How International Companies Have Embraced Challenge Coins

Custom challenge coins have long been a tradition unique to the United States. They were presented and shared among U.S. Armed Forces members for decades, a subtle way to show team membership, commemorate shared achievements and recognize outstanding performance.

Over the years, challenge coins have spread to the civilian world too, first in police and fire departments, then into the wider world to include businesses, schools, nonprofit groups and others.

While challenge coins have been an American phenomenon for many years, they have become increasingly popular internationally as well. Governments, corporations and even individuals now create their own custom coins. They’ve become an accepted means of promoting a business, honoring public service and commemorating special events around the world. 

Origins of Challenge Coins

While there’s no definitive origin story for challenge coins, the most popular legend claims they began in World War I, when a U.S. Army Air Corps lieutenant had custom coins made for the members of his squad.

After one of the squad members was captured by enemy forces, he was stripped of his identification, but was allowed to keep the coin he carried in a pouch worn around his neck. When he escaped, he used to coins to convince Allied troops he wasn’t a German spy and was safely returned to his unit. 

From that beginning, challenge coins evolved to become a mainstay of American military force. Members of the military use the coins to reward achievement, denote program completions or successful missions, and to show membership in specific units or groups. They promote camaraderie and team cohesiveness.

Beyond the Borders

Challenge coins remained a uniquely American tradition, and primarily a military one, for many years. They first began to spread internationally with the military establishments of U.S. allies such as Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. 

The journey of challenge coins beyond U.S. borders began organically. Allied militaries encountered the tradition during joint operations with American forces. They quickly saw its value as a morale booster and a tangible reminder of shared purpose.

From Military to Civilian Life

As more and more military veterans returned home from the service with challenge coins, the idea spread from the barracks to the broader civilian world as well. Around the world, corporations, government agencies, schools, nonprofit groups and more are creating custom coins of their own, using them to recognize excellence, celebrate milestones, and strengthen team identity.

Companies have learned the value of using custom challenge coins to reward performance, motivate employees, and increase their brand awareness in the marketplace. Like the other aspects of challenge coin history, this trend began first in the United States, with companies such as Microsoft, Dunkin’ (formerly Dunkin’ Donuts) and AT&T, and has since expanded worldwide.

Why International Brands Are Adopting Challenge Coins

It’s easy to see why so many companies around the world are embracing challenge coins as a way to enhance their brands. A challenge coin is tangible recognition, In an increasingly virtual world, the challenge coin offers a refreshingly physical presence. It holds emotional value because it can be touched, displayed, and carried with pride. It transcends language and culture, making it ideal for global organizations that need universal symbols of achievement which can be recognized all over the world.

Companies are discovering that coins make excellent event giveaways, brand collectibles, and customer engagement tools. Employees and customers alike value having something they can keep and display or carry with them that won’t fade or crumble over time. Every coin tells a story, of teamwork, innovation, or courage, that endures long after a project ends.

International Companies That Have Embraced Challenge Coins

In recent years, many companies from around the world have adopted challenge coins, in virtually every sector of the economy. Here are a few examples:

BMW

BMW has incorporated challenge coins as part of its corporate culture. The company’s Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, has used custom coins to celebrate major anniversaries and achievements, such as 30 years of production. These coins help connect thousands of employees under one emblem of excellence.

The company motorcycle division also offers challenge coins to riders completing its U.S. Rider Academy course. The coins are a festive way to commemorate finishing a high performance riding school for experienced motorcyclists.

Shell Oil

Shell, headquartered in London, has created several challenge coins for its Emergency Response Teams around the world. Coins from Shell facilities in Texas and Sarnia have shown up in collectors’ circles, bearing the company’s logo and safety slogans. For workers in high-risk environments, these coins symbolize readiness, teamwork, and the critical importance of safety culture.

Hyundai Construction Equipment

In Asia, challenge coins are gaining traction among corporations known for engineering excellence. Hyundai Construction Equipment is one of many Asian companies using challenge coins as part of internal branding and employee motivational programs. 

In South Korea’s corporate culture, where teamwork and hierarchy are tightly connected, the challenge coin provides a blend of Western symbolism and Eastern respect. It offers employees a tangible reminder that their contributions matter, and that their company’s success is something to be shared, not merely measured.

Red Bull

The Austrian energy drink company Red Bull issued commemorative coins during its Stratos project, the record-breaking space jump by Felix Baumgartner in 2012. Wearing a pressure suit, Baumgartner jumped from a hot air balloon at an altitude of more than 127,000 feet. He set a record for the longest free fall recorded of more than 4 minutes before deploying his parachute and landing safely.

Those coins celebrated human daring and engineering excellence, becoming treasured mementos for those involved and collectors alike. Red Bull turned the challenge coin into a storytelling device that embodied its brand’s adventurous spirit.

A True Global Phenomenon

As these examples show, challenge coins have become a respected tool for commemoration, celebration and motivation around the world, not just in the United States.

If you’d like to find out more about how custom challenge coins can help your business, give us a call at (855) 272-8451 or email us. We’ll be glad to answer any questions you might have. If you already have a design planned, fill out our no-obligation free quote form and we’ll send you a free digital proof of your design. We look forward to serving all your custom coin needs!