Custom Game Tokens
for Board Games & Tabletop Games
Game tokens are high-contact, high-frequency components. Their thickness consistency, edge durability, surface readability, and material stability directly affect gameplay flow, setup speed, and long-term wear resistance.
At Funway, custom game tokens are manufactured through material-specific processes, precision tooling, and tolerance-controlled finishing to ensure uniform handling and visual consistency across commercial production volumes. Tokens are engineered to integrate reliably with boards, cards, trays, and storage inserts—not treated as decorative add-ons.
We Provide All options for Custom Game Tokens
Materials & Component Systems
The right material selection determines token rigidity, edge life, weight perception, and print durability. We support multiple token systems and guide your selection based on gameplay intensity, visual requirements, and cost structure.
Cardboard Tokens (The Industry Standard)
Best For: Resource counters, map tiles, and trackers in high-complexity strategy games.
Cardboard remains the most cost-effective and versatile system for information-heavy components. We solve the common issues of warping and fraying through controlled lamination.
Engineering Focus: We utilize grain-direction control and multi-layer lamination to ensure long-term planarity. Our die-cut tooling is optimized to reduce edge fraying, ensuring a clean, “snappy” punch-out experience.
Material: High-density neutral pH greyboard with C2S art paper.
Properties: Predictable stackability and lightweight for high-volume token counts.
Common Thickness: 1.5 mm / 2.0 mm / 2.5 mm / 3.0 mm.
Injection-Molded Plastic Tokens (The Workhorse)
Best For: Frequently handled status markers, durable counters, and miniatures.
When durability and 3D geometry are priorities, injection molding offers unmatched repeatability and impact resistance.
Engineering Focus: We use multi-cavity steel molds with strategic gate placement to avoid visible flow marks or parting lines on critical faces.
Material Selection:
ABS: Maximum rigidity and impact resistance.
PS: High detail clarity for intricate icons.
PP: Superior flex tolerance for snap-fit components.
Properties: High dimensional repeatability and zero-edge-wear under heavy handling.
Acrylic Tokens (The Deluxe Upgrade)
Best For: Kickstarter “Deluxe” editions, resource gems, and high-visibility trackers.
Acrylic components elevate the perceived value of a game, offering a jewel-like aesthetic and premium tactile feedback.
Engineering Focus: We maintain a tighter processing window and utilize edge polishing to ensure visual consistency and 92% optical clarity across all batches.
Material: Optical-grade PMMA (Acrylic).
Properties: Superior surface hardness compared to ABS and vibrant light-refraction for translucent colors.
Customization: Supports laser-etched iconography and dual-side high-contrast printing.
Wooden Tokens (The Organic Classic)
Best For: Euro-style strategy games, thematic designs, and eco-conscious projects.
Wooden components provide a warm, organic feel that resonates with traditional tabletop enthusiasts.
Engineering Focus: We control moisture content to 8%–10% and manage wood grain orientation during CNC/die-cutting to prevent warping or splitting in variable climates.
Material: FSC-certified Birch, Beech, or sustainable composite wood.
Properties: Warm tactile response and unique natural grain aesthetics.
Finishing: Precision shaping with non-toxic, saliva-resistant silk-screening or laser engraving.
Token Sizes, Thicknesses & Handling Considerations
Token thickness directly affects handling feel, stack stability, storage efficiency, and insert compatibility. Thickness selection should be based on how frequently tokens are handled during gameplay and how they
are stored between sessions.
Common Thickness Options
1.8–2.0 mm – Standard cardboard punch tokens for high-count resource systems
2.5–3.0 mm – Thicker cardboard punch tokens for improved tactile feedback and durability
3.0–5.0 mm – Plastic or acrylic tokens for premium or high-frequency use
Wooden tokens are typically specified by footprint size (e.g., 15–25 mm diameter or edge length) rather than precise thickness, with thickness adjusted based on material and shape requirements.
Selection Considerations
Thicker tokens improve durability and handling comfort but increase material cost and storage volume
Tighter thickness control is required for stackable tokens or tray-based inserts
Token Shape Variants & Gameplay Applications
Token geometry influences handling speed, orientation clarity, wear patterns, and table organization. Shape selection should align with how information is read and how often pieces are moved during play.
Round Tokens: Best suited for resource pools and currency systems. Symmetrical shape allows fast counting and rotation-free handling.
Square & Rectangular Tokens: Common for status indicators, ownership markers, and directional states. Straight edges improve alignment on boards and grids.
Irregular or Icon-Shaped Tokens: Used for icon-driven mechanics and thematic differentiation. Shape feasibility is reviewed to ensure edge durability and clean punch-out behavior.
Stackable or Interlocking Tokens: Applied in vertical tracking systems. Requires consistent thickness and controlled edge geometry to prevent leaning or misalignment.
