Custom Challenge Coins ? An Look into Its History

Posted by arun on June 13th, 2014

Challenge coins are small tokens or medallions that signify the owner belonging to a particular group or organization. Custom challenge coins are commonly gifted and exchanged by the military people, though some of them are slowly trickling into the civilian population. It is believed that these coins were exchanged in order to build camaraderie amongst the soldiers.

 There are many stories about the history of the challenge coins. It is believed that these coins go back to the ancient times. It is thought that in Ancient Rome, soldiers were rewarded with a coin as a token of appreciation of their valor in the battle field. These soldiers used to keep these reward coins as mementoes and not spend them. Sometimes these soldiers also used these coins as an ID to represent their unit.

 Another story talks about how a military officer had bronze medallions engraved with the flying squadron’s insignia. He distributed these coins to all the men in his squad. When this battalion lost the battle with the Germans, they stole everything. But one particular soldier managed to keep this medallion. When he travelled back to France, the people there thought that he was a spy and wanted to kill him. But he showed the medallion to prove his identity. Another soldier identified the coin and he was spared his life.

 Colonel “Buffalo Bill” Quinn of the 17th Infantry Regiment is believed to be one of the earliest officers to give coins to his men. Featuring a buffalo head on one side and the insignia of the regiment on the other side, this coin was given to the soldiers during the Korean War. He also has a hole drilled in the coin, so the soldiers could wear it round their necks.

 After the Vietnam War, custom challenge coins began to gain more popularity. During this period, the Army's 10th or 11th Special Forces Group minted coins. They were just normal coins, but with the regiment’s insignia engraved on it.

 A “secret handshake” is usually used to give the challenge coins. This tradition was first started by Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense when he toured the military bases in Afghanistan. He shook hands with lots of soldiers and military personnel, and as he shook hands, he gave them the coin.

 In the recent times, federal agents, military aides, and even White House staff exchange custom challenge coins.