History

…when a US Lieutenant had coins struck for each member of his squadron. For one pilot shot down behind enemy lines, the coin proved to be a lifeline. Stripped of his dog tags, the pilot used his Challenge Coin to prove to allied French troops that he was not a spy. It saved his life. Following their use as a badge of identity, the Challenge Coin tradition evolved to individual military personnel being challenged to display their unit’s coin as a sign of belonging. If the coin could not be produced, the soldier had to complete a ‘challenge’ to prove their team spirit. Today soldiers exchange Challenge Coins with colleagues as a memento of mateship. The coin holder can still be ‘challenged’, but this is performed with more esprit de corps (and usually involves a round at the bar)!