Where did challenge coins come from?
Chances are, if you’re not a current of former member of the U.S. military, you don’t know much about the origins of custom challenge coins. Sure, you probably know a challenge coin is a custom-made coin used to signify membership in an organization. You might even know they’ve been a recognized part of military life for decades.
But did you ever stop to wonder how the idea for them came about in the first place? Let’s take a look at the history of these popular tokens.
Early Origins
Truth be told, there’s no certain answer to where challenge coins hail from. But there are a number of possible solutions.
Some say the idea of challenge coins dates to the Roman Empire. Romans reportedly presented soldiers with special coins to reward them for heroic feats and bravery in battle. The coins served as public recognition of the soldiers’ actions.
Another theory argues custom coins first became popular during the Renaissance. Custom coins were issued for special events, such as a royal engagement. Friends could exchange coins as commemorative gifts.
World War I and the Army Air Corps
As for challenge coins in the U.S. military, the most popular story (purely apocryphal) is that they originated with a wealthy lieutenant in the Army Air Corps in World War I.
According to this legend, the lieutenant had special bronze medallions created to give to his men. He had the squadron's symbol etched into the challenge coin and presented them to his entire unit.
Soon after receiving the medallion, one member of the troop was shot down over enemy territory.
The Germans took all of his possessions except the coin, which he carried in a leather pouch strung around his neck. Later, when he escaped without any ID, the coin identified him to French troops who were preparing to execute him as a suspected spy. Instead, they returned him safely to his unit.
With the coins becoming a symbol of good luck, soldiers began to carry their coins at all times. The coins also served as a symbol of camaraderie among the troops.
World War II and Beyond
Still another story claims military coins came along later, during World War II. This telling alleges challenge coins were given to military members deployed in occupied France as a way to verify a person's identity.
The coin could be of a certain type, or might contain specific information. This system helped protect important meetings from spy infiltration. It was harder to sneak a spy into the meetings if they had to first secure a custom coin with specific information on it.
The requirement to see a person's identifying coin came in the form of a challenge or test of their identity, hence creating the “challenge” part of challenge coin lore.
Another story claims the coins were introduced during the Vietnam War, as a way to stop soldiers from slamming unfired ammunition on a bar as a way to challenge others to buy drinks. Anyone without a coin bought the next round.
Challenge Coins Today
Today, every branch of the military has its own variation on the challenge coin tradition. Each branch typically presents a coin to new recruits who complete basic training.
Even non-military organizations such as the United States Congress and businesses have picked up on the appeal of custom coins today. Challenge coins might be awarded to members when they join exclusive organizations, or they even can be sold to mark special events or fundraisers.
Buying Custom Challenge Coins
At WholesaleCoins.com, we specialize in challenge coins of all kinds. We’ll work with you every step of the way to make ordering custom coins fast, easy and fun.
Want to find out more? Just fill out our no-obligation Free Quote form, email us at [email protected] or call us toll free at (800) 272-9718. We’re always happy to answer any questions you might have, and we look forward to serving all your custom challenge coin needs.