Advice for first geocoin?

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

Hello everyone!

I've been playing with the idea of designing a coin for the past month or so.

Any suggested Do's or Don'ts in designing? minting?

I horribly lack at artistic talent, so I'm trying to use Paint to make a general design of what I want the coin to look like then let the artistic design help from a minter help me make it look amazing.

 

How much detail is too much? How much detail is too little?

 

I've been looking at coins in my possession and coins online and trying to figure out how I want to do this.

[+Jackalgirl]

Hello everyone!

I've been playing with the idea of designing a coin for the past month or so.

Any suggested Do's or Don'ts in designing? minting?

I horribly lack at artistic talent, so I'm trying to use Paint to make a general design of what I want the coin to look like then let the artistic design help from a minter help me make it look amazing.

 

How much detail is too much? How much detail is too little?

 

I've been looking at coins in my possession and coins online and trying to figure out how I want to do this.

 

I'd recommend that you shop your design around to the vendors listed in the pinned thread and see if any of them are interested in the "Designer Partnership Program" (I put it in quotes because not everyone refers to it that way). That is, if they think it'll be sale-able, they'll pay you for the idea in coins. It's an easy way to get coins made without having to plunk down a large amount of cash.

 

The artists at the mint/vendor will be able to help you out, but what I'd do is start pulling out all of the coins in your collection of the same size as you want to make. Take a look at the thinnest lines, both in terms of the thinnest lines of metal and the smallest areas filled with enamel. Remember that any colored areas are going to have to be surrounded by raised metal (so don't forget to outline all of your color fill areas with the color of the plating you want to use).

 

Make sure you print out your design at the actual size of the coin or at the very least zoom out so that the image on your screen is approximately the same size as what the coin is going to be. That way, you can see where things are going to need to be simplified -- stuff that looks wonderfully detailed at a big resolution becomes hopelessly muddy at, say, 1.75".

 

I hope this helps!

[+ZeroHecksGiven]

I'm starting to think about this too, my question is more along cost. I'd like to avoid the partnership program as much as possible. What's an estimated cost on a min. Order? And what is a min order?

[+Jackalgirl]

I'm starting to think about this too, my question is more along cost. I'd like to avoid the partnership program as much as possible. What's an estimated cost on a min. Order? And what is a min order?

 

Typically, a vendor will want you to order a minimum of 100 coins. Some of them might be willing to provide you with a minimum of 50.

 

You'll pay the $1.50 per tracking code (so that's $75 if you find someone willing to sell you 50 coins, or $150 for 100). If you want a unique icon, that's another $150.

 

Now there are the die fees. You can assume that you'll pay around $200 for these, though the price will vary depending on who you go with and what you want. Usually, 3D dies are more expensive (some vendors change the same flat rate for all dies, tho). If you want cutouts, that will be extra. Odd shape? Extra. And, of course, the price often depends on the size.

 

Then there's the per-piece charge. That varies according to size and plating, and some vendors will charge you extra for extra colors (or if you want something special like glitter, glow-in-the-dark, pearlescent, etc). If you want imitation hard enamel, that's usually more (and really only works on 2D coins). Other extras include photo inserts (which have an extra die/art fee plus per-piece additional cost), edging, epoxy, engraving, third side (edge) impriting or engraving (often an additional die fee), etc.

 

So the quick answer to your question is that from the GS side of the house, it will cost you at least $75 if you can get someone to let you place an order of 50 pieces or $150 for an order of 100, plus $150 for an icon if you want it (that's $75 minimum, $300 maximum) and that's before you factor in die fees, the per-piece charge, and the shipping & handling.

 

If you look at the vendors in the pinned thread, many of them actually offer their pricing online. Another route is to Google "custom challenge coins" and look at the vendors' pricing lists. You can get a rough estimate of the total cost that way. But remember that you're going to need to add the Groundspeak charges on top of that.

 

Oh, and another recommendation re: the vendors list in the pinned thread -- some of those vendors offer discount prices for geocoins ordered that have common backs or that have certain low-price features. It's well worth it to look around and do some research.

 

I hope this helps!

[+Jackalgirl]

I realize I'm being lazy. Here is the pinned thread I've been talking about.

[+drneal]

Pretty much would have to repeat what everyone has already said. Take a look at the coins already out there, and see if any of the coins from a certain designer catch your fancy.

 

trackables cost more than non trackables (I thought you needed to purchase a minimum of 150 coins to get tracking codes, or is that to get an icon?), icons cost more. I think the icons are a help if you plan to sell your coins. Thicker coins cost more than thinner. Shaped coins cost more than round. What metal or metals do you wnat your coins produced in? When I had my Kathy's coin made I was told they could be produced in 2 or 3 metals for no extra cost, but I'm not sure if all the coin manufacturers will do that for you or not. My memory's worse than normal the last month, but I think I ended up with somewhere around $1800 for 250 coins.

 

take time in designing your coin, esp. if you're thinking of a personal coin...my opinion, for whatever that's worth, a personal coin should reflect a little of the owner's thoughts or personality (I think garden gorilla's personal is a great example...what a fun coin, right down to the maple leaf!)

