/challenge-coin-history

Challenge Coin History

The History of Challenge Coins: A Rich History Stamped in Metal.

We have a unique perspective on the history of challenge coins, drawn from the first-hand accounts of people keeping the traditional stories alive. While some may feel like legends or campfire stories by themselves, that does not mean they are not true. If you’ve ever wondered where challenge coins come from, how they have evolved over the years, or the direction in which the challenge coin world is heading, then you have come to the right place. Here is everything you need to know about the history of challenge coins.

Everything You Need To Know About Custom Challenge Coins

As a custom coin company, we know the ins and outs of creating custom coins. But challenge coin history is a different story altogether. It’s almost impossible to know for certain when and where challenge coins first appeared because the stories are all a part of a rich oral tradition. Certain legends involving custom coins are passed down from one generation of soldiers to the next, but only a few of them are backed by official military records.

The Story So Far: Military Challenge Coins of Yesterday

In World War I, a rich lieutenant commissioned a set of solid bronze coins for the pilots under his command. He handed them out as the unit was preparing for a dangerous mission that would take place over enemy territory. Each of the custom unit coins had the team’s emblem pressed into one side of the coin, and the lieutenant carried his own coin in a pouch around his neck.

During the mission, the lieutenant’s plane took damage from ground fire, and he was forced to land. He was captured by German soldiers and was searched and relieved of any personal identification. However, given that the coin was secured in an easily-overlooked pouch, it was missed by the enemy soldiers.

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Eventually, the lieutenant managed a daring escape while in transit to an internment camp. He headed to the nearest friendly outpost in France, but when he got there, the French soldiers thought he was a spy and sentenced him to death. In a last ditch effort to identify himself as an ally and save his life, he reached for all he had to identify himself: The unit coin around his neck. Luckily, one of the French soldiers recognized the emblem pressed into the coin and accepted it as proof of his belonging to that friendly unit. The coin saved his life.

No one knows what the coin looked like, which unit it came from, or even if this story is entirely true; however, this account is the most widely spread origin story of custom military coins. The first officially recorded use of challenge coins custom made for a unit came from the United States Army during the Korean War (17th Infantry) and the Vietnam War (10th Special Forces Group-A).

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The Army remains one of the most prominent organizations involved with the challenge coin tradition, and the coins they create are some of the most unique you will find. It didn’t take long for unit members to start sharing their coins with other service men and women and for the challenge coin tradition to take hold all throughout the armed forces.

If you’re looking for a unique set of unit coins for your team, you’ve come to the right place. Take a look at some of the incredible coins we have made over the years, and find some inspiration for your own custom artwork.

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Custom Challenge Coins Today

Comparing challenge coins of old with the custom coins of today, you’ll see that a few things are the same while others have drastically changed. Some of the major changes are seen in styling and construction. Traditionally, unit coins are medallion in shape and range between 1” to 1.75” in size. Nowadays, custom unit coins come in all kinds of different shapes, sizes, colors and some even have dual functions like bottle opener cutouts.

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Thanks to advancements in the molding and minting process, coins are made faster with more durable materials and offer more options for customization. Our talented art team has the tools and experience needed to bring any of your ideas to life, and our friendly sales team is happy to help you through every step of the design process. Couple this with our industry-leading turnaround time of 14 days or fewer and our 100% quality guarantee, and you’re sure to get the perfect challenge coin for your team. Send us your ideas today, and we’ll get started on your first free proof of artwork.

Things have come a long way from stamping a simple emblem into copper to create a custom unit coin. But even with all the changes in what is possible in custom challenge coin design, some things have remained the same since the very beginning. They represent courage, camaraderie and, more than all else, identity. Just as the lieutenant was able to identify himself with the copper coin he made for his unit, so too are today’s soldiers able to identify themselves as members of specific teams and units just by showing their coin with pride.

What’s Next In the World of Custom Challenge Coins?

Custom challenge coins definitely owe their start to military tradition, and any custom coin company knows that many of their customers will at least have a military background. As service men and women retired and left combat, they were often forced to return to the private sector to secure employment. Of course, they brought many of the lessons, qualities and traditions from the military with them, including challenge coins.

Today, government agencies, law enforcement offices and fire departments order unique challenge coins for any number of different purposes. In more recent years, custom challenge coins have grown in popularity in the corporate world and in the nonprofit sector.

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People have realized the benefits of creating coins as an extension of team identity, and are using them to promote camaraderie among employees, encourage excellence and even to promote interest in a group’s mission outside of the company. Nonprofits use them to raise money for important causes and to spread the word on their movement. We have experience recreating team logos and emblems with perfect accuracy. Just let us know what kind of design you need, and we will take care of the rest.

No one knows what the coin looked like, which unit it came from, or even if this story is entirely true; however, this account is the most widely spread origin story of custom military coins. The first officially recorded use of challenge coins custom made for a unit came from the United States Army during the Korean War (17th Infantry) and the Vietnam War (10th Special Forces Group-A).

The Army remains one of the most prominent organizations involved with the challenge coin tradition, and the coins they create are some of the most unique you will find. It didn’t take long for unit members to start sharing their coins with other service men and women and for the challenge coin tradition to take hold all throughout the armed forces.

If you’re looking for a unique set of unit coins for your team, you’ve come to the right place. Take a look at some of the incredible coins we have made over the years, and find some inspiration for your own custom artwork.

 
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Creating Your Own Piece of Team History

A custom challenge coin always tells a story, whether it’s a coin from the past, the present or one that has yet to be designed. Military unit coins celebrate team heritage and experiences during deployment. Nonprofit coins tell the stories of people in need and the people taking a stand for change. We may be a small custom coin company based in Orlando, but we help people all over the world tell their stories through custom challenge coin design. We know how to make a meaningful and memorable design that’s sure to leave a lasting impression.

Our Signature Coins team provides the easiest, friendliest way to create high-quality challenge coins online. We have experience working with military units, police departments, schools, charities and many other types of customers, and have an unrivaled understanding of the different styles and stories that come from each type of customer. We take pride in our work and are happy to help any customer capture a small piece of history through custom challenge coin design. Send us your ideas today, and see what we can help you create.

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