THE TRADITION OF THE CHALLENGE COIN IS OFTEN TRACED TO MILITARY AVIATORS DURING WORLD WAR I, WHEN MEMBERS OF A FLYING SQUADRON CARRIED MEDALLIONS BEARING THEIR UNIT’S INSIGNIA AS SYMBOLS OF SERVICE, CAMARADERIE, AND PRIDE.

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ACCORDING TO A LONG-STANDING MILITARY LEGEND, ONE OF THESE COINS PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE WHEN AN AMERICAN PILOT WAS SHOT DOWN BEHIND ENEMY LINES. AFTER ESCAPING CAPTIVITY AND REACHING FRIENDLY FORCES, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO USE HIS SQUADRON MEDALLION TO HELP ESTABLISH HIS IDENTITY. THE STORY BECAME PART OF THE TRADITION THAT SERVICE MEMBERS SHOULD ALWAYS CARRY THEIR COIN.

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OVER TIME, THIS TRADITION DEVELOPED INTO THE WELL-KNOWN “COIN CHALLENGE.” MEMBERS WOULD CHALLENGE ONE ANOTHER TO PRESENT THEIR COINS. THOSE UNABLE TO PRODUCE THEIRS WERE EXPECTED TO BUY A ROUND; IF EVERYONE PRESENTED THEIR COIN, THE CHALLENGER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ROUND.

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MORE THAN A CENTURY LATER, CHALLENGE COINS HAVE BECOME ENDURING SYMBOLS OF HONOR, SERVICE, ACHIEVEMENT, UNITY, AND TRADITION. THEY ARE PRESENTED AND EXCHANGED THROUGHOUT THE MILITARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, CORPORATIONS, AND COUNTLESS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

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TODAY, A CHALLENGE COIN IS MORE THAN A PIECE OF METAL. IT REPRESENTS AN ACHIEVEMENT, A SHARED EXPERIENCE, AN ORGANIZATION, AND A STORY WORTH REMEMBERING.