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Sheriff Department Challenge Coins

We’ve worked with sheriff’s offices across the country to design coins that honor everything from new sheriff elections and deputy promotions to retirement ceremonies and exceptional service. County sheriffs often use challenge coins as recognition for criminal investigation work, as gifts at PR events, and to commemorate milestone anniversaries within the department. Each coin becomes a lasting symbol of the office’s identity and the deputies’ shared commitment to their community.

Sheriff Challenge Coins

Leave Your Mark On the County

Sheriff Departments across the United States are responsible for the protection of American citizens, upholding the laws of our country, and keeping the peace. Generally, a Sheriff is elected into office as a mark of their dedication to serving the community and their character as a personal leader in virtue and law keeping. The sheriff’s office has authority granted by a state’s constitution and/or state law, as opposed to county or city police departments whose authority comes from the state governing body. The difference is simply that a county sheriff is held accountable by the people who elected him/her, not by the governing body of the state.

Cache County Sheriff challenge coins

This gives the office of sheriff an incredible and noble responsibility in public service: not only to uphold the laws of their county and protect its people, but also to deliver on their promises and serve their elected terms with integrity and pride. They act as the highest authority and sole leader of their county’s sheriff’s office, so success or failure rides on their shoulders.

Signature Coins has been making law enforcement challenge coins and sheriff challenge coins for over 15 years. We take pride in being able to serve the brave men and women who protect and serve our country in one of the noblest professions. Each set of our coins is unique in design and draws emotional connections to the bravery, camaraderie, and honor within individual sheriff offices and police departments across the country.

The Sheriff’s Office

Black matte 3D challenge coin

A sheriff is a public official responsible for security within the county court, executing warrants, regular patrol, criminal investigation, and arresting suspects. The office is made up of deputies or deputy sheriffs who have mostly the same training, responsibilities, and authorities of police officers. The aims of a sheriff’s office are the same as any law enforcement office which is to uphold the law.

The position of sheriff has historical roots reaching far before the United States. In England, a king’s land was broken into shires and the man responsible for the protection of an individual shire was called a “reeve”. The reeve was appointed by general consensus of the people in the shire and usually held a significant role in the leadership of the area as well. Once kings began to realize the influence each reeve had in their specific area, the position was integrated into the court. Over time, the reeve was called a “shire-reeve” which eventually morphed even further into “sheriff”.

In America today, a sheriff has many of the same responsibilities as they did back then. The crucial difference between a sheriff and a police officer, however, is that a sheriff is publicly elected. This is why it is sometimes called the sheriff’s office, instead of the sheriff’s department. In declaring their oath of office, a sheriff swears to “…support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…” just as any elected official of the American people does.

As a civil servant to the American people, a sheriff and his/her office work tirelessly to uphold the laws of our country, protect its people, and to serve with honor and respect. Get started with your order of custom sheriff department challenge coins today!

Sheriff Departments Across the U.S.

Hillsborough County Sheriff challenge coin

Sheriffs are elected officials and are held accountable by the citizens of their respective counties. Every state that is broken into counties has a sheriff in some form. The only states in America without a sheriff are Alaska, which has no counties, and Connecticut, where the sheriff office has been replaced with the state marshal system. According to the National Sheriffs’ Association, there are over 3,000 sheriffs serving the American people across the nation meaning that there are equally as many offices that could benefit from sheriff department challenge coins.

Some examples of the high profile sheriff departments we can serve include:

  • California Sheriff offices
  • New York Sheriff Offices
    • Bronx County Sheriff’s office
    • King’s County Sheriff’s office
    • Staten Island Sheriff’s office
  • Florida Sheriff offices
    • Pinellas County Sheriff in Tampa
    • Orange County Sheriff in Orlando
  • Texas Sheriff Offices
    • Harris County Sheriff’s office in Houston
    • Travis County Sheriff’s office in Austin
  • Illinois Sheriff Offices
    • Cook County Sheriff’s Office in Chicago
    • Lake County Sheriff’s Office
  • Dallas County Sheriff’s office
Sheriff department challenge coins lower banner

Every office can benefit from a set of custom sheriff department challenge coins because they promote the feelings of acceptance, accomplishment, and gratitude within the ranks. In general, sheriff offices are on a much smaller scale than city or federal police stations because their jurisdiction is held within the county lines. A sheriff is the leader within the county for local law enforcement and is responsible for the protection of his/her people. Without the help of the staff in their office, a sheriff would not be able to uphold their oath of office.

