Don’t Allow Yourself to Be Fooled
The average custom coin order from Signature Coins takes 14 days or fewer to deliver. There are certain steps you can take to cut that time down even further. For example, when Publix Supermarket placed an order on July 11, 2018, we were able to get their coins into their hands on July 13 without sacrificing the same exceptional quality we utilize on all orders. By being honest about your deadlines and open to the design suggestions of our experts, you'll always be able to get your coins in the needed timeframe. With that being said, our standard 14 day turnaround time actually leads the industry. Because all of our orders are delivered in this fast time frame, and because overnight shipping is automatically included with all of our orders, every order placed with us is considered a rush order.However, within the custom coin industry, there’s something else you might have heard of called a QuickFAST option. These QuickFAST services promise to get your coins delivered within a week, for an exceptional fee of course. So, how can our 14 day turnaround time be the industry leader when other companies offer to ship coins in half that time? Because those companies change the way they produce the coins put through the QuickFAST service while all of our coins are produced in the same high-quality fashion.
What You’re Likely to Get QuickFAST
When a company offers the opportunity to deliver custom coins via a QuickFAST order system, they are not talking about creating custom artwork and minting that artwork into the metal of a coin via a die striking or die casting method. While those processes create the best and longest-lasting details for a coin, they often (though not always) take longer than a seven day turnaround time will allow, especially when paired with the plating, colorfill, edge cutting and quality control aspects of the coin creation process.Instead, coins delivered QuickFAST are likely to be created by taking a custom piece of artwork, printing the art out and adhering it to the face of a coin blank with a dome sticker. The polyurethane coating of the dome over the stickers makes them more scratch resistant, but you’re still left with just a sticker stuck to a coin face. It’s not possible for the coins to be as durable or high-quality as coins that have the custom artwork struck into the very metal of the coin.
The Drawbacks of QuickFAST Coin Creation
If you absolutely need your challenge coins in seven days, there’s an appeal to the QuickFAST offer. But there are also drawbacks to making use of such a service that these companies don’t mention on their website. Some things to keep in mind before placing such an order include:- The coins aren’t as custom as you think: Because the coins for a QuickFAST order are created using stock blanks, you’re limited to choosing certain premade shapes, sizes and plating options. The blanks are always cut and plated beforehand so that the only step in the creation process is for the artwork to be printed and adhered before shipping.
- Quick creation does not mean fast delivery: The coins might be created using a speedy process, but these companies still won’t guarantee delivery dates. Often the base price of a QuickFAST order makes use of standard shipping. This means that even when you select a QuickFAST order, unless you pay more for an expedited delivery, you still might not get your coins in an acceptable time frame.
- There’s no guarantee: Companies offering this service know what goes into the creation of these coins and know about the innate quality of the final product. Because of that, they aren’t likely to guarantee their product. After you pay for the QuickFAST service and the three-day or next-day shipping options, you’re stuck with the product and no recourse if you’re unhappy.
- It's too expensive to change your mind: Because of the rush nature of the order and the coin creation process, if you have a last minute change or cancellation to the event you’re ordering coins for, companies will either refuse to refund the cost of the coin order or, in worst cases, charge you even more for a cancellation fee. So not only do you not get what you ordered, you pay more for the inconvenience. While you can't cancel an order with us, you're always free to make an unlimited amount of changes to your coin (free of charge) up until the point when your order is placed and the coin mold created.
Quality Is the One Thing You Shouldn’t Ever Compromise
Whether you need your coins in a month or a week, the one thing that you shouldn’t ever have to compromise on is quality. The coins you’re ordering are being distributed to family, friends, coworkers, employees and unit members that you value. They deserve to see how much you value them reflected in the custom coin you order. It’s worth considering what message is sent by giving someone a custom coin that’s nothing more than a sticker on a piece of metal.
We’ve been creating custom challenge coins for a long time. Our in depth knowledge of the coin minting process means we know how to navigate that process to shorten the turnaround time. If you’re open about the date you need your coins by, and remain in constant contact with the sales team, we can get artwork to you quickly, make revisions with ease, and deliver your order to our production team with clear instructions to make it a top priority. Taking these steps will ensure you get high-quality challenge coins well within your timeframe without ever needing to cut corners.
