I work as a designer who draws challenge coins for the U.S. Military, Police Departments, and Fire Departments, as well as many others AMAA.

Can you draw a coin for my username?

I'd really rather not.

What would you design for Reddit, I.e. kickass post of the month etc?

I've been off work for almost 2 weeks for holidays. I'm a bit rusty. Enjoy

i think reddit needs to start a movement, blurring the line from the website to reality. you should design 2 different coins, one for upvotes and one for downvotes.

redditors can then give the appropriate coin, if compelled enough, to people in real life.

Good deeds, actions, anything that someone does to tickle/inspire you: upvote coin.

douchebags, assholes, anything that someone does to piss you off or taint society: downvote coin.

think of it as karma currency.

Done and done.

have you ever added your own secret imagery or flair to a coin like other artists? like an easter-egg!

Maybe something under the artwork for people at the factory to find. I never have really altered the designs to add something like that. They're tokens people have earned/worked hard for so I always just do as they ask. So no.

Do you have a signature or anything at all? Or is it just anonymous

Anonymous.

Like hell he's going to publicly admit that.

I don't, so..

whats the somewhat most ridiculous design you made that actually was chosen to become a real challenge coin ?

I had to draw a gnome riding a jackalope once, another was a care bear looking character holding a pipe bomb. I've drawn so many it's hard to remember. Those really stick out though.

A care bear holding a pipe bomb? May I ask for a picture?

It was for a bomb squad.

What was the jackalope gnome for?

No idea...!

What your favorite challenge coin you have designed? What's the most interesting? Can you post pics of them?

My favorite was probably for the producer of the show "The Big Bang Theory." I know Reddit hates it but I thought it was cool.

Link

Hey! I have one of your coins, then! That's awesome that you designed it.

* le proof

Show me!!

I just now edited it into my original comment.

Nice !! Yes I drew it. Bill sent me one when it was first produced.

I'm still trying to decide how I want to mount and display it. I want to be able to show off both sides, so a standard frame setup wouldn't work. I'm thinking about getting a little three-legged mount and putting the coin in a plastic enclosure to sit on the stand, then frame the note and set it next to the coin.

Heres mine by the way!

How much do you charge to design a coin? How much does it cost to make them?

No charge to design where I work. Free quote and free artwork.

Seriously? That is crazy that you do work for free.

Tell me about it.

So generally how much do you get paid for such work after it is designed and produced.

I'm just hourly. No commission unfortunately.

So, to make sure I understand this correctly, your company retains you on staff to draw whatever requests\pieces happen to come in? Is the work that consistent that it makes sense to do it that way?

We sell more than just coins.

Wait, how does that work?

I don't know. Ask my boss. I just draw like the wind. :)

How does the wind draw?

Fast as hell. That's how.

How did you ever get a job like this? It sounds like an awesome gig.

Craigslist. Haha. I used to work in a factory that produced bullet proof vests. Now that I think about it.. I've had a few strange jobs.

Wow--are you in a metro area? Is the USAF stuff just one of the contracts? Don't mean to pry, but I can't help but wonder; I'm in the SE and there's not a lot of this stuff going on around here!

I'm not contracted to the military. Just a company who works directly with people IN the military. I live in Orlando.

List all the strange jobs you've had to work in, and how did you come by them?

Well.. it was more-so the people I worked with. This one dude told me a story about how he dug a kidney stone out of his urethra with a toothpick once. Anyways, I used to roll out football field lengths of kevlar for bullet proof vest production. I also had a short job as a radio personality/voice over. It didn't last long unfortunately. I really liked that job.

This one dude told me a story about how he dug a kidney stone out of his urethra with a toothpick once.

What?

That's what I said. I stood there and looked at him in disbelief. He was dead serious apparently. That was a fucking weird job.

Have you ever made a coin for yourself?

No, but my friend made one for himself and used it as his business card!

How much did he have to pay for them as business card? I'd imagine he would need to be wealthy...

like 4 bucks each for 100? Nothing crazy.

So is this one of those things? It was posted on Reddit as a find at a bar..

http://imgur.com/BggEk

Yep. I didn't draw that one though. That's how this AMA got started.

