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SWAT Challenge Coins

SWAT challenge coins are commonly awarded to commend excellence and bravery in the line of duty and to distinguish individual teams and operations. They build camaraderie within tight tactical units and act as tangible markers of gratitude and pride for officers who train constantly to be the first through the door.

Custom SWAT Challenge Coins

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams came about because of the difficulty in organizing and implementing a plan of action in response to riots and urban barricade situations. These situations most often involve an armed gunman and put the members of a SWAT team into life-threatening circumstances constantly. Only those few who are brave enough, and skilled enough, are capable of surpassing the rigorous training and become members of an elite squad. SWAT teams often are called to the front lines of suicide prevention as well as hostage negotiation. Being constantly involved in the outcome of human life is both a courageous and dangerous job that only a few are able to excel in.

SWAT challenge coins stem from the long-standing tradition of police challenge coins. These custom coins are used to commend excellence and bravery in the line of duty and to distinguish individual teams and departments. Challenge coins are an incredible means of building camaraderie and act as a tangible marker to display both gratitude and pride for an elite team.

North Squad Metro SWAT challenge coins

Signature Coins has been crafting unique SWAT challenge coins, as well as custom law enforcement challenge coins for a diverse range of departments around the country for over 15 years. We specialize in supplying completely personalized challenge coins and strive for the best quality workmanship and customer service available.

SWAT Training

Custom SWAT challenge coin bottle openers

Becoming a member of a SWAT team is no easy task. You must start as a police officer and apply to the program from within your department after at least two to three years of service. Some level of higher education in a related field is preferred for all applicants, and then they must get ready for a range of physical fitness tests. Applicants are judged on strength and endurance and must prove again and again that they are among the elite in law enforcement in physical ability. Even after an applicant joins a SWAT team, they can expect yearly training and physical fitness testing to ensure that they remain at the top of their game.

Apart from all of this, SWAT team members go through a psych evaluation that can help discern an individual’s capability in key attributes that every member of SWAT must have. They need to be proficient in quick, calculated response under pressure in high-risk situations, as well as possessing an ability to work well in close teams and communicate with precision and intelligence. On top of all of this, a knowledge and use of a wide range of tactical weapons and firearms must be mastered.

Getting through training to join a Special Weapons and Tactics team takes years of prior service and preparation. Those elite few who achieve their goals and receive a team assignment have reached a momentous milestone in their career. SWAT challenge coins can be used to commemorate the occasion and bestow a marker of pride and accomplishment on those men and women who have joined the ranks of the best of the best in law enforcement.

On-Call All the Time

North Eastern SWAT challenge coins

SWAT teams can be called into action at a moment’s notice. They are the first responders for standoff situations with armed gunmen: the kind of situations that put the lives of law enforcement officials and civilians alike into danger.

When a SWAT team breaches a building, fear can set in even for the most seasoned officer. Training is what allows them to compose themselves and let muscle memory and team coordination take over. It just goes to show that SWAT team members are a different caliber of law enforcement. Every day they are ready to combat the most dangerous and sometimes horrific scenarios. Each member of the team possesses tremendous skill, intelligence, and training, but even more than that, they have courage in the face of the unknown.

When you are part of a Special Weapons and Tactics team, you have the best training and the best support that you could ever have. Be confident and have faith in your team and you can get through anything.

Roles within SWAT Teams

Black matte 3D SWAT challenge coin

Being on a Special Weapons and Tactics team requires a diverse range of expertise that puts you above the standard level of law enforcement. That being said, team members are still broken up into specialized roles to ensure that individuals can excel in the areas in which they have been the most proficient. These are just some of the important roles that make up a SWAT team:

  • Team Leader
  • Tactical Team Operator
  • Counter-Sniper / Observer
  • Crisis Negotiator
  • Investigator
  • Munitions Expert / Grenadier
  • Breacher
  • Armorer
  • Quartermaster
  • Shield Specialist

These and many others are all vitally important positions inside each team. The Quartermaster, for instance, looks after all of the team’s equipment and ensures that each team member is prepared for any circumstance. The Crisis Negotiator takes over when hostages are involved and is responsible for the lives of so many. And it is said that the better Breacher you have, the safer your team will be. All of these roles and many others come together to create a specialized team ready to take on the direst situations.

Whatever the case may be, Signature Coins can deliver custom SWAT challenge coins to decorate any member of your team.

FBI NYC SWAT challenge coin bottle opener

Get Started With Your Custom Coins Now

Signature Coins has been in the business of designing and crafting unique law enforcement challenge coins as well as military and first responder challenge coins for over 15 years. We pride ourselves on our dedication to customer service, high-quality products, and back all of our sales with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. When working with Signature Coins you can always expect friendly and knowledgeable staff, free custom artwork on every order, free quotes, free UPS air shipping, and so much more.

In our years of experience, we have had the pleasure of working with an extensive list of law enforcement officials all over the country. Custom challenge coins are the perfect means to commend excellence, recognize valor and spirit, and to bestow a symbol of gratitude for services in a field fraught with danger and adversity.

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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