Just got off the phone with US challange coin. The die cast fee is 252.50, but we are collectiong $270 to cover paypal fees.
Chip-in towards the diecast fee here -
Chip-In
Now for the bad news. These most likely will NOT be available before PAX

They estimate about 1-1.5 weeks for the die-cast, and an additional 4 weeks for actual coin production, THEN they will be available to ship. We knew we were close to the wire, and while im dissapointed we wont have them at PAX, im VERY VERY happy with the coin we have made and it will be a nice present for myself to combat the Post Pax Blues.

So while we collect the diecast fee, they aslo asked that I get an estimate of how many coins will be purchased. Rather than go through the thread and see who said how many they would order (since feelings may change with the new timeframe) I have satup a google form. PLEASE - if you plan on ordering coins, post it there. I will be using these numbers to determine how many to order for the first (and hopefully only) batch and I dont want anyone to not get a coin because we have to order another batch just for a couple people. Coins should be running around $5, but this may vary based on how large of a batch we order, and wont have final prices untill the order URL is ready.
Google form for Challange Coins Please remember, add your name and number of coins does NOT order your coin. When I have the order URL it will be posted, this is so I know a good estimate to give them when we pay for the die-cast fee.
final design:
Okay, we ironed out the details and were good to go this time

What we do:
MAKE CHALLENGE COINS FOR PAX. GOOD ONES.
See?



It even goes with your other PAX stuff, see? As is evident from the image above, these fit right in with the rest of your PAX swag.
See, we even made some threads so we could all come together and make this happen!
The PAX East 2011 challenge coin forum thread:
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=128763
PAX Prime 2010 challenge coin thread:
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=118356
Well guess what? We're gonna do it again. Right here! Right in this thread. US!
So, traditionally speaking, this is how we've done it:
1.) Discuss possible designs for a period of time.
2.) Draft a design after a set period of time has passed.
3.) Finalize the design after a period of critiquing, then send to die maker for a die quote.
4.) Create a chip-in fund to... uhm, fund the production of the die. This usually comes out to $300+ (handled by PappaPrinny)
5.) Mint produces truckloads of them to feed our ravenous desire for soft, round pieces of metal.
6.) You buy them.
7.) Profit! For the coin makers, not for us.
Last time, we went with US Challenge Coins. Aside from being delayed by the Chinese new year, we ended up getting great service from these folks. So we're going to go with them again. If you have any doubts, just have a gander at their options:
Plating:
http://www.uschallengecoins.com/challenge-coin-plating/
For Prime 2010 it was antique brass. For East 2011 it was antique nickel.
Additional options (especially the 3D):
http://www.uschallengecoins.com/challenge-coin-additions//
The best part: These guys will handle all the orders. They've dealt with us before, so they know we're a big customer when we decide to place an order! Odds are you'll be able to order the coin via their online store. Otherwise you'll just pester one of their sales reps.
Okay then! That pretty much covers all the basics. We need to DISCUSS THE DESIGN. In the past we have been plagued with timing problems, so we're not going to let it happen again this year. From this very day, we have a little less than ONE MONTH. By mid-July, we will need to have a design to send off to USCC. But we are the PAX community, so no worries! We've got this.
So far we have used landmarks on one side of the coin which represent whatever city PAX is being held in. On the other side, we tend to depict some element of the PAX experience. For Prime 2010 we chose the Space Needle/downtown Seattle and a hand holding a DS in the air as we all do during the concerts in place of a lighter. For East 2011 we chose a statue of Paul Revere with the Old North Church in the background, and the other side showcased different kinds of dice and some face-down cards for tabletop gaming. The challenge is thus: To change it up a little bit. Unless we can find anything else that represents Seattle as much as the Space Needle (ugh), we will probably want to go with that again. But we would like for it to be depicted differently than it was last year. And since we've covered the DS and tabletop dice/cards, we should probably go for some different imagery that is invocative of the PAX experience.
So! As a conversation starter, does anyone have any imagery of the Space Needle that would look good on a coin face? How about some other Seattle landmark? Also, what kind of stuff makes PAX what it is for you? What defines your PAX experience? What did you see/experience at PAX last year that you can't experience anywhere else?
PappaPrinny will be handing the art design again this year, but we still need input! this is YOUR COIN.
