At Signature Coins, We Celebrate the Diversity of Our Customers
Military units, first responders and law enforcement officers make up the majority of our customer base, but as we’ve pointed out many times before, they aren’t the only customers we do business with. Nonprofit organizations and personal orders also make up a significant portion of our customer base.
A number of the organizations we create coins for, as well as the customers looking to get custom coins made for themselves, are members of the LGBTQ+ community. And as June comes to a close and parades kick off all around the nation, we wanted to take the time to wish all of our LGBTQ+ customers, and everyone else, a happy Pride month by showcasing some of our most colorful custom coins.
Bringing Communities Together
If there’s one thing that all of these coins have in common, it’s the focus on community. The LGBTQ community is one of the most close-knit communities you’re likely to find. A shared experience that’s at once unique and universal does a lot to bring people together.
The Latin phrase at the top edge of this coin, consorti nostrum itineris, loosely translates to our shared journey. It’s a common message for people who recognize they’re in it together. And the notion of banding together to make it through something difficult, or downright terrible, is a common theme amongst LGBTQ challenge coins.
One such event took place on June 12, 2016 at the Pulse nightclub here in Orlando. This coin was created by the FBI for the first responders who arrived on the scene as well as for the agents who led the investigation in the aftermath. The 49 stars on the front coin face represent the victims of the shooting. But the overall message of the coin can be found in the words “Orlando United,” which quickly became a trending topic in the days after the attack.
It’s not the most common choice taken by our customers, but this coin also came with it’s very own custom cardstock. Typically, our coins come with our own company cardstock, but every so often, a customer requests to have a special cardstock created, or for the cardstock to be left off of their order all together. This coin came with a small 2.125” square cardstock explaining the design and memorializing the event.
Banding together in the wake of horrors like the Pulse mass shooting is something the LGBTQ community is only too familiar with. In October of 1998, Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and tied to a fence post in Wyoming. His death marked one of the most notorious anti-gay hate crimes in America, and it sparked his parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard to start the Matthew Shepard Foundation.
The Foundation was created initially to help parents of children questioning their sexual orientation to be more loving and accepting. It has since grown and expanded its scope to getting protections and anti-hate crime initiatives on law books throughout the nation.
Over time, the Shepards have been given challenge coins by a number of supporters. “During our travels throughout the United States and the world, Judy and I have been gifted with Challenge Coins from both law enforcement agencies and U.S. Embassies around the world,” they told us in a statement.
The coins they’ve received are all proudly displayed and serve to remind them of the special people they’ve been able to work with on their journey. One of the things we love about this coin is the manner in which it’s being used to spread the Foundation’s message. Most challenge coins created for nonprofits are used in fundraising efforts. The Matthew Shepard coin, however, will not be offered on the Foundation’s online store. In fact, the coin is intended to be used to instill the same memories and build the same connections as the coins they’ve received. “The coin designed for the Matthew Shepard Foundation (MSF) will continue that action. We, the Foundation, now have an opportunity to return the favor given to us by those who believe in what we represent.”
The coin the Foundation created is simple and yet striking. Featuring the Foundation’s logo and established date on the reverse, the front face of the coin is given over to the Foundation’s simple and yet revolutionary message: Erase Hate.
March With Pride
June is LGBTQ Pride month. All over the country and all throughout this month, Pride parades and celebrations have been (or are still set to be) taking place. Across the nation, LGBTQ identified people and their allies are coming together and upholding the ideals of community and togetherness. It’s these traits which come through not simply in gatherings but also in the custom coins created by members of the community and people working to advance the cause of equality across the board.
If you’re looking to get your own set of custom coins created for any cause that’s important to you, we hope you’ll consider partnering with us to bring your vision to life. And wherever you’re marching this season, we hope you march with Pride!
