When did challenge coins become a thing and what are they used for?

PO2 Dax Hall — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 19:48:36 -0400

I was active duty from 92 to 02 and I never saw them used or given.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 4 at 2018 8:23 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 20:23:10 -0400

PO2 Dax Hall I was active duty from 1968 to 1972, and I also never saw them used. I first heard about them about two years ago on RallyPoint. Here is one RallyPoint Post about Challenge Coins. If you do a search on Challenge Coins, and then click on Answers, you will find other Posts about Challenge Coins.

https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/challenge-coins-what-i-know-about-them

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin

Challenge Coins: What I know about them | RallyPoint

There are many wide-ranging stories, procedures, and misconceptions regarding military challenge coins. There is the ancient history that refers to Roman soldiers offering them to allied fighters to identify themselves as friendly. There are stories about downed fighter pilots in WWII using a coin stamped with a unit insignia to identify himself as American to the French who would rescue him. The modern history though goes back to Vietnam with...

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jul 5 at 2018 12:20 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 12:20:24 -0400

USA,USMC, USAF have an extensive collection- each unit seems to have at least one. Brigade and lower, use them is an Attaboy mostly, Division and above use the in place of a free pass. I've seen them since 73, Rule is if you are coined and can't produce- you buy a round or drink for the coiner- if you reply with a coin, then the coiner has to buy for you/round.

Response by SSgt Holden M. made Jul 5 at 2018 3:52 PM

SSgt Holden M. — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 15:52:33 -0400

I'm not quite sure how far back they go but I would think pretty extensively. I knew a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force that had quite an extensive collection that went back 30 years makes me wonder if they came out in the Army and Air Force towards the end of Vietnam.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jul 5 at 2018 6:28 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 18:28:40 -0400

I have seen coins used since 1989, Army had them back to the 1970s. They used to be serial numbered and were exchanged for 3-4day passes....or you kept it. Now you just keep it.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2018 7:53 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 19:53:40 -0400

They started with in the SF (GB's) community during Vietnam ODA teams used them, and carried over to those that worked with and supported and went on form there. I know we were giving them out in the late 90's, received a couple of them even got one with my SCWS pin in 1998.Then some other ones form commanders and Master Chiefs, so we as Seabees have been using them since mid 90's and I believe before that.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Jul 5 at 2018 8:11 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 20:11:13 -0400

17th Infantry Regt. This coin history began in 1951, during the Korean War, when Lt. Gen. (then Colonel) William "Buffalo Bill" Quinn while the 17th Infantry Regiment Commander created this coin to present to members of the 17th Infantry Regiment. He was given the name "Buffalo Bill" by the 7th Infantry Division Commander as his radio callsign.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 6 at 2018 3:01 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 15:01:10 -0400

They’re pieces of flair. Every unit I was ever in, worked with or walked by had challenge coins. Units sold them to complement their slush funds, and leadership had special coins made to denote a job well done. Someone might have a coin made to represent a specific deployment; I’ve got one for Northern Watch that a teammate had commissioned for his squad in 2001. The challenge: if someone presented a coin and you couldn’t do the same, you owed them a drink. It was not a little thing in the Air Force.
I carried one around for years, because I was all ate up and gung ho once upon a time..

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Apr 20 at 2019 7:08 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Sat, 20 Apr 2019 19:08:42 -0400

I served from 66 to 89 and first saw one when I attended a joint airlift planning conference hosted by the Air Force where they gave a numbered coin to each attendee. I asked a fellow Marine officer what it was, but we both had to corner an Air Force officer at the bar that evening to find out what it was. Never saw one again until well after I retired in 89.