Color Application, Printing & Surface Finishing
Color and finishing choices affect player differentiation, wear resistance, and unit cost.
Color Methods
Color methods are determined by material system and durability expectations. Not all coloring approaches are compatible with every token material.
Printed Paper Lamination
- Applied to cardboard punch tokens.
- Full-color artwork is printed on paper and laminated onto the greyboard core.
- Trade-off: Excellent visual detail and cost efficiency, with moderate wear resistance under frequent handling.
Pigment-Compounded Plastics
- Used for injection-molded plastic tokens.
- Color pigments are mixed directly into raw plastic material prior to molding.
- Trade-off: Uniform color throughout the part with high wear resistance, but limited flexibility for post-mold color changes.
Tinted or Transparent Acrylic Materials
- Applied to acrylic tokens where visual clarity or translucency is required.
- Trade-off: High visual impact and light transmission, with higher material and finishing cost.
Marking & Graphics
Marking methods are selected based on material compatibility, contrast requirements, and expected wear.
Offset Printing
Used for cardboard tokens requiring high-detail artwork, text, or icons.
Pad printing
Applied primarily to plastic tokens for high-contrast symbols and multi-color graphics.
Laser engraving
Used for wooden and acrylic tokens where permanent marking is required.
Surface Protection
Surface protection methods are chosen to improve durability and appearance stability, particularly for high-contact components.
Matte or Gloss Varnish
Applied to printed cardboard tokens to protect artwork and improve handling feel.
Scratch-Resistant Coatings
Applied to plastic and acrylic tokens to reduce surface scuffing during repeated use.
Edge Sealing
Used for cardboard punch tokens to reduce long-term edge wear and fraying.
Can’t find what you want? Contact us!
We’re always happy to discuss new formats or unusual specifications. If you don’t see what you’re looking for above, get in touch. Our team will be glad to help.
Custom board games possess
At Funway, board game production is managed as an integrated manufacturing system, not a collection of independent components. From early-stage consultation through engineering review, sampling, and mass production, each project is supported by a dedicated manufacturing team that works closely with your specifications, files, and component decisions. This consultative approach ensures that design intent remains manufacturable as the project moves from custom board game prototype to mass production.
Rather than treating manufacturing as a handoff after design, we coordinate decisions across the board game supply chain—component definition, tooling release, sampling approval, and production sequencing—to reduce variance, prevent late-stage rework, and maintain consistency throughout production.
Tooling, Die-Cutting & Mold Selection
Tooling choice directly affects upfront cost, unit pricing, and long-term production repeatability. The appropriate tooling method is determined by material type, order volume, and shape complexity.
Punch Board Tooling: Used for cardboard tokens and flat components.
- Lower upfront tooling cost
- Ideal for large quantities of 2D tokens
- Best suited for information-dense components
Injection Mold Tooling: Used for plastic and acrylic tokens.
- Higher upfront tooling investment
- Required for 3D geometry and high-frequency handling
- Lower unit cost at scale with stable repeatability
Tooling selection is finalized during pre-production review to balance budget, durability requirements, and production volume.
Prototyping & First-Article Inspection (FAI)
Before mass production, physical samples are produced to verify size, thickness, edge quality, color accuracy, and fit with boards or inserts.
Approved FAI samples serve as the Golden Sample reference and are retained for cavity-level and batch-level production checks.
Mass Production & Quality Control
Consistent token quality depends on preventing thickness drift, edge defects, and print misalignment during scale production.
Quality control is managed through process monitoring rather than post-production sorting:
In-process thickness verification
Visual inspection for edge and surface defects
Fit checks with boards, trays, and inserts
Applicable materials comply with EN71 and ASTM F963 requirements.
Cost Drivers & MOQ Optimization
Token unit cost is determined by a limited number of controllable variables.
Material System
Cardboard tokens are the most cost-efficient.
Plastic, acrylic, and wood increase material and tooling cost.
Thickness & Shape Complexity
Thicker tokens and irregular shapes require more material and tighter tooling control.
Printing & Color Count
Additional colors, coatings, or engraving steps increase processing time
MOQ Optimization
Higher volumes reduce unit cost through tooling amortization
For smaller projects, standard stock molds or shared die layouts can reduce tooling requirements, allowing lower MOQs while supporting limited customization in color and symbol layout.
FAQ
Contact
Launching a custom board game can be a complex and challenging process, involving dozens of decisions. We’re committed to making your board game design, printing, and manufacturing process as easy and convenient as possible. But if you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.
We’re happy to answer all your questions about custom board game printing and manufacturing and can provide you with a quote tailored to your requirements without any obligation. Feel free to contact us—we’re always here to help!
