!!

 

That would be toooo cynical. But I was thinking of getting 3 kinds made. In any case my target order size was 3 - I'll give a free pin for that amount and shipping will either be the same as, or only very slight more than, for one - so that will be an added incentive.

 

If you have a US vendour sell your coins will that save you on the import VAT? Just wondering.

 

Yes, but I am working on a way round the VAT issue.

[+sTeamTraen]

I would go with the polished nickel, but use hard enamel / semi cloisonne instead of the soft enamel fill. You get a nice smooth feel to a coin with a hard enamel finish.

 

OK, now I've found out what this means , I don't think I'll go for it. It's not the 40¢ so much as the fact that this is a train. It should have rough bumpy bits!