Motivating and encouraging deputies and deputy sheriffs is imperative for the success of any organization. Sheriff department challenge coins are unique gifts that recognize the hard work, dedication, and honor of every member of the office. They build a sense of camaraderie and bind co-workers closer together through a mutual symbol of their identity. The coins are physical markers of their values, goals, and achievements that can be carried with pride and displayed with honor. Only through superior service are sheriff department challenge coins earned. They are never just given away!

Uses for Sheriff Department Challenge Coins

There are different ways sheriff department challenge coins can be used. Overall, challenge coins are used to inspire, to motivate, and to honor those men and women who serve in the sheriff’s office. Our customers have included sheriff department challenge coins in a number of different traditions, ceremonies, and public relations tours including:

  • Sheriff election campaigns
  • Retirement ceremonies
  • Anniversaries within the sheriff office
  • To reward excellence in service
  • To commemorate incredible achievements within the office
  • To hand out at school and PR junctions
  • To promote sheriff office objectives within the county
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Custom Coin Customer Reviews

Custom Challenge Coin Pricing

Color on Both Sides

(Up to 7 Colors per Side)
Size 50
1.5" $6.03

Color on One Side

(Up to 7 Colors)
Size 50
1.5" $6.03

No Color

(Metal Only)
Size 50
1.5" $6.03

Mold Setup Fees

Molds are FREE on all orders over 300 pieces
(on coins up to 2.5")
Size 50
1.5" $6.03

Custom Challenge Coin Edge Options

Standard Flat Edge
Price: per coin
Rope Edge
Price: per coin
Spur Edge
Price: per coin
Flat Weave Bevel Edge
Price: per coin
Oblique Edge
Price: per coin
Cross Cut Edge
Price: per coin

Custom Challenge Coin Plating Options

Antique Gold
Price: per coin
Antique Silver
Price: per coin
Antique Copper
Price: per coin
High-Polish Gold
Price: per coin
High-Polish Silver
Price: per coin
Dual-Plating
Price: per side per coin

Additional Challenge Coin Options

Spinner Challenge Coins
Interactive coins where part of the coin is designed to spin or rotate freely.
Pricing depends on size and complexity
Challenge Coin Cut Outs
Not only can the outer shape of the coin be customized, but the interior areas can be “cut out” as well
Price: per cut out
3D Challenge Coins
3D coins have an unlimited number of sculpted levels. We can round edges and create smooth gradations.
Price:
Sequential Numbering
The perfect option for anyone looking for trackable coins or just a fun way to make every coin a little more special.
Price: per coin
Glow in the Dark
Choosing from our selection of glow enamels ensures your design will continue to shine even when the lights go out.
Price: per coin
Edge Engraving
Not only can you design the front and back of your coins, but the true edge can be engraved with messages as well.
Price: per coin

Common Challenge Coin Questions

A challenge coin is usually a metal coin or medallion, bearing an organization's insignia, emblem or logo and carried by the organization's members. Traditionally, challenge coins were used by the military and displayed by service men and women to prove exclusive membership when challenged, and to enhance the military units' morale.

Historically, challenge coins were awarded by military unit commanders in recognition of special achievement made by a member of the unit. They are also known to be exchanged and traded during recognition visits to different international organizations, bases and service tours. These coins have been heavily collected by active and retired service members and law enforcement personnel for years.

Modern challenge coins are made in a variety of sizes and often include popular culture references such as superheroes as well as known characters in a parody. Many companies today are using them to build morale in teams, link people with similar interests and even to promote their brand. Challenge coin designs today are pushing the boundary of what a challenge coin could mean or be used for. One thing is for sure, personalized coins further strengthen the sense of bond within people that both give and receive them.

