As the title states, I have an uncommon job. I am a digital artist and my main duty is to design challenge coins. Ask me almost anything.

Edit--Been doing this for awhile now. Thanks for all the questions and interest. Never really thought my job was that interesting!

Edit #2 This is a challenge coin. At least a hundred people asked this. I've said it and others have said it.

http://i.imgur.com/QwbMX.jpg

Comments: 1003 • Responses: 53  • Date: 

MyWearyPenis170 karma

Can you draw a coin for my username?

Doebino520 karma

I'd really rather not.

Spartengerm169 karma

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

Doebino974 karma

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

futurespacecadet63 karma

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.

Doebino22 karma

Done and done.

Superium148 karma

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

Doebino295 karma

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.

OBEYthesky73 karma

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

Doebino130 karma

Anonymous.

atticusw21 karma

Like hell he's going to publicly admit that.

Doebino38 karma

I don't, so..

Sleevvin106 karma

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

Doebino236 karma

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.

WestenM89 karma

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

ras34463 karma

What was the jackalope gnome for?

Doebino65 karma

No idea...!

Paulg287100 karma

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

Doebino287 karma

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

punk1984185 karma

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

* le proof

Doebino103 karma

Show me!!

punk198483 karma

I just now edited it into my original comment.

Doebino96 karma

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

punk198437 karma

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.

clarencethomas66 karma

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

Doebino97 karma

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

XeroG82 karma

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

Doebino116 karma

Tell me about it.

TheSmellOfFlowers50 karma

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

Doebino92 karma

I'm just hourly. No commission unfortunately.

paulHarkonen24 karma

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?

Doebino46 karma

We sell more than just coins.

clarencethomas24 karma

Wait, how does that work?

Doebino69 karma

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

anotherlittlepiece28 karma

How does the wind draw?

Doebino163 karma

Fast as hell. That's how.

COMMENT0R_300057 karma

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

Doebino141 karma

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.

COMMENT0R_300027 karma

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!

Doebino65 karma

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

dakiri18 karma

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

Doebino66 karma

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.

Big_h3aD24 karma

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

What?

Doebino35 karma

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.

WolfDawg51 karma

Have you ever made a coin for yourself?

Doebino109 karma

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

dakiri42 karma

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

Doebino97 karma

like 4 bucks each for 100? Nothing crazy.

fragnet47 karma

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

http://imgur.com/BggEk

Doebino71 karma

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

Schuultz46 karma

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?

Doebino75 karma

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.

QuerulousPanda19 karma

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

Doebino26 karma

Exactly.

auritus43 karma

What is the process to create them?

Doebino97 karma

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

pufulufulu41 karma

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

Doebino66 karma

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

guyonearth34 karma

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

Doebino77 karma

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.

iMalanaD30 karma

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

Doebino47 karma

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

mazbat25 karma

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

mazbat11 karma

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

Doebino22 karma

Anybody can order them..!

nuexxx24 karma

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.

Doebino37 karma

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

Marcusvandarcus23 karma

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

Doebino18 karma

Picture of it?

Doebino24 karma

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

enferex18 karma

What metal are the coins typically pressed from?

Doebino29 karma

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

TheGoldenKnight16 karma

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.

Doebino10 karma

Thanks for the kind words. And thanks for serving.

MadeInDeutschland15 karma

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?

Doebino27 karma

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.

MadeInDeutschland15 karma

What's the most expensive coin in your collection?

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

Doebino31 karma

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

BishopCorrigan6 karma

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

Doebino8 karma

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

Nike219615 karma

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

Doebino15 karma

I do. Send me a message.

wherestheorangesoda15 karma

Waffles or pancakes?

Doebino91 karma

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

discreet113 karma

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

Doebino6 karma

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

DeadKnot12 karma

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

Doebino18 karma

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

BurtonGusGuster10 karma

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

Doebino30 karma

Illustrator!

Nithel8 karma

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

Doebino16 karma

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

[deleted]6 karma

[deleted]

Doebino15 karma

Don't stop drawing.

bobazefett6 karma

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?

Doebino14 karma

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.

TheComebacKid5 karma

What designs/coins have you done for fire departments?

Doebino5 karma

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

moralfaq5 karma

How much would they cost to the public?

slo-poke8 karma

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

Doebino13 karma

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

The_Tigers_of_Wrath5 karma

So, where do I order these?

edit: I used google.

Doebino16 karma

No. That's not me.