Exclusive Release | Carryology Community Challenge Coin
Our second challenge coin. And this time… there are lasers.
We released our first challenge coin last year with our friends over at Glow Rhino. But in dark secrecy, we had been developing this new design over the past 17 months with our friend Greg Li at Suburban in Hong Kong. It has taken 5 different suppliers, 3 different attempted manufacturing processes, and dozens and dozens of prototypes to get it just right.
Now it’s finally here. Introducing the Carryology Community Challenge Coin (AKA “Triple C Coin” or “3C Coin”).
< ORDER CARRYOLOGY COMMUNITY CHALLENGE COIN HERE >
First, if you’d like to learn more about Challenge Coins and what they’re used for, as well as some history behind them, feel free to visit our last challenge coin release article here!
Now, as you’ve seen above via the numbers breakdown, this has taken a lot of time and effort to get something so “simple” out into the world. We refused to release these coins unless they hit all of our exacting standards.
Number one, it had to be made out of titanium. Because #AllTitaniumEverything. Anything less, was a dealbreaker for us. In the very beginning, 2 other manufacturers insisted we use aluminum or brass and then add a “titanium like coating”. We stopped those conversations quickly and moved on. Once we found the first supplier willing to agree to use titanium, we had to find it and find it at a cost that a mortal human being could afford.
After some pricing negotiations with the first supplier, we had to move onto the next one, who had titanium at a reasonable price so these coins wouldn’t have to cost $100+ each. No thank you. Now, we had a design in mind. The inspiration came from other challenge coins and actual currency coins (past and present)… and go figure… it was highly detailed.
Like many coins, there is some kind of animal or mythological creature on the “tails” side. So for ours… there would be a unicorn (famously used on the patch design of Mystery Ranch x Carryology “Carryology Assault Pack” AKA “Unicorn”). Of course, our man Hadrien Monloup, co-founder of Carryology, was the illustrator artist for the design. However, the 2nd supplier couldn’t achieve the level of detail we needed for the knight and his beast.
Onto the third and final supplier. They had titanium priced just right so you wouldn’t have to burn an entire paycheck to own one. And more importantly, they could do incredibly fine detail… yes, with lasers. So we added some more details, just to step it up a notch.
On the “heads” side of the coin, we’d keep things bold and simple. The Carryology script logo centered. “EXPLORING BETTER WAYS TO CARRY” in a ring around the top, our primary slogan. And “ESTABLISHED MMIX” (2009) in a ring around the bottom. The border around the outside uses asanoha, Japanese hemp leaves geometric pattern, famously used on our recent Big Idea Designs pen collaboration.
And for those with a razor sharp eye… we added a little Easter Egg. The ultra micro “CC” letters are there for a little fun and an homage, mimicking the “mint mark” on common currency coins. Example; the US Washington Quarter has either a tiny D, S, P, or W near Washington’s ponytail to represent the 4 different mint locations (Denver, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and West Point, respectively). The “CC” represents our incredible worldwide carry community, best represented by our Carryology Classified group on Facebook.
On the “tails” side, the border around the knight and unicorn, has seigaiha Japanese waves geometric pattern, famously used on our Heroclip collaboration. We added the words “CARRY BETTER”, one the slogans we’ve used since day 1. And most importantly, at the bottom, each coin is individually numbered (001 – 500). Each number will be randomly assigned. Who will be the lucky one to land 001 or 007 or 333, etc, etc?
Each coin will ship in its own clear-acrylic-crystal professional-coin-collector slab holder case for both display and protection. However, I’ve been carrying a prototype in my jeans 5th pocket for over 6+ months without any visible wearing of the laser etched design elements whatsoever. In fact, it has begun to take a mild polish from living in there and rubbing against our last titanium challenge coin… almost enhancing the laser design detailing. However you choose to rock your coin, make sure to keep it on you as part of your EDC in case you are to get coin challenged out on your travels. And hey, who doesn’t like a free drink?
Note, once these coins run out, we will not be creating any more.
Specifications:
Solid titanium
Laser engraved designs
Individually numbered (001-500)
Limited edition
1.50” diameter
3mm thickness
15.2 grams
Includes protective case
Limit: 2 per person/order.
< ORDER CARRYOLOGY COMMUNITY CHALLENGE COIN HERE >
Sold exclusively through a partnership with our friends at Suburban.
FREE Worldwide Shipping to the following countries:
North America: Canada, USA
Oceania: Australia
Asia: Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK
Shipping to other countries is totally possible, but will require a shipping fee (calculated based on your location).