 

ILYK

[+anne.and.eli]

I realize I'm being lazy. Here is the pinned thread I've been talking about.

 

HAhahahahaahahahah. You just wrote an extremely helpful guide with lots of great tips and pointers, and you call yourself lazy for not posting a link which is pinned to the top of the forums?

 

FAR from it. Wonderful write up.

[+anne.and.eli]

Also if you're looking for ballpark range of cost, 100 coins, with unique icon and tracking code, 1.5" diameter (on the small side these days) nothing fancy will cost you ~$600 - $800 depending on who you go with etc.

 

When you start adding more frills, the price goes up pretty quickly. The more coins you buy, the cheaper it ends up being per coin because a lot of the cost comes from the dies and the custom icon (~$300 from those two alone if you're doing 2D).

 

Again shop around, different places have different prices, your mileage may vary, other disclaimers apply.

[+ZeroHecksGiven]

Lots of great help, thank you so much. It looks like the initial investment is spendy, though any re-mints would be substantially cheaper. Gonna check out out micros and some plain ones to get my going and help fund any future projects. I've got some ideas for design/art in my head, plus several friends who make a living off of art in one way or another, kind of excited now!

 

thank you so much!

 

edit:

Another quick question, say I wanted to make my own coin. I'm a big DIY kind of guy, I screen print gig posters on the side for extra money, so I'm all about hands on. If I were to make my own coins, is it possible, through Groundspeak, so do this all on my own? I know stamping each coin would be an undertaking, but there would be something terribly unique and satisfying knowing something I created was finding it's way around the world. Much the same way I feel about the posters I print and where they could be right now...

 

Sorry for the hijack, will start a new thread or get in touch with GC on my own if I need to

Edited September 20, 2009 by NWCREW

[+Jackalgirl]

Lots of great help, thank you so much. It looks like the initial investment is spendy, though any re-mints would be substantially cheaper. Gonna check out out micros and some plain ones to get my going and help fund any future projects. I've got some ideas for design/art in my head, plus several friends who make a living off of art in one way or another, kind of excited now!

 

thank you so much!

 

Yes, absolutely: the thing about remints is that you don't have to pay the die fees all over again. You just pay for whatever options you want. Also -- I didn't mention this -- many vendors/mints don't require that your order of x (where x is the minimum) be all the same plating. So you could order, say, x of a standard plating and then x-y of your own special plating, which you can then sell for a bit more (since they're limited) and bank to fund future projects.

 

Oh, here's a quick guide to terminology, in case it's handy:

 

RE - Regular edition. Subject to remint, so the number of minted coins may change (collectors like to know this).

SE - Special edition. Some different plating/feature combination than the regular edition, but usually there are fewer of these. Open to reminting in the future.

LE - Limited edition. Again, some different plating/feature combo, and usually minted in a lower quantity than the REs. Not to be reminted in the future.

AE - Artist's edition. Usually used to pay off the designer or artist (or simply minted by the artist/designer so that he/she has his/her own special version). Usually not reminted, but there's no actual restriction against reminting as far as I know.

XLE, XXLE, XXXLE, etc - Extremely limited edition. Basically, this is the same thing as "LE", only there are fewer. You'll often see this when a vendor sells, say, 100 REs, 50 LEs, 30 XLEs, 20 XXLEs, 10 XXLEs, and so forth. There is no fixed quantity or percentage-of-total-mint for what makes an "XLE" (or "XXLE", etc) as far as I'm aware, so you have to take these with a grain of salt when you're looking to buy (especially on eBay, where just about everything is "XLE" or "HTF" ["Hard to Find"] or "Sold Out!" [even when it's not, buyer beware]).

 

I'm looking forward to see what you design -- please make sure you post here when the project is farther along!

 

P.S. Anne.and.eli -- thanks for the compliment! : )

[+nefesh]

Also if you're looking for ballpark range of cost, 100 coins, with unique icon and tracking code, 1.5" diameter (on the small side these days) nothing fancy will cost you ~$600 - $800 depending on who you go with etc.

 

When you start adding more frills, the price goes up pretty quickly. The more coins you buy, the cheaper it ends up being per coin because a lot of the cost comes from the dies and the custom icon (~$300 from those two alone if you're doing 2D).

 

Again shop around, different places have different prices, your mileage may vary, other disclaimers apply.

I just emailed (last week) the top vendors from the pinned thread and asked for a basic quote from start to finish for a 1.5" coin, hard enamel (or soft with epoxy), bronze/brass metal with icon and trackable. The range was $750-850 for a100 coins. A couple also included free artwork if you ordered at least 100 coins.

[+tsunrisebey]

Hello everyone!

I've been playing with the idea of designing a coin for the past month or so.

Any suggested Do's or Don'ts in designing? minting?

I horribly lack at artistic talent, so I'm trying to use Paint to make a general design of what I want the coin to look like then let the artistic design help from a minter help me make it look amazing.

 

How much detail is too much? How much detail is too little?

 

I've been looking at coins in my possession and coins online and trying to figure out how I want to do this.

 

Take your time, this is something that shouldn't be rushed. It's very easy to get excited and want things to be hurried along.

