Challenge coin
A challenge coin, also known as military coin, unit coin, memorial coin, or commander's coin, is a small coin or medallion, bearing an organization's insignia or emblem and carried by the organization's members. Traditionally, they might be used to prove membership to the issuing organization when asked or as a commemorative award. They are collected by various people as a form of exonumia. Historically, challenge coins have been presented by unit commanders in recognition of special achievement by a member of the unit, or the unit as a whole. They have also been exchanged in recognition of visits to an organization.
Modern challenge coins are made in a variety of shapes and sizes and often include pop-culture references, including superheroes and other well-known characters.
Origins
There are several stories detailing the origins of the challenge coin, however the historicity of these stories is unclear.Pre World War One
The Roman Empire rewarded soldiers by presenting them with coins to recognize their achievements. In Roman armies, if soldiers excelled in battle one day, they would receive their typical day's wages along with a separate bonus coin each. According to some accounts, these bonus coins were specially minted, featuring the marks of the legions from which they came. As a result, some soldiers apparently kept their coins as mementos, instead of spending them.Coins known as "Portrait Medals" during the Renaissance were often used to commemorate specific events involving royalty, nobility, or other individuals. The medals would be given as gifts or awards, and people also exchanged them with friends and associates. The most common format was for one side to depict the patron while the other showed something that represented that individual's family, ie: the family's coat of arms.
The first instance of using a coin as a response to an actual challenge may come from the 17th-century religious wars in France. Following King Louis XIV's 1685 revocation of the Edict of Nantes, French Protestants began to suffer persecution by the state for their religion. Many Protestants fled France to find religious freedom elsewhere. Among those who chose to remain in France were some from a Protestant group known as Huguenots who were forced to conduct their religious services in secret. In order to avoid infiltration by state spies, the Huguenots began to carry their méreau communion coin. When challenged while trying to gain entry to Protestant church services, the Huguenot would produce his méreau coin as a token to show allegiance with the Protestant Church and be admitted entry.
Post World War One
According to one story, challenge coins originated in American volunteer flying squadrons during World War I.In one squadron, a wealthy lieutenant ordered medallions struck in solid bronze and presented them to his unit. One young pilot placed the medallion in a small leather pouch that he wore about his neck. Shortly after acquiring the medallion, the pilot's aircraft was severely damaged by ground fire. He was forced to land behind enemy lines and was immediately captured by a German patrol. In order to discourage his escape, the Germans took all of his personal identification, but left the small leather pouch around his neck. Managing to escape German custody, he ended up being discovered by French forces in a nearby town. Suspected of being a saboteur and with no way to prove his identity, he was able to show them the medallion which contained his squadron insignia. This eventually led to his identification. Back at his squadron, it then became tradition to ensure that all members carried their medallion or coin at all times.
According to another story, challenge coins date back to World War II and were first used by Office of Strategic Services personnel who were deployed in Nazi held France. The coins were simply a local coin used to help verify a person's identity. There would be specific aspects such as the type of coin, date of the coin, etc. that were examined by each party, which helped prevent infiltration into the meeting by a spy.
There is another story about an American soldier scheduled to rendezvous with Philippine guerrillas during WWII. As the story goes, he carried a Philippine solid silver coin that was stamped on one side with the unit insignia. The coin was used to verify, to the guerrillas, that the soldier was their valid contact for the mission against the Japanese.
Another story states that the tradition started during the Vietnam War, when an infantry-run bar tried to keep non-infantrymen away by forcing "outsiders" to buy drinks for the whole bar if they couldn't prove they had been in combat. The "proof" started with enemy bullets, then got a little out of control with grenades, rockets and unexploded ordnance. So, a coin-sized item emblazoned with the unit's insignia became the accepted form of proof. In another story, challenge coins were created to prove identity to the 10th Special Forces Group, as so many soldiers were claiming to belong to the elite group that presenting the "challenge coin" became the only way to know for sure.
Despite the vast number of "origins" for challenge coins, the oldest surviving challenge coin belongs to the 17th Infantry Regiment, which were minted then-Colonel William "Buffalo Bill" Quinn during 1950 to 1958 to mark the end of the military tour.
The challenge coin tradition eventually spread to other US military units, in all branches of service, and even to non-military organizations as well such as the United States Congress, which produces challenge coins for members of Congress to give to constituents.
Challenging
The tradition of a "challenge" is connected to the history of challenge coins, and is used as a way to prove identification or affiliation through the presenting of the necessary coin. There are no formal rules of how a challenge may occur, or the punishment for not being able to present a coin, and often vary between organizations. The act of challenging is sometimes called a "coin check".The challenge, which can be usually be made at any time, is most often associated with drinking establishments like bars. Everyone being challenged must immediately produce the coin for their organization and the usual punishment for failing to do so is buying a round of drinks for the challenger and everyone else who has their challenge coin.
Traditionally, rules of a challenge also include a prohibition against defacing the coin, especially if it makes it easier to carry at all times. In these instances, challenge coins usually no longer qualify as a challenge coin for the purposes of a challenge.
Within the United States
Most units within the United States Military have their own challenge coin which they issue to members. Coins are also issued by military bases, or to mark certain commemorative events such as operations or missions, anniversaries, or meetings with important leaders. They, therefore, are an important part of US military and veteran culture. Military officials occasionally give them to non-military personnel for outstanding service or rewards, like the case of student athletes at Northeastern University.In the Air Force, military training instructors award an airman's coin to new enlisted personnel upon completion of their United States Air Force Basic Military Training and to new officers upon completion of the Air Force Officer Training School.
U.S. presidents
Challenge coins issued by US presidents date back to the late 1990s. Separately, the White House Communication Agency has issued challenge coins for foreign heads and military during presidential visits. In May 2018, controversy arose when WHCA released a coin featuring President Donald Trump and North Korean head Kim Jong-un ahead of peace talks scheduled for June 2018 in Singapore.President Bill Clinton displayed several racks of challenge coins, which had been given to him by U.S. service members, on the credenza behind his Oval Office desks. These coins are currently on display at the Clinton Library. The challenge coins appear in the background of his official portrait, now hanging in the White House.
President Barack Obama, in addition to handing challenge coins to U.S. service members, would leave coins on the memorial graves of dead soldiers.
President Donald Trump's coin broke with tradition, omitting the presidential seal, the motto "E pluribus unum" and the thirteen arrows representing the thirteen original states. His campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" appears on both sides. It features a banner at the bottom, which also serves as a base allowing the coin to stand upright.
President Joe Biden's coin depicts his home state of Delaware and "261st" for the 261st Theater Tactical Signal Brigade of the Delaware Army National Guard, his late son Beau Biden's unit.
Outside the military
Challenge coins are also exchanged outside the military. NASCAR, the NFL, members of the Civil Air Patrol, Eagle Scouts, Canine Companions, and World Series of Poker all have their own challenge coins. They are also becoming popular with police departments, fire departments, labor unions, and fraternal organizations. The obverse of a fire department coin usually uses the classic image of a firefighter, while the engraving on the reverse uses the prayer text In 2007, the Utah Symphony and Opera gave challenge coins to all of its staff and musicians, making it the first symphony organization in America to do so. Franklin Public School in Ontario has a coin that is given to graduates, featuring its mascot 'Frankie'. Many non-profits, especially those with connections to the military, give challenge coins to donors to acknowledge their support of the organization.The FBI's Crisis Response unit was the first unit in the FBI to issue coins to unit members in late 1980s. Memorial coins can be used to commemorate fallen officers.