Everything You Need to Know About Challenge Coins

Challenge coins are a type of physical insignia awarded to an individual to mark their membership in a particular group. The type of groups that use challenge coins  commonly associated with the military, fire departments and police departments. in recent years however, many different types of organizations from businesses to schools have embraced the benefits of custom coins as well.

Challenge coins come in a variety of sizes and designs, and are given for many reasons. While these reasons may vary, the coins typically are given in order to commemorate or acknowledge a feat or provide a reward, or to promote camaraderie among members.

How Did the Challenge Coin Tradition Start?

The origins of the challenge coin are shrouded in an array of myths and apocryphal stories, but are not confirmed. The earliest origin story dates  back to the ancient Roman Empire. Soldiers were awarded custom coins in order to applaud their efforts and accomplishments in war. They became keepsakes, a source of pride for those who received them.

Other stories indicate that during the Renaissance, challenge coins were used to commemorate events of important individuals (i.e. royalty, nobility and the like). The coins were called “Portrait Medals”, and were commonly exchanged between individuals to commemorate events such as birth, marriages, and death. Using both text and symbols, they celebrated unique aspects of the lives of the people they portrayed.

The most common modern challenge coin origin story has its roots in World War I. The story involves a U.S.  Army Air Corps lieutenant who had bronze coins made for all the members of his squad.  Not long afterward, one of the squad's pilots was captured by the enemy and stripped of all his belongings except for his coin. After escaping, he made his way back to Allied lines by disguising himself in civilian attire. When the officer arrived in Allied territory, French soldiers questioned his allegiance. The officer proved his identity by showing them his coin. Rather than executing as a spy, the French troops escorted him safely back to his unit.

Other legends say challenge coins didn’t originate until World War II, when they were used to uncover spies and identify allies. Another legend states challenge coins originated during the Vietnam War. Commander Verne Green of the 10th Special Forces Group-A designed custom coins for his unit that could easily identify his group. 

While the stories provide great entertainment, they all  remain unconfirmed. In any event, challenge coins have been a staiple of military life for decades. Most of the stories share the common theme of challenge coins originating in the military. Today, challenge coins are used outside military organizations as well.

What Are Challenge Coins Used For?

While challenge coins are often meant to be sentimental, there are a variety of uses for them. Although there are strong ties to military organizations, the uses extend into civilian groups as well., such as businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations, sports teams, government agencies and more.

Military Challenge Coins

Challenge coins are still most often associated with their place in the military.  Challenge coins are used in the military to demonstrate a number of things, such as:

• Identifying the branch of the military that an individual belongs to.
• Membership to a unit or squadron inside of a specific branch.
• Participation in a specific tour, battle, campaign, deployment or event. 

Signifying Membership Beyond the Military

Challenge coins are often used to signify membership in a group. Some organizations that may use challenge coins include:

• Law Enforcement
• Firefighters
• Fraternities and Sororities
  
• Private Organizations and Clubs
• Sports Teams or Clubs
  

Members of a particular group that use challenge coins are sometimes challenged to random coin checks. Challenges vary from organization to organization, and the specifics of the coin check changes from group to group.  One of the most common rules is that anyone who cannot produce their coin when in a group buys the next round of drinks.

Rewards

Challenge coins can be used to reward an individual for specifc achievements, or a prize for some sort of personal accomplishment. Some common examples of challenge coins being used as a reward are:

• Achievement in a business, academic or athletic setting
• Progress in Sobriety
• Presidential Challenge Coins.

Business Coins

A recent trend is seen in an array of businesses using challenge coins. Businesses are using them to stand out in the marketplace in a variety of ways, including:

• Challenge coins to replace business cards
  
• Challenge coins to brand the company
• Challenge coins as a way to explore new methods of marketing

Many businesses also use custom coins to commemorate achievements such as reaching sales goals, developing new products or services, and a specific number of years of service to the company.

Designing a Custom Challenge Coin

Designing a coin for a specific group or organization doesn't have to be difficult. To begin, consider your organization and any symbols or logos relevant to it.  Brainstorm and create a design that you feel represents your group.  The only limit to your design is your imagination! Any good challenge coin provider will be glad to help you craft a design that perfectly represenst your organization.  They will work with you to help you choose the right size, shape, materials and options for your coins. For more information about desginging custom coins, see our Design page.

Your Best Source for Challenge Coins of All Kinds

At ChallengeCoins4Less.com, we offer the highest quality challenge coins for any organization or occasion. With more than  20 years' expereince in crafting custom coins,, we can help you create the perfect challenge coins for your needs. We're committed to top quality, outstanding customer service and unbeattable prices. Our graphic artists will work with you every step of the way, and we back our work with our 100 percent Satisfaction Guarantee. We make ordering custom challenge coins easy, fast and fun.

If you'd like to find out more, call us at (855) 272-8451,  email us or fill out our no-oblication Free Quote form. We're here to serve all your custom challenge coin needs!