Challenge coins are often used as a physical token or symbol to represent membership to an organization, unit, or team.

Challenge coins also serve as a lasting personal award for anyone that has received one. Since they are custom and long lasting, challenge coins serve well to commemorate the time and experience put in to overcome overwhelming obstacles or the extraordinary effort and sacrifice needed to reach a given achievement. These keepsake coins become a life long reminder of the achievements made.

Our bravest first responder services also have a history of using challenge coins. Whether for fire departments, emergency medical technicians or law enforcement officers, challenge coins have been used to award bravery, acts of heroism and department camaraderie.

Many companies today have been started by veterans, or are veteran owned and are beginning to use the challenge coin tradition to help represent accomplishments in their businesses. This modern approach to awarding challenge coins has garnered some criticism from the traditionalists. Signature Coins has been making challenge coins for 20 plus years, and we see more and more companies joining in on awarding custom challenge coins to customers, staff, and volunteers. They are using them to build morale in teams, link people with similar interests and even to promote their brand or charities.

Generally speaking you give someone a challenge coin when you want to honor them for a good deed or for their hard work.

Challenge coins still play a major role in the military today, much like a "Thank you Plus" or "Great Job Plus". In the armed forces not every action rates an honorable medal or certificate, for those moments when someone is deserving of more than a thank you, awarding them with a challenge coin fills the gap.

As a very simple miltary example. You're out on a 3 day field op. One of your guys or gals busts their butt during a particularly stressful couple hours of it. Shows great attitude, effort, and was overal top notch. If you tried to write it up, it wouldn't "quite" be "award worthy" but definitely deserved "recognition."

Now even if you're not a veteran or a member of the armed forces, you can still recognize and award someone with custom challenge coins.

You can use challenge coins to reward employees after the completion of a special project or if huge accomplishments have been made company wide. The coin design can be representative of the achievement, the employee or the company goals. Studies show when employees are recognized for a job well done, they feel more satisfied with their job performance, are more likely to reach for higher goals, and are more loyal to their organizations.

Finding the right time and place to give someone a challenge coin can be, well, a bit challenging.

  • Military tradition has a few ways of approaching this honor. One being "The Secret Handshake" where commanding officers, department officials or the president himself would shake a soldiers hand and "slip" them the coin via the handshake. Transferring the coin shouldn't be dramatic or obvious, like a quiet wink and a nod, this honor is more personal to the people giving and receieving the award and less ceremonial. Although a bit more obvious, another military tradition is to hand them out in front of a formation or during a meeting, but it's more commonly done one on one.

  • As more civilians and businesses use challenge coins, they have taken a more ceremonious and inclusive approach to awarding them. When looking to give a challenge coin to an employee or team member most businesses will do it during a team meeting. Some businesses have even integrated their employee award recognition into their annual and quarterly ceremonies. Awarding their employees in front of others can be a great way to show the rest of the team that you too can be "recognized" if the effort is there.

  • Modern marketers are also finding that custom challenge coins make for great business cards, so many high end service providers, such as lawyers, accountants and commercial developers are now giving their custom coins out as a means of promoting themselves or their business offerings.

Challenge coins typically cost $3.00 -$5.00 per coin for a full production run of 100 coins generally speaking.

More specifically though, it depends. Challenge coin pricing is dependent on a variety of factors including size, quantity, and coloration. Your organization's insignia or logo, as well as the brand standards surrounding it, will often dictate coloration. The level of complexity, industry standards, and personal preference will dictate the size of the coin.

You can view our challenge coin pricing here.

Designing challenge coins is a lot of fun, but there's also a ton of things to think about before getting started. Luckily, we have years of experience making custom coins, and we're happy to help you every step of the way.

We have put together a how-to guide that will tell you everything you need to know about challenge coin design.

Challenge Coin Design 101: A How-To Guide For Creating Challenge Coins