Military Challenge Coins – An Emerging Trend

There are several people who are unaware of the fact about the Military Challenge Coins and how diversely they are being used these days. The US armed forces give out these custom coins to all their officers and they are a symbol of fraternity and being a part of the force as well. Most coins are unique and each unit has its own logo and prayer that is usually printed on the coin. The coins are usually presented by senior officials to the juniors and they trade these coins among their fellow officers. All those people who own challenge coins know that what importance they actually hold and it’s something to be really proud of.

Military Challenge Coins actually date back to almost a century when they actually came into existence however they have even deeper roots too depending on your way of asking. The story of an American Air Force pilot has been heard about the most, whose plane got shot and he landed in German Territory in the First World War, however the pilot managed to escape later and the coin helped him prove his identity to the US forces later which saved his life. After he managed to escape his pilot was caught by the French soldiers who captured him again, taking him to be a Nazi. They searched him and found a challenge coin within his clothes to which he explained was given to him by his unit as a token of thanks. The coin had the logo on the unit and ran a search for it immediately too which proved the pilot true in what he was claiming. The logo had stopped the French officers to actually take the life of the pilot as he thought of it to be a US logo and made sure that his identity proof was valid. He was later given another challenge coin which said that his life was saved by an executioner.

The coins are no more an insignia related to the military officers; they have become an object of trade among different people which include civil as well as on duty and retired officers related to the government departments of course. Military Custom Coins are also a good way of presenting them to different people as a token of respect and thanks. In the recent past the previous Presidents of the United States; William Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all minted special coins for the state guests that visited the White House. Other countries like Canada, UK and Australia have also started to follow this tradition too.

Due to the vast popularity of the military coins the designs and colors being used in them have also become complex and yet more aspiring for the onlookers. This is also because things have become quite advanced in every field over the past so many years. Previously when the Military Award Coins had been just new the metal was not really good as well as the text on it was barely visible they were not good for what purpose they were actually minted with the text not visible. The present day coins have been changed into 3-D coins which seem like currency coins and have a beautiful look. Now the things have become so vast that the coins can be made according to the desire of every person individually. The most popular and latest features of the coins are those that include all kinds of text, coloring, pictures and logos and anything else that you can name on the team.

An officer related to the different forces actually has a pleasure to be receiving any kind of coin and feels proud in having a good collection of these coins too. The US Air Force arranges a special ceremony for all its passing out cadets and for several Officers as well in which they are presented with Military Challenge Coins for the first time. Several agencies related to the media have actually covered the different award ceremonies that have been given in honor of the war heroes who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan in which they have been awarded with Custom  Award Coins . Due to such programs being held for the military and watched by the civilians the coins have also become popular among the civil departments extensively. Several people have come to know that these coins are the best way of team spirit and the fraternity as well as a morale booster.

Challenge coins have a very deep impact on the military people within the US and countries abroad too. Earlier it was said that only those people can understand the importance of these coins that have been presented by them for their special efforts however now the importance of these coins is known not just within the military units but also among the civil departments as well as the public.