The ball is in our court, guys! Let's talk about coins!
Posts
B. I WANT ONE!
C. I WANT ONE!
D. As for a design, is it going to be completely different? Perhaps try incorporating some shtuff from the PAX forumers logo? Oh, and bring back the awesome side texture, I didn't really like the smooth sides on the East one, the ridges along side the Prime one gave it that extra coin touch!
C) Still me too!
D) The city scape will most likely be similar unless we come up with something else to represent Seattle besides the space needle. The other side though is totally open for suggestions.
PAX Prime 2011 Challange Coin Thread -- Order your 2011 PAX Prime Challange Coin!
Maybe a detailed console controller? I think a Wavebird would be pretty great.
I'm terribly excited about this ever since my wife came home with the 2010 coin. Perhaps use the coin to honour the roll of the Enforcer in some way? An omeganaut?
I also found this handy list of compiled landmarks for Seattle
How about known-past venue spots. This will be my first year, but I love collecting coins so I am really looking forward to whatever gets decided.
Perhaps a montage of gaming devices/consoles (PC, Atari, etc)
Just my 2¢ to get some ideas rolling...
--Maetrix--
PAX2011 STATUS:"WAS MONDO AWESOME!"
PAX2012 STATUS:"Is it too soon yet?!"
1. City imagery: Pike Place market, Seattle Bridge troll
2. Obverse: A ring of Wii, 360 and PS3 controller? (might be too much to integrate). As mentioned, tabletops been done, mobiles been done, go for console or PC.
3. Love pacman, but how about something new? Mario chasing barrels with his hammer?
And the Convention Center is right behind it. I'm sure I could get a picture with the Seattle skyline, the WSTCC, and the Paramount. Hell, we could even get something on the marquee of the Paramount for some extra detail. No matter, sign me up for a 2011 coin.
Waaiiiit. Shadowrun takes place in Seattle. Could we do a post-apoc seattle? Like this http://i.imgur.com/Quj84.jpg Or this gem from the Fallout MMO, http://i.imgur.com/kOXuY.jpg. That would be pretty boss. I like the idea of post-apoc Seattle, although we may want to save that for PAX 2012.
As for the obverse? Possibly an old Atari or NES? Colieco Vision? The ever hated Virtual Boy?
OOOH!
Twin Zappers crossed like swords over a NES shield with a Track and Field mat with alternating Power Gloves, controllers, and ROB 64s to make it look like a coat of arms? Maybe just the crossed Zappers and NES shield?
So it's not quite roof access, it's a few feet below in the penthouse. Either way, it's gonna be a hell of a shot if all works to plan. I'm gonna be there on Friday, and I'm gonna try to get a shot from the condos next door, Olive 8, just to complete the vertical. That's gonna be the hard part.
PAX '04
PAX '11
Tango down, Kilo147 out.
I agree with the console controller idea, but since we had Nintendo represented last year I vote for Xbox.
I think the back of the coin should be left alone though, just change the date and call it good.
I like the crossed nes guns and shield. Simple is good.
Changing the back of the coin makes sense to me, even if it is the space needle still, but having the coins be custom for each year makes a lot of sense to me. If I manage to have multiple coins from this I would want the imagery to be different, even if the idea is the same.
From what they have said, we will have a price per coin once we have a art sample.
PAX Prime 2011 Challange Coin Thread -- Order your 2011 PAX Prime Challange Coin!
Previous PAXs: PAX Prime 2011, PAX AUS 2013
PAX '04
PAX '11
Tango down, Kilo147 out.
My photoshop-fu is weak like button cell flashlight.
PAX '04
PAX '11
Tango down, Kilo147 out.
PAX2011 STATUS:"WAS MONDO AWESOME!"
PAX2012 STATUS:"Is it too soon yet?!"
I was originally thinking sword and shield for the fantasy thing.
Then laser-phaser and shield to get both fantasy and SF.
But the Zapper. Totally iconic.
It should be Link's shield if possible. I can't think of any other iconic shields.
As for the pac-man chase around the outer edge, something to replace that.......
What do people think of 8-Bit Theatre Black Mage doing a Hadoken?
http://images.wikia.com/8bittheater/images/f/fa/HADOKEN.jpg
I've got no problem redoing this as many times as people want. I'm using a 2" circumference but other sizes are avail - it just changes the final price.
