Challenge coins

[jim2]

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[jim2]

The numbered edge:

 

 

 

[willysmb44]

It was an SF thing..... no one else had them before 1980. After an article was written about them in Gung Ho magazine all the other units started to catch on and the concept was ruined. In SF they were almost a controled item if you will.... the early ones being numbered and the number was recorded to the soldier. I purchased my first SF coin for $3.00 and carried it everywhere I went. If you were challenged and didn't have it.... you better be ready to shell out the money on drinks. Nowadays they are handed out like candy.... thanks to the big Army where everyone earns a beret.

I have to agree with you that the concept of the challenge coin has been cheapened from it's original intent. There's nothing new about that, though. Think of the all the "legs" in WW2 who tried to get paratrooper boots. Once anyone in a Special ops unit starts doing something, it's only a matter of time before everyone else starts copying it. Back in the day, my ROTC cadre were constantly giving us grief for rolling our BDU caps with "Ranger rolls" along the top of them.

I have LOTS of coins from various units when I was still in the Army, more than my relatively short career would suggest. I also had many from defense contractors vying for the contract for what would eventually be the "Stryker" vehicle, but I sold off all those, along with many from some of the less impressive units. When a National Guard mail processing unit gives out a coin (I'm not kidding, I got one from them at JRTC at Ft Polk), you can't take it all that seriously. Some of the more impressive ones are from the crew of Air Force One and 1st SF Group. The one I always carried on active duty was the one my Battalion Sgt Major gave me (it's pretty rare for a CSM to give a coin to a LT).

However, this coin is my all-time favorite, given to me personally by the man himself!

I think the challenge thing isn't well understood now. I've only been "challenged" twice with a coin. Both times, thank goodness I had one with me. The first time, a fellow LT from another Batt in my Brigade I'd worked with pulled one from a ADA company commander. I pulled my Battalion CSM and he thought he had me on rank. I asked the general opinion of those at the bar, and everyone there said a CSM doesn't give a coin to a LT unless there was a darned good reason, so even though his came from a higher rank, mine was more impressive. The other time, I'd just been coined by someone on the support crew of Air Force One (actually, the guy went through ROTC at the same time at the same school, just in a blue suit). Someone pulled out a CG of I Corps coin. I slammed mine down and said, "That's nothing, I got one from his boss's personal pilot!" No drinks bought by me either time, thank you very much! If someone tried that now, I'd remind them that I'm a happy civilian and therefore exempt from such things. That is of course, unless I have one on me that trumps his...

[Bluehawk]

Further on this.

 

Link:

http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/...Ext&ID=3299

[Laury Allison]

I've been out since October 2005, but still carry a coin every day...kind of feels funny to not have one. A couple of years ago, I was at a function where our then Mayor was present. He is a retired First Sergeant....he pulled out his First Sergeant coin...I trumped him with my former boss's coin, who was a Command Chief Master Sergeant. I've got a bunch of them that are a lot higher, but I don't carry them because I don't want to take the chance of loosing them or getting them damaged....so those stay in my display case.

 

I've got a box full of them around here somewhere. Keep thinking I'll go through them and sell off the duplicates and the ones I don't really care about. Just haven't gotten around to that yet.

 

There certainly are way more coins out there than there was just a few short years ago. I've gotten some and seen some that were really cool and unique...others are just plain and boring. I've even seen one from a BG that had a beer bottle opener incorporated into it. IIRC, it was from a commander of a unit in Germany...go figure!

 

A lot of the coins out there now are unique and different...while others are kind of plain and boring.

 

Laury

[Bsquirrely]

The plot thickens;

Here is the answer from the Command Historian and author of the “Filthy Thirteen” Mr. Richard Killbane-

 

“The USAF also claim to have started the tradition. It may be true that a

squadron in WWII had their unit information inscribed on French coins, but

that was a one time thing. The current tradition of the recognition coin

began with SF in the 1960s. I can't remember whether it was the 10th or 19th

SFGA that started it. I know the man who did though. He was notorious for

starting things that would become traditions. He served in both those units

and had the coins made up. From there the coins were adopted by 5th SFGA in

Vietnam. I served in the 1st SFGA on Okinawa in 1973 and we did not have a

coin then.

 

From SF the coins spread to the airborne community then the rest of the Army.

In the middle 80s began the commander's coins.

Rich”

So that is the “Official” Army version of the challenge coin story.

[LtRGFRANK]

My son's EOD coin is in the shape of a bomb with bottle opener built in. I know my other son had AF coins in the early 70s. Robert

[LtRGFRANK]

Could this be the first coin. I remembered I had it. It was with the mans WWI dog tags. It reads WM TANK COD 307 INF 77 DIV. The Dog Tags are William R Tank 2788726

[Brig]

I believe I've heard of Plank Board coins dating back to WWII. I myself have two, one for ATBn and one for the reactivated 2/9...they're numbered, allegedly according to the number you entered the unit, however both times I know the batches were mixed up. I have a 300 something for 2/9, and I was a Guide at the activation ceremony, I know I was in the first 50 at the time. I'll see if I can dig them out for pics

[LtRGFRANK]

My son's EOD coin is in the shape of a bomb with bottle opener built in. I know my other son had AF coins in the early 70s. Robert

oops. I meant 80s

[Flightmedic]

I have never heard of trump by rank. It is always have or not have. You buy or I buy. I'm not digging the whole rank trump idea. I could care less if a General gave me a coin. I like the one I earned at the First Sergeant Academy believe me I earned it. I carry it with pride and just let someone try and pull a trump on that....

[101combatvet]

I never heard of the trump thing either.... maybe I'm getting too old. My real likes besides my SF coins is one from CSM Wick of Delta fame and one from General Petraeus.