Do you come up with the designs yourself or are you given sketches and work from there? Also, are you hired by individual units or the army as such?

I work for a company that sells them. Some designs are almost finished as sent, some people have no idea what they want and ask for me to design them. It's all based off what is provided being a rough sketch or nothing at all.

when it is finished as sent, what do you do? transcribe it into a format that the factory can physically produce?

Exactly.

What is the process to create them?

Thats the (almost) anything part. We have a factory that does it and I'm not allowed to disclose.

what is the most expensive coin you had to make and for who?

US Embassy. Don't remember the order, but it was a big amount.

How long, on average, does it take to draw each coin?

I'd say anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours. Depending on complexity. I've been working here for almost 2 years so I'm pretty fast. The first day I think a coin took me like 5 hours. Haha.

Would you rather draw a coin with a hundred duck sized horses, or one horse sized duck?

One horse sized duck. 100 would take too long to draw.

I'm not really sure what this is. Can you post some pics of examples?

Here's a link to some of the coins I have that were produced as samples.

Those are pretty cool! I like the dog tags, do you make them custom for anybody, or just for the govt?

Anybody can order them..!

I've received about 5 of these coins from my time in the Army. They're usually given out by CSMs in a good job handshake gesture.

Odds are.. if you got one in the past year or two. We drew it.

My favorite coin that I have is my USAF Honor Guard coin, did you happen to make it?

Picture of it?

http://www.imgur.com/eyUWU

I didn't draw that one, but I have drawn that logo before. I have it saved somewhere. It's pretty common.

What metal are the coins typically pressed from?

They're brass, then plated in a metal of the client's preference.

As a prior enlisted Marine, I have had a nice collection of challenge coins in the past. Many have gone missing but I still have some and we used to use them pretty often at the bar. Don't really have a question that hasn't been answered, just wanted to note that what you do is pretty awesome and I've probably seen/owned some of your designs before.

Thanks for the kind words. And thanks for serving.

Beginning coin collector here.

Do you recieve one of the coins and if not have you ever been so satisfied with the design that you bought one?

Do you collect coins?

What did you study?

We aren't allowed to buy them. Most of they have information on them that means really nothing to me. It's about the groups achievements and honor. I occasionally get a sample and add it to my collection.

I do collect coins of my own. I have a very large collection.

I studied and received a bachelors degree digital art and design.

What's the most expensive coin in your collection?

Do you specialize in a certain type of coin (roman, modern, etc.)?

I have a 1909 S VDB penny from my Grandmother. Theyre worth a substantial amount based on condition.

As a non collector, what does that mean in layman's terms?

1909 (year) S- (San Francisco) mint verb is the initials on the back of the coin of the designer..Victor D. Brenner.

Do you do freelance work? My fire station is looking to design a new fire station logo. Possibly something with a honey badger.

I do. Send me a message.

Waffles or pancakes?

Pancakes. Waffles are frustrating. If there's not butter in every square. I don't want it.

I have a joint chiefs of staff challenge coin that an ex gave me. It's gotten me some free drinks. And even though you may not have designed it or had anything to do with it, I feel like I should thank you. this: Imgur and this: Imgur

I want to see it..! And you're welcome I guess. Free alcohol is the best alcohol.

Are the coins actually used for their intented purpose? Or more as novelties?

Not sure how people use them after they are ordered. I really just design them more or less.

What tool do you use to make them? Software and hardware

Illustrator!

Do you or the factory choose how they're embossed?

I draw them to show where metal will be raised or recessed, if that's what you're asking.

[deleted]

Don't stop drawing.

How did you land a job like this? I like to do freelance work, but friends of mine who have worked for the military say its a lot better because its steady work and good pay. Is this true also?

I don't work for the military. I'm basically a contracted artist to a company who sells to people in the military who want coins. Do you get what I mean? haha.

So, where do I order these?

edit: I used google.

No. That's not me.

How much would they cost to the public?

With an order of a hundred or more, around 4.50 a coin. They retail for 20. Second pressing is cheaper.....

Yep. The mold fees are subtracted with a re-order.

What designs/coins have you done for fire departments?

Man.. I wish I could show you all of them, but there's too many to name/show.