Why Your Next Challenge Coin Should Include a Bottle Opener
Why stop at normal? There’s so many ways to make a custom challenge coin that goes beyond the traditional round unit coin.
Challenge coins have long been used by military units as a symbol of team history and camaraderie, but there’s always room to add something more. A built-in bottle opener turns a classic into a useful tool to carry with you on the go! Whether you’re celebrating a promotion, getting ready for deployment, or want to boost morale in your unit, here’s why adding a bottle opener to your custom challenge coin design is a good move!
#1 Practicality & Everyday Use
Soldiers who collect challenge coins will generally keep them in a safe place or on display somewhere. Adding a functional bottle opener encourages your team to carry the coins with them day in and day out. Whether it’s a friendly gathering or a post-mission celebration, a bottle opener challenge coin is the perfect tool to have handy while on the go!
#2 Helps Strengthen Traditions
Challenge coins are already a staple of military culture, and adding a functional aspect enhances their role in team-building moments. Nothing reinforces camaraderie quite like sharing a drink after a long day, especially when you use a coin that represents your unit’s identity and achievements. Your design should still incorporate unique artwork that relates to your unit and team history to really drive home a sense of tradition and shared experience.
#3 Memorable & Unique Design
There are all kinds of creative and exciting ways to incorporate a bottle opener into your challenge coin design that will make them even more memorable for your team. We’ve seen bottle opener cut outs shaped like handcuffs, 3D skulls with teeth that can pop the caps of bottles, and coins shaped like saw blades that have bottle opener hooks hidden along the edge! We can either add a bottle opener cut out to the center of your coin design, or add a bottle opener hook on one of the outside edges. Either option opens the door to a realm of fun design opportunities!
#4 Ideal for Mess Nights & Celebrations
Military mess nights and unit events often involve toasts and drinks. Having a bottle opener coin will be convenient if bottles are being shared, and these events will also encourage your team to share your design with others! If you plan on trading coins with other units, including a bottle opener is a sure fire way to ensure other units can appreciate the design while gaining a useful tool to keep handy. The more people who use the coin to open up their drinks, the farther your message and your design will spread!
#5 Perfect for Gifting and Collecting
Bottle opener challenge coins make excellent gifts for promotions, retirements, or as deployment mementos. Their unique function makes them highly collectible, and many service members love having a variety of functional coins in their collection. Especially when you find creative ways to incorporate a bottle opener into your design, your coins will often become a favorite with unit members, event guests, and fellow soldiers.
Customizable Bottle Opener Challenge Coins For Your Unit
Challenge coins with bottle openers are an amazing option for anyone in the market for a custom military coin. If you’re planning on designing a custom bottle opener coin of your own, keep these key factors in mind:
- Shape and Cut Out Placement: Whether you prefer a traditional round coin or want a dynamic custom shaped coin, it’s easy to incorporate a bottle opener function. The actual bottle opener cut out can be added to the center of your coins, or we can incorporate a bottle opener hook on the outside edge of your coin. Either way, there are all kinds of creative ways to incorporate the bottle opener into your design!
- Dual-Purpose Appeal: It’s important to balance functionality with design. Think of ways to include unit logos, mottos, and detailed engravings to make the design meaningful before adding the functional aspect. The more unique the design, the more likely your team is to keep them handy for years to come!
A bottle opener challenge coin should be more than just a novelty. It’s a practical, morale-boosting tool that strengthens bonds thanks to the long standing challenge coin tradition. Whether you’re designing coins for a squadron, battalion, or special event, adding a functional upgrade ensures your coins remain in circulation rather than collecting dust. When you’re ready to create something for troops to carry with pride, we’re here to help! Send us your ideas and we’ll get started on a free design!
