Navy and Army Challenge Coins are Representative of Membership

Posted by dunitzsantrino on December 6th, 2014

A symbol of strength, challenge coins represents a membership of an organization led by armed forces. Indeed, it is like a medallion that calls for proving membership of the officers on being challenged to some cause. The medallions were rewarded to the members of the armed organization or armed forces for making an achievement on the war front. This is the reason that navy challenge coins have been quite popular from world war times to boost the morale of a naval office towards serving the country. When it comes to the navy, these challenge coins are meant to signify a promise made towards giving the best of the service possible.

Generally, the challenge coins are given by the commanders of a concerned unit to acknowledge a special achievement made by an officer. Along with this, such coins are also exchanged in recognition to the visits made to the concerned organization. However, the tradition of presenting army challenge coins or the naval ones started in Roman Empire, where it was presented to the officers for their outstanding achievement in service duration. Indeed, its prominence was seen in World War I and from there on has become a tradition in the history European or American countries to do so.

Known strictly for identification as to the member belongs to which battalion or not, these navy challenge coins have a tradition attached to it. In this, the challenger asks a person from another unit to show his medallion or coin. If the challenged person is not able to produce his coin (medallion); then, he has to buy a drink or a bottle of wine for the challenger. On the other side, if the challenged member is able to produce his medallion; then, the challenger is required to pay for the drinks taken by challenged member. This tradition has been prevalent from the World War time and is still adorning the armed forces.

The navy or army challenge coins are, generally, made from brass material with the emblem of the state on one side and that of the concerned battalion on the other side. As the time has changed, these coins are also made in silver, gold, copper and even bronze. There are many companies, who make them for the armed forces. They are, however, manufactured either with zinc-alloy casting or the die struck bronze for maintaining the strong base of the medallion. The zinc-alloy casting process of challenge coins is slightly inexpensive; while, the die struck bronze process is costly and results in a superior product in terms of the medallion.