“How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.” – Portia, “The Merchant of Venice” – William Shakespeare

Whenever I think long enough on the Fringenuity campaigns, that quote inevitably comes to mind. While the campaigns weren’t so much about doing good deeds (at first) the mental image they conjure is one of pinpoints of light in the dark, flaring up one after another after another until there was a glow strong enough to push back that darkness and defeat it for a little while. Long enough to get a real ending for a deserving story, and long enough to teach us all what we could do together. While we fought for our show, we learned a lot about the power of community and commonality, and for a little while we burned brighter than anything I’ve ever seen. So today I want to talk about good deeds, and points of light, and happiness, and kindness, and individuals making a difference, because all of those things are part of our ethos, and they’re all converging into one awesome project.

In December of 2012, fans made a final gesture of love and gratitude to the cast and crew of Fringe as filming was wrapped for good. Those were the Ambergrams and many recipients expressed their appreciation. However, since the coins we’d had minted were all meant for cast/crew, we were unable to accommodate the numerous requests from fans to purchase one, and we promised that one day we’d mint another run for all those who loved and supported Fringe during its time.

It’s been a rough couple of years and it took awhile but now, as promised, it’s your turn. Here is the Fringenuity commemorative challenge coin – a redesign of the original coins, updated to include Fringenuity’s final hashtag as well as the indefatigable dandelion – the show’s final symbol of hope and renewal.

*This is as close as I know how to get to an accurate mockup. See better examples here and here.

As with previous Fringenuity projects, this is a not-for-profit venture. The coins serve two purposes: making fans happy, and making the world a brighter place. All proceeds will go to support Random Acts in their mission to conquer the world one act of kindness at a time. Their cause and belief in connecting people are natural kin to the ideas that made Fringenuity work; please visit their website for inspiration on simple ways to make a difference in your community – or if you just need a reminder that the world is at least as full of good as it is bad. Random Acts has made it their mission to spread kindness from one person to another, in the belief that “kindness breeds kindness.” If there’s anything Fringe fans should understand it’s the impact of individuals on the world around them, and the way light so easily leaps from one wick to another if we only allow it to.

Please keep reading, important details ahead:

The coins will be available for pre-order until January 31st. At that time, the order will be placed with the minting company, and the donation will be made to Random Acts once the coins start to ship. There is a minimum order quantity of 100 coins for a total cost of $400. Once the pre-order cutoff date is reached, I’ll place the order based on the quantity sold so far, allowing a very few extra for shipping snafus. The order receipt, donation receipt, and sales totals will be posted here for total transparency. This is a very limited opportunity to grab a cool piece of fandom history while raising funds for an amazing cause, so tell every Fringe fan you know, and pre-order yours today!

A note on shipping:

Fringenuity isn’t a business and this is not a store. While I do this kind of pre-ordering every year for CSTS t-shirts, I don’t usually have to worry about shipping things all over the place. To keep from melting my brain, I’ve selected the cheapest, simplest shipping options available. All options are padded just a bit (~$1.00) to be sure it’s covered. Any overcharged shipping will also go to Random Acts.

International folks: Tracking for international shipping is quite expensive, and the basic option includes only a certificate of mailing. There is also an international registered mail option, which I’m told is a bit easier to keep tabs on but still isn’t “true” tracking. If tracking is a concern for you and/or you wish to order multiple coins, please don’t pay an extra $12 for each coin. Contact me at Fringenuity@gmail.com instead, and we’ll work something else out. Otherwise, I’ll do everything in my power to make it right if something goes wrong. Please allow 4-6 weeks from the closing of pre-orders (31 January) for shipping before getting grouchy. Not responsible for duties or taxes.

USA people: Please also allow 4-6 weeks from January 31st before getting upset. Remember it takes time to mint the coins and get them here before they can be shipped to you, and since it’s just me I’ll be very busy once these things come in.

Feel free to direct any questions to Fringenuity@gmail.com, @Fringenuity, or @birdandbear on Twitter. As always, thank you for your generosity and support. ♥