How We Designed Custom Challenge Coins for Forensic Professionals

Forensic professionals and law enforcement personnel share an unspoken connection—one built through long shifts, tough cases, and a commitment to the job. Making challenge coins more than just a token; it’s a symbol of that shared experience.

These coins represent unit pride, mark achievements, and tell a story. But creating a custom challenge coin for your team or profession? That’s a process full of lessons—and we learned plenty along the way.

When we set out to design a forensic-themed challenge coin, we had no idea what to expect. From early mistakes to a conference launch that had people tracking us down for a coin, it was an eye-opening experience. If you’re thinking about making your own, here’s what you need to know.

What Is a Challenge Coin?

Challenge coins have been a staple in military and law enforcement culture for decades. These custom coins serve as a symbol of camaraderie, achievement, and recognition. The tradition could possibly date back to World War I when military units used coins to identify and reward their members. Today, challenge coins are widely collected by first responders, law enforcement officers, forensic professionals, and military personnel.

Forensic professionals might receive a challenge coin to mark a milestone, commemorate an event, or simply as a token of appreciation.

The First Attempt: Why We Took Design Into Our Own Hands

When we first set out to create a challenge coin for our forensic community, we handed the design process over to a company that specialized in custom coins. Big mistake. What we got back was underwhelming. It wasn’t bad—it just wasn’t us. It lacked personality, the details felt generic, and overall, it was clear the design team didn’t fully grasp what we wanted.

At first, we felt a little duped. But then it hit us: If we couldn’t clearly articulate our vision, how could we expect someone else to bring it to life? That’s when we decided to take matters into our own hands and design a challenge coin that truly represented our community.

Designing a Challenge Coin: Our Process

Creating custom challenge coins true to our brand was a learning experience. Here’s how we did it.

1. Concept & Theme

At first, we thought about creating a simple company challenge coin—something to represent our brand and forensic work. But every idea we came up with felt flat. Nothing sparked inspiration, and for over a year, the project sat on the back burner.

Then, The Tortured Poets Department album dropped, and everything clicked. We saw an opportunity to blend forensic science with the album’s moody, literary aesthetic—something that would resonate deeply with forensic professionals while giving a subtle nod to Taylor Swift’s latest era. That’s when the real design process began.

2. Core Design Elements

We settled on a dark gray and white color scheme with two different versions:

• “The Chairman” Limited Edition: Featured the phrase “The Chairman” under the logo. Only available through giveaways and Vault membership.
• General Version: Same design without the phrase “The Chairman”. Available for purchase.

Other key details:

• The rim featured “The Tortured Forensics Department” on one side and “All’s Fair in Love & Science” on the other (a forensic twist on Swift’s lyric, “All’s fair in love and poetry”).
• A spinner centerpiece with our TTFD logo on one side.
• The flip side of the spinner showcased a shield divided into four quadrants with forensic symbols: a skeletal rib cage, a fingerprint, crime scene markers, and a DNA double helix.
• A raised patterned background featuring the Gap Science atom.

3. Manufacturing & Production

To bring our vision to life, we reached out to Double Tap Custom Designs, a company known for crafting high-quality challenge coins. They worked closely with us to refine the details, ensuring that every element—from the intricate atom symbols to the spinner centerpiece—stood out.

Before full production, they provided us with molds of the coin, showing how the raised and recessed areas would look. This step allowed us to make final tweaks before the full batch was made. (We’ve included photos below to show this part of the process!)

Once the molds were approved, production moved forward.

4. Materials & Finishes

Some of the best design decisions came down to small details:

• We used a white pearlescent background to give the TTFD logo side some shimmer.
• The atom background was 3D, popping up from an enamel base for added texture.
• The shield was also raised to create depth.

The result? A coin that felt premium, detailed, and completely unique to our forensic community.

The Giveaway: How We Got Our Coins Into the Right Hands

We knew the coin would be a hit, but we didn’t expect just how much demand there would be.

At the annual International Association for Identification conference, we gave away 75 challenge coins—all attendees had to do was track us down, snap a picture with us, and post it on social media. The response was wild. People followed us down hallways, waited after our presentations, and even found us in the vendor hall just to get their hands on a coin. We ran out by day three.

Related: “How Free Challenge Coins Helped Us Stand Out at a Forensic Conference“

Many attendees asked if we planned to sell them. So, we launched a preorder sale after the conference, and the numbers blew us away. We sold 591 coins and donated $600 to Hurricane Helene relief through Samaritan’s Purse.

To make the experience extra special, we included a thank-you insert in every package featuring a forensic-themed poem (inspired by The Tortured Poets Department promo materials).

What We Learned (And What We’d Do Differently)

If we had to do it all over again, here’s what we’d change:

1. Packaging Matters

We tried to keep costs low by shipping single coins in regular envelopes with standard postage. Big mistake. Many coins went missing, envelopes tore open in transit, and we got flooded with emails asking, “Where’s my package?”

Next time, we’ll use sturdier packaging and order tracking, even if it means raising the price slightly.

2. Design Takes Time

If you’re planning to design a challenge coin, don’t rush it. The process took longer than expected—especially since we were so picky about details. Give yourself at least 1-2 months for design and revisions.

3. Community Engagement = Success

One of the biggest reasons our coin was a hit? We involved our community at every step. From teasing the design to letting them vote on which charity we’d donate to, they felt like part of the process. If you’re making a custom coin, find ways to make it interactive.

Thinking About Making Your Own Challenge Coin?

Here’s our best advice if you’re planning to create challenge coins custom to your team, agency, or brand:

✅ Start with a clear vision – Know what story your coin should tell.
✅ Work with a trusted manufacturer – Not all challenge coin companies are created equal.
✅ Prioritize durability – Consider finishes, materials, and packaging to prevent shipping issues.
✅ Have fun with it! – We used Canva to map out our design, and the whole process was a blast.