 

I have never heard of trump by rank. It is always have or not have. You buy or I buy. I'm not digging the whole rank trump idea. I could care less if a General gave me a coin. I like the one I earned at the First Sergeant Academy believe me I earned it. I carry it with pride and just let someone try and pull a trump on that....

[bluemesa159]

I've even seen one from a BG that had a beer bottle opener incorporated into it. IIRC, it was from a commander of a unit in Germany...go figure!

 

USAFE Communications Support Squadron here on Ramstein (disbanded in 2008) was selling the coins attached to a bottle opener. I picked one up for my bar in 2007.

[Buffalo Grunt]

We have a Korean War grouping from a 3rd ID noncom, in it is what I would call a challange coin. I haven't seen it for a while, but recall it is the size of a US 5 cent piece.

I'll make an effort to dig it out and post it if I can.

BKW

 

 

In all actuality, the first "Challenge Coins" were "Buffalo Nickels" from the 17th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War. Soon after the Regiment adopted the Buffalo tag, replica buffalo nickels were made to be worn on a 17th Infantry members dog tags. Later in the Regiments history they were used as a Challenge for drinks (Meaning if you didn't have yours, you'd have to buy)

 

Here's a link to some pictures on the Association's website

 

I have also posted some pictures on this site on nickels in my collection.

[ehrentitle]

I saw my first challenge coin in the Berlin Brigade in late 1985. I was in the 6th Battalion, 502nd Infantry and the officers of the battalion pooled money to purchase numbered coins. I believe the Berlin Brigade commander had a commander's coin but as I recall they were specific awards for achievement in PT, Marksmanship, etc.

 

Prior to that when I was in 2-47th Inf in the 9th Infantry Division from 1982-85 I never saw a coin. Generally Letters or Commendation or Certificates of Achievement were given out.

 

Kevin

[ehrentitle]

The plot thickens;

Here is the answer from the Command Historian and author of the “Filthy Thirteen” Mr. Richard Killbane-

 

“The USAF also claim to have started the tradition. It may be true that a

squadron in WWII had their unit information inscribed on French coins, but

that was a one time thing. The current tradition of the recognition coin

began with SF in the 1960s. I can't remember whether it was the 10th or 19th

SFGA that started it. I know the man who did though. He was notorious for

starting things that would become traditions. He served in both those units

and had the coins made up. From there the coins were adopted by 5th SFGA in

Vietnam. I served in the 1st SFGA on Okinawa in 1973 and we did not have a

coin then.

 

From SF the coins spread to the airborne community then the rest of the Army.

In the middle 80s began the commander's coins.

Rich”

So that is the “Official” Army version of the challenge coin story.

 

This is not the "official” Army version of the challenge coin story. Richard E. Killblane happens to be the US Army Transportation Corps Historian, however he was simply detailing his own experiences as a SF soldier which does not necessarily represent an official Army position of the challenge coin story.

[Buffalo Grunt]

I should have included that the first buffalo nickels were issued in 1950. There have been many different versions made since then. The picture below would have been the very first mint:

 

 

 

In all actuality, the first "Challenge Coins" were "Buffalo Nickels" from the 17th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War. Soon after the Regiment adopted the Buffalo tag, replica buffalo nickels were made to be worn on a 17th Infantry members dog tags. Later in the Regiments history they were used as a Challenge for drinks (Meaning if you didn't have yours, you'd have to buy)

 

Here's a link to some pictures on the Association's website

 

I have also posted some pictures on this site on nickels in my collection.

[Latewatch]

I know that the Challenge Coins for the current 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions were designed in 1974. I received mine from 2nd Battalion in 1980.

[doyler]

I was given this coin - in Germany - exactly 1980, so I assume they existed long before.

 

When I was a boy we were at Ft.Campell to watch a graduating class from Air Assault School.My brother in law was in the class.I got one of these 101st coins from the Pratt museum.This was 1979

 

ROn

[jw55767]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would add my 2 cents worth. I have two challenge coins, one I received from a SSG in the 101st Abn while in Viet-Nam (Jun 68-Jun 69). This coin is identical to the ones shown earlier in the thread but does not have my name engraved. The other from a MSG in the U.S. Army Reserve around 2007. The latter was a Viet-Nam era 173rd Abn coin and when I realized that it was vintage, I offered to give it back but was told to keep it.

 

In both cases, I had helped these Soldiers and they thanked me with their coins. The first one I recieved, I had never seen a challenge coin before. By the time I received the second one, they had become much more common.

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

Challenge Coins from 1982-1985 were typically one color metal and stamped in the design intended to commemorate whatever. I saw lots of Airborne Challenge Coins (SF, Rangers, Airborne) and all were not shiny silver or brass color. These were usually purchased but sometimes handed out in Fort Bragg by NCO's or Officers. After 1985 when I was in Berlin the Berlin Challenge Coins of the era were also made of a brass color but these were earned and that's the only way to get them. Marksmanship, Physical Testing and Skill Qualification Tests had to reach a very high percentage to attain the coins. Ignore my little display box of patches and junk.

You can see the plain challenge coins of the late 70's-80's compared to the modern challenge coin I was given by the 18th Airborne Corps. I have a few more coins but they're put away for now, nothing fancy. What shocks me is the value I'm seeing on Ebay for these 1970's and 80's era coins. $75 dollars and up in many cases.

 

[d4671]

I just tried to post a lengthy description of USAF seventies and eighties coins and when I tried to post pics something came up and locked up my post and had to close out. when I came back all was lost. Might try again if anyone interested.

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

Always interested.

 

Rock

[hardheaded]

Anyone know the year on this one? It's a little beat up and that doesn't always mean old!

 

Thanks

[hardheaded]

One more for you guys since I have them out.