Challenge coins?

[Bob F.]

Not LEO or Vet, so just asking: Saw challenge coins for sale elsewhere on the web. I always felt these coins were only "valid" if they'd been given to you in appreciation. Of course, someone could buy 'em to give away in appreciation.

[coastalcop]

They are generally made by a unit or organization, and given to members of that organization and those that helped them. Sometimes to represent an initiation. I suppose you could buy your own....... we had one made for those that were on scene or came to help for Hurricane Harvey . I have a few from units I have helped and from units that investigated and cleared me on OIS and a few from units I am a part of. They end up sitting around and cluttering up my desk ;)

[Ryan Taylor]

They are mostly just cool. There is some historical tradition to the concept.... but they are usually left on some display board on the edge of a guys desk. Yes, you are supposed to be 'awarded' them. Usually en lieu of an actual award. Like an 'atta boy, chuck'. I resent them for that reason, lol. If Im getting an award, I want to be able to wear it.

[Dpswift]

When I was in the "Old Army," in the late 80s sometime, they actually meant something because they were very, very rare. The division commander would give someone a coin for something the CO felt was worthy. He probably gave out fewer than a dozen year. You were proud to get it. But in the soul destructive spirit of inclusiveness, with in a few years everyone was making their own coins and giving them to everyone else. Anyone could hand out a coin for anything to anyone. It was like some Dr. Zeus story. They became meaningless, and then less than meaningless; to the point where is was a badge of honor to NOT have received a coin.

I knew the fad had reached the heights of rediculounsess and ridicule when I saw Army dentists handing them out.

[Dr. Dan Choi]

I knew the fad had reached the heights of rediculounsess and ridicule when I saw Army dentists handing them out.
You mean instead of lollipops?

[callmebubba]

When I was in the "Old Army," in the late 80s sometime, they actually meant something because they were very, very rare. The division commander would give someone a coin for something the CO felt was worthy. He probably gave out fewer than a dozen year. You were proud to get it. But in the soul destructive spirit of inclusiveness, with in a few years everyone was making their own coins and giving them to everyone else. Anyone could hand out a coin for anything to anyone. It was like some Dr. Zeus story. They became meaningless, and then less than meaningless; to the point where is was a badge of honor to NOT have received a coin.

I knew the fad had reached the heights of rediculounsess and ridicule when I saw Army dentists handing them out.
Recent article from the Duffel Blog on the subject of how most people feel about coins now days.
56085

[LawDog]

They are POG Kryptonite.

Or so I am told.

[Brent Yamamoto]

I wonder how many you need in a sock before it becomes useful for breaking things.

[jtiii]

I don't remember them being called challenge coins during my carreer, just coins. We had two types of soldiers that would usually get a coin , those for outstanding achievement and those who kissed enough ass they had a perm. brown tan line on their nose. High speeds put them in a drawer and the ass kisser placed them in a rack to display on their desk, because they surely had a desk job. I have seen thousands of these coins. in a shop outside Osan one time making me think anyone could come up with their own stories and adventures. I believe they don't hold the same weight now as they may be handed out like candy.

[jesselp]

When my volunteer rescue squad went to 24-hour staffing for Hurricane Sandy, we had six PJs from the 106th Rescue Wing of the NY Air National Guard billeted with us. we spend 36 hours together wading through flood waters and generally trying to keep people as safe as possible under difficult conditions.

As their helicopter was getting ready to pick them up for their next job, the LT approached us and made a big show of presenting our Chief with a coin as appreciation for the hard work we put in and the camaraderie that had developed during the storm. I thought it was pretty cool. The Chief was supposed to put together a board for the ready room with our unit citation from the county for our work, as well as a photo of our team with the 106th and the coin. He never did, and instead holds onto that coin as his personal memento of the three days he spent at his desk while the rest of us risked out asses out in the flood water.

That was less cool.

[Greg Nichols]

I've got a few. We used to keep our highest ranking coin on us at all times because at the bar you could be "coin checked" and the person with the lowest ranking coin/no coin had to buy the round. There are some I kept because they were neat, some because they were rare like federal agency coins, and some of the lower ranking ones I kept were received from people I respected.