 

Get your ideas and thoughts to paper or on your graphic program. This will make it easier when you start working with a vendor.

 

Look through these forums for coins you like and artwork, try to get an understanding of what goes into the process. While cost should be an interest, my opinion is that your design and all its elements should be priority. The vendor you choose will be able to discuss with you all your options and help you cut costsif need be but in a way that keeps the integrity of your coin.

 

Be prepared to "work" on your coin with your vendor. It's a 2-way street. The more knowledgable you are in the process (which means studying coins and these forums) the happier you will be with your choices.

 

You will change your mind about different aspects of your design a number of times and although I know most people aren't willing and don't want to do this; "sit" on your design for a month or 2 and see how you feel about it after a bit of time goes by. You'd be amazed at how your tastes change as you look over it and think about.

 

When it comes to detailson your coin, this is where your vendor should help you with suggestions to make your coin stand out (if you want that help-some people already have their own ideas on what they want).

 

Do not expect miracles or for your vendor to read your mind.

 

Make sure you are serious and ready for the commitment that minting a coin brings. A lot of time is spent on your behalf to create your coin. Only engage in working with a vendor if you truly, truly know you want to have a coin minted and you are fully prepared to spend the time and money on it.

 

Don't be afraid to ask the "smaller" vendors for quotes too. Most people bypass the little guy in favor of the "big" guy. Working with a smaller, reputable vendor has its advantages (price and getting individual attention wise - this is my opinion, as I have done both).

 

Most importantly, have fun with the process! Love what you're designing. I see it over and over, everything is about cost and all the technical aspects of coin making and how to get the cheapest/easiest coin out to the public (and stuff oriented to this type of thinking). A coin that comes from the heart and that is loved from beginning to end will be very apparent when it is offered for buying/trading/selling. (in my opinion, this is the factor that determines how well a coin does with your audience).

 

The whole process will be very taxing, expensive, a learning curve but in the end very rewarding if you just go with the flow and take your time and enjoy everything this process entails. There isn't anything like getting your coins in hand after months of toiling

 

I run the gauntlet of emotions from the beginning of a design to the very end of it when the coiner receives the coin in hand.

 

Best wishes,

tsun

[+Jackalgirl]

One other thing to add to Tsun's excellent advise: if there's a deadline, make sure you let the vendor know right away (if they don't ask for it by default). Don't, say, wait until three weeks before your event to announce to the vendor that the coin is for an event that's in three weeks*.

 

Your art or vendor art is NOT mint-ready blueprint art, so even if you provide perfect art, it's not actually done until the art comes back with an actual coin blueprint.

 

*I'm not bitter.

[+AirborneSurveyor]

e-mail sent.

 

I forgot to add in the e-mail if you want I can e-mail my rough artwork and the blueprints that came back. So you will have an idea what they can do with rough artwork.

[Odyssey Voyager]

Be prepared to "work" on your coin with your vendor. It's a 2-way street. The more knowledgable you are in the process (which means studying coins and these forums) the happier you will be with your choices.

 

You will change your mind about different aspects of your design a number of times and although I know most people aren't willing and don't want to do this; "sit" on your design for a month or 2 and see how you feel about it after a bit of time goes by. You'd be amazed at how your tastes change as you look over it and think about.

 

When it comes to details on your coin, this is where your vendor should help you with suggestions to make your coin stand out (if you want that help-some people already have their own ideas on what they want).

 

Do not expect miracles or for your vendor to read your mind.

 

The whole process will be very taxing, expensive, a learning curve but in the end very rewarding if you just go with the flow and take your time and enjoy everything this process entails. There isn't anything like getting your coins in hand after months of toiling

 

all very true! if you were to look at my design drafts from beginning to end, they almost do not even look like the same geocoin! the project will morph into something completely unique when you take your time and "re-think" certain aspects of it. so, don't be "set in stone" about your design. be a little flexible, especially when a vendor makes a suggestion or a change. it might be for artistic reasons, or it might be a technical requirement, but learn to appreciate the new changes.

 

one other suggestion that might be helpful. instead of looking at geocoins and finding all the things you "like" about them, try looking at geocoins and find a few of the things you "don't like" and make that part of your geocoin design approach. sometimes its very easy to see the things you like, not so easy to find the negatives.

 

for me,...having a geocoin made, is like having your house built. its a labor of love that can be very frustrating, but in the end, you have to live with it...lol...good luck to all the new geocoiners!

 

~odyssey voyager~

 

.

[+Zelanzy]

Jackal and Tsun you are sooo nice and helpful, great contributions. I just wanted to second what Tsun said about telling them your deadline. On my 2nd project, I'm not sure how, but it got rushed for no extra cost after I mentioned that I needed the coins for a convention (GCF). I'm not sure they can always do that, but it certainly doesn't hurt to ask.

 

Also, you can scan a hand drawn image and they will concoct mint art for it. Personally, I also hand draw, but then create the vector graphic myself and send that to the coin company (using illustrator or fireworks or inkscape). I'm not saying you need these program, but I guess I am saying to just do what feels most comfortable to you!

 

Z