Coins

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Shoreboy

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what is the significance of coins my DS has been receiving from the higher ups over the past 4 years?
 
My understanding:
What does it mean if someone gives you a challenge coin?


Challenge coin - Wikipedia


Traditionally, they might be given to prove membership when asked and to enhance morale. They are also collected by service members and law enforcement personnel. Historically, challenge coins were presented by unit commanders in recognition of special achievements by a member of the unit.
 
Challenge coins are a military tradition. They are generally used by commanders to commend an achievement or action that is noteworthy, but not to the level necessitating going through awards channels. A common situation where I have seen them given out is when an GO/FO comes to a particular command and a junior enlisted member gives a brief about what they do and/or what equipment they operate. Typically, these junior members are the shining stars in that command. Additionally, when higher level commanders give briefs, I have seen them give out coins to people who asked questions. There is no real set criteria to receive on, though. Overall, they are a cool way to document one's service.

There is also an old tradition where they are used to determine who would buy drinks at the bar. If you challenge someone (ask them to present a challenge coin to see if they have one on their person) and they don't, and you do, they buy drinks. If they have their coin, you buy. There is also a pecking order on challenge coins. So, if both people present, and one is from an O-6 and another one is from an O-10, then the person who produced the O-6 coin would by drinks. I have never seen it play out in real life, but I'd say most are at least a bit familiar with the traditions surrounding challenge coins.
 
I keep finding myself missing the boat on the coin thing. It wasn’t a thing until after I was out of the Marines and now in law enforcement it is more of the younger guys that enjoy the trading and collecting. I have heard much about them but never seen them in action at the bar and I have spent my fair share of time in those types of establishment. Just saying……
 
fun story - we were out of the country this summer and we met a gentleman at a charity event who was a Captain in the Navy - we had an amazing conversation with him - we told him about our daughter at USNA and at the end of our conversation he pulled out his challenge coin from his pocket and told us to give it to our girl and he wished her the very best!! he served for over 30 years. It was really fun and our DD was thrilled to receive his challenge coin.
 
Im in NJROTC and the NSTC, RDML Mattingly, gave me one of his. Its a pretty cool coin, i have been told some people will steal them though if you dont keep them away.
 
Challenge coins also come in poker chip varieties too, this might be more common in USMC? The only poker chip challenge coin I have is from a Marine coin-cidentally.

I've seen Air Force guys play the coin game at the bar before... 🤔
 
They're neat mementos.

I like to keep a couple in my pocket for special occasions--re-enlistments, meeting foreign officers or officers from another service, etc. Usually the special ones you can't just buy from the ship's store. On occasions like RIMPAC, you end up trading all kinds of patches and coins for bamboo plants and baguettes.

Flag officers often have a command coin that they'll give out to just about everyone, and a "personal coin" paid for out of pocket (since Fat Leonard, they've clamped down on even small things like ballcaps and coins).
 
The concept has expanded so much since it first started many moons ago. Everyone seems to give them out now in the Government.

I got my first one from the brigade commander (Colonel) in my unit in Germany not long before we shipped out to Saudi for Storm/Shield. I had no idea what it was as a young, 19-year old E-3. I still have it, sitting on my monitor base in front of me at my home office.
 
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Usnavy2019 said:
Challenge coins are a military tradition.
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> How old does something have to be to be a "tradition" ? You are making me feel old....;)

I left the Navy in 1992, and don't recall ever seeing one and certainly never it used a bar game when it was in. (We had dice for that !). I've got a handful now, but they go into a drawer and are never seen again.
 
IMG_0110.jpegIMG_0107.jpegIMG_0111.jpeg
First one is from CBIRF. Notice the gas mask in place of the globe? They had to scrap that coin. Third one is from Mobility Assault Company, call sign Machete. Son was company commander a few years ago.

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Here’s another.
 
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I first saw them in the Navy during the nineties and little by little they've increased. Also big in Veteran's groups.

I will admit that I have designed a personal coin and have some on order. . . Many/most will be sold as a fund raiser for a charitable group.
 
Shoreboy said:
what is the significance of coins my DS has been receiving from the higher ups over the past 4 years?
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This is a great podcast about coin culture that gets into it from an outsider's perspective.

Coins are a fun piece of military culture. In an organization that is so regimented and instruction focused, coins have remarkable freedom and creativity behind their design. I've accumulated north of 70 in my career and some are amazingly ridiculous (said with pure admiration) in their creativity. Others are fairly straight forward.

They can be an individual's coin, a command coin (be it ship, squadron, submarine), a community coin (Dental Corps, etc), a coin for a specific operation/event (my first was the 1999 Navy Submarine Ball), and just for fun. A lot of civilian companies make them too. For example, I have an Intel one.

The idea of "coin checking" has died out quite a bit IMO, though conversations about an individual's most senior coin still persist. For example, mine is Admiral Greenert but when he was Fleet Forces, before his CNO tour.

Like when I was in command, I intend to get a personal one made once I'm teaching at USNA to present to students as warranted. :D
 
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