-Mætrix-
PAX2011 STATUS:"WAS MONDO AWESOME!"
PAX2012 STATUS:"Is it too soon yet?!"
as for that, I think it's a good start but too busy for a coin. The dog and grass can probably go, just leaving something simple
Here's with the changes suggested:
(Included a greyscale rendition as well)
PAX2011 STATUS:"WAS MONDO AWESOME!"
PAX2012 STATUS:"Is it too soon yet?!"
Oh yeah. That is a sexy beast. In greyscale it just looks boss. There's just a few things...
I'm thinking lose the PAX PRIME, there is no PAX PRIME on the old coins, just the latin encircling it. or just lose the PAX PRIME, cause the latin goes well on the outside, and I think that's a theme we need to keep.
PAX '04
PAX '11
Tango down, Kilo147 out.
Agreed. I'll take 12.
Flight: [X]
Lodging: [X]
Passes: [X]
Excitement: [10/10]
No problem - I'm cool with themes. I'll touch it up and repost it.
Any thoughts on other features of the coin (edging, plating etc?)
PAX2011 STATUS:"WAS MONDO AWESOME!"
PAX2012 STATUS:"Is it too soon yet?!"
One with the Link shield, and one with a NES replacing the shield, latin and pac-man border intact on both. I'll get a picture of the two PAX venues this year on Friday.
PAX '04
PAX '11
Tango down, Kilo147 out.
PAX is a lot of things to a lot of people. For some people, it's not even ABOUT the videogames. They can play vidogames at home. They come for the EXPERIENCE; the novelty that is the atmosphere of PAX. The Prime 2010 coin hit the nail on the head for me: Never before PAX have I seen people hold up DSes and cell phones in a concert in place of lighters. This is a phenomenon that is unique to the nerd movement, its focal point being the PAX concerts. Therefore it was for me the ultimate symbolic representation of the PAX community while remaining simple and identifiable.
So I'm going to take the high road and say that we will need to come up with some unique imagery that is highly evocative of the PAX experience, rather than things that compose small elements of the classic gaming lounge.
I will pitch an idea of my own. What is one HIGHLY visible thing that PAX has that you don't see anywhere else?
Come on. Say it with me.
ENFORCERS.
If you want an iconic PAX image that's not gaming specific... well, what's the OTHER thing that's highly visible at PAX?
LINES
pictures of gabe and/or tycho?
Previous PAXs: PAX Prime 2011, PAX AUS 2013
PAX '04
PAX '11
Tango down, Kilo147 out.
Maybe it's just me, but the Pavlovian response to seeing that arch is OMGPAX :P
Also: are there any extra 2010 coins left over in a box somewhere? Never got my hands on one last year
PSN: Quintonious
You'd probably also want to ask Angel if you can use his sexy mug.
Can't say I wouldn't be stoked to have an Enforcer coin, but we can probably come up with something more accessible and universal.
Love as always, prinny.
Organizer of the Post-PAX Party. You should come!
Satellite Theater for life!
As for something truly PAX, the first thing that comes to mind for me is the Sumos. I'm not sure how you'd make that into a clear image on a coin though.
PAX Prime 2011 Challange Coin Thread -- Order your 2011 PAX Prime Challange Coin!
I think I have an extra at home. I'll check when I get home from work next Friday and shoot you a PM if I do.
EDIT: As funny as it would be to have lines be featured on the challenge coin, that's almost something that's only really funny to the veterans. If someone was willing to simplify the arch's design a hair (otherwise it'd be a muddled mess due to all the glass framing) it'd be a good candidate. So far for me, something iconic for PAX is how you always go expecting to do all sorts of things and end up getting HORRIBLY distracted by something awesome going on at the convention. How this could be turned into an image I have no idea.
(curse you Steel Battallion)
Organizer of the Post-PAX Party. You should come!
Satellite Theater for life!
The PAX logos and banner text would have to be edited off of it to be able to use it freely for a coin. Would it still retain its iconic status then?
Did a very quick and very, very dirty photoshop of one of the 2008 banners to determine this:
Before:
PSN: Quintonious
Maybe new text could be added, like the originally suggested "Welcome home." It wouldn't have the logos, but would still project the sense of community I think the coins are intended to capture.