Commerce in the modern day is slowly moving away from physical notes and coins of the old days in favor of digital currencies. For many, this evolution is welcomed; to others, it’s a regression from the old days.
Luckily there’s a way for you to hang on to the nostalgia of the past. You and your friends could get challenge coins together.
What are challenge coins, and where do they come from? Here is a brief synopsis of their origins and why getting one could link you to the past in more ways than you think.
What Are Challenge Coins Anyway?
Challenge coins are coins that have no inherent monetary value but instead have symbolic value. They’re designed to represent membership into organizations, clubs, and to recognize various achievements.
Challenge coins often have emblems and insignias of the organizations they represent. They can also bear the mottos of the organizations and the coins usually fit in your palm. There are so many reasons to use them.
The Many Legends of the Challenge Coin
Challenge coins have a long and muddled history, but that only adds to their prestige. Their roots come from several different places and periods of time.
Ancient & Early Modern History
It is supposed that the first usage of challenge coins hail from ancient Rome. The Romans, known for their excellence in war and innovation, had a history of gifting special rewards to soldiers of merit.
They gave coins to their soldiers; for soldiers or units who exhibited bravery or excellence in battles, they would be rewarded with their wage and a special coin, minted just for them that would often carry the insignia of the legion as well.
Another story of their origins comes from the religious wars of Europe in 17th century France, where King Louis XIV persecuted French Protestants.
The Huguenots would have to conduct services and practices in secret. So to avoid infiltration, members had to carry their communion coin to show if they were challenged.
Known Origins
Where we know more about their origins supposedly come from WWI. There was an American fighter pilot who had been gifted a challenge coin by his lieutenant. While he was on a mission, his plane was shot down behind enemy lines.
Germans captured him and they took everything from him except his coin. He eventually was able to escape to the French battle lines, but he had no identification.
The French soldiers believed him to be a German saboteur and had decided to execute him, but his coin saved him.
He showed it to them and one of the French soldiers recognized the insignia that was on it. When he was finally returned to his squad, everyone in his squad was to always carry their challenge coins.
Get Your Challenge Coins Today
Challenge coins have a long and storied past that makes it an honor to own one. Become a part of the tradition today, get together with some of your old friends, and do it together.
So when people ask you about it, you can show them your coin with pride as you tell them the story of how you came to own it.
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