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The Challenge Coin History

Custom commemorative coins date back in history for many years.  The use of custom coins in the United States can be traced to 1824. There are Andrew Jackson for President Campaign Coins from the 1824 election supporting this evidence. Its probably fair to assume that custom commemorative coins didn’t originate in that year.

This story of the challenge coin was passed on to us through a succession of Marines from World War one.

During the first World War American volunteers from around the country joined the newly formed flying squadrons. Some were wealthy young men who dropped out of colleges such as Yale and Harvard to enlist in the military and serve their country.

In one squadron, a wealthy lieutenant ordered solid bronze medallions embossed with the squadron emblem for every member of his squadron. He carried his medallion in a small leather sack about his neck.

Shortly after acquiring the medallions, the lieutenant’s aircraft crash landed from enemy fire behind enemy lines where he was captured by a German patrol.

The Germans took all of his personal possessions except for the coin which he had concealed from them.

After being transported to a small French town near the front lines the lieutenant managed to escape during the commotion of a bomb raid on the town. During the attack, he donned civilian clothes and fled without personal identification.

After escaping, the brave pilot succeeded in avoiding German patrols until he reached the front lines. With great difficulty, he crossed no-man's land and stumbled into a French outpost.

Unfortunately, the French in this sector had been plagued by German saboteurs, who sometimes masqueraded as civilians and wore civilian clothes. Not recognizing the young pilot's American accent, the French thought him to be a saboteur and made ready to execute him.

The American lieutenant remembered his bronze medallion. He showed the medallion to his would-be executioners. When the French captors recognized the squadron insignia on the medallion, they gave the pilot enough time to confirm his identity. Instead of shooting him, they gave him a bottle of wine.

Eventually the pilot made it back to his squadron, where it became a tradition to ensure all members carried their medallion or coin at all times.

This was accomplished through a challenge. A service member would ask to see the coin. If the challenger could not produce his coin, he was required to purchase a drink of choice for the member who had challenged him.

If the challenged member produced his coin, then the challenging member was required to pay for the drink.

This tradition continued through the war and for many years after while surviving members of the squadron were still alive.

Today, military service members often trade these coins while deployed. In some cases a coin can be earned meritoriously for a job well done.

Regardless of how they are required, the history of the challenge coin remains a part of military tradition, and Marines will continue to display them proudly for years to come.