Laser Engraving for Challenge Coins and 3D Coins
Grayscale depth maps and MOPA pulse control produce true 3D relief on challenge coins, military medallions, and custom award coins. Deep marking on brass, alloy, and plated metals.
The 3D coin workflow in one paragraph: Convert your design to a grayscale depth map where lighter pixels become higher relief and darker pixels become deeper engraving. Load it into EZCad 3 with the coin centered under the lens. Run a multi-pass engraving program that varies pulse parameters by gray level. A 30W to 60W MOPA produces clear relief in 5-15 minutes per coin; 100W M7 cuts deeper relief in a single pass at production speed.
Who buys custom coins
Military and law enforcement
Unit challenge coins, deployment commemoratives, retirement gifts. Highest-volume buyers of custom coins in the US market. Order sizes from 50 to 5000 coins; typical unit price $5-15 with complex relief.
Corporate recognition programs
Service anniversaries, sales achievement awards, employee recognition. Companies use challenge coins because they carry weight that a plaque does not, physical, pocketable, meaningful. Higher per-piece pricing ($15-30).
Custom shops and Etsy sellers
Wedding favors with custom design, family crest coins, fantasy / gaming community coins. Lower volume but premium pricing on rare or limited-run designs.
Veteran-owned and crafting businesses
Custom coin design is a profitable niche for small shops. Buy blank brass or alloy coins wholesale ($1-3 each), design with depth-map software, engrave with a MOPA fiber, sell finished at $10-25 each. Margin runs 70-85%.
The depth map workflow
Standard 2D laser engraving cuts at one depth across the entire mark. 3D coin engraving varies depth across the design, text might be engraved 0.3 mm deep while logo details range from 0.1 mm (highlights) to 0.7 mm (shadows). The result reads as a sculpted relief, not a flat engraving.
How it works in practice:
- Design in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or free tools like GIMP. Output a grayscale image where darker = deeper.
- Load into EZCad 3 as a raster image with depth-map mode enabled.
- Engrave with a multi-pass program. Light gray areas get fewer passes (shallow); dark areas get more passes (deep). MOPA pulse parameters adjust per pass to control material removal precisely.
- Finish with optional plating, color fill, or polishing for premium look.
Which power tier for which coin work
| Coin work | 30W MOPA | ★ Best fit 60W |
100W M7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat 2D engraving (text + logo) | Fast | Very fast | Production speed |
| 2.5D shaded relief | Yes, slow | Yes, production | Yes, fastest |
| True 3D depth map (1mm+ relief) | Possible (longer) | Production capable | Production capable |
| Volume / hour at quality | 4-8 | 10-15 | 15-25 |
| Price (USD) | $3,600 | $4,400 | $6,900 |
For a coin business doing 50-200 coins per week with mostly shallow to mid-relief work, the 60W E2 at $4,400 is the sweet spot. Full production shops doing 500+ coins per week with deep 3D relief should look at the 100W M7.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make money producing custom challenge coins?
Yes, it’s an established niche. Blank coins cost $1-3 wholesale; finished custom coins retail at $10-25 each. Volume military and corporate orders push 100-500 piece runs at $5-10 per piece with strong margins. Several full-time custom-coin shops have started with a single 30W or 60W MOPA machine.
What software produces the depth maps?
For simple shaded coins, Photoshop or GIMP grayscale image is enough. For true sculpted 3D, ZBrush or Blender export displacement maps; some specialty tools like ArtCAM are coin-specific. EZCad 3 takes a grayscale PNG or BMP and handles the multi-pass engraving from there.
Can I do double-sided coins?
Yes, engrave side 1, flip the coin in the fixture, engrave side 2. Most coin shops build a magnetic flip fixture so the coin stays aligned. Each side takes 3-15 minutes depending on detail and depth.
What coin blanks should I buy?
Brass and zinc alloy are the most common, with optional gold or nickel plating. Diameter ranges from 1.25 inch (small) to 2 inch (standard) to 3 inch (premium). Suppliers like Coin Blanks Inc, Webb’s Engravings, and various Alibaba wholesalers serve the US market.
Does the 3D Feeltek upgrade help with coins?
For flat coins, no, the standard galvo + 175 mm lens is plenty. The 3D Feeltek upgrade matters when you’re marking on already-sculpted curved coins (spherical or hemispherical face), which is rare. Standard coins are flat or near-flat and work great with the included setup.
