Challenge coins. Do you use them, collect them, or both?

Coins nowadays really don't mean much. They are given out so frequently and for the dumbest shit

I collect them they are precious memories of my career and I have only been challenged once and my coin was a 2 star his was a 1 star

I keep all of mine. I have over 40 of them and can remember when and why I received each one. Using them is slowly fading away. I've explained on more than one occasion on what "coining" means. We had a unit Dining Out in Dec, and one of the questions I asked the CDR was what are the rules of coining for the event. We established a solid set of quasi "rule" (I think they were to protect the innocent. We have 3 brand new 2LT's). Good times were had by all.

I keep a Presidential Coin in my pocket. I've been challenged once or twice at the VFW or by old guys when they come to the school to teach a class. They never challenge me twice. Only good thing that ever came from Clinton. Lol

I have taken duplicate unit coins I have received and passed them to deserving soldiers, telling them what I had done to deserve it.

Challenge coins were not a thing when I was in the Navy (82-86). My son just finished his 2nd year of NROTC, and as I dropped him off at the airport to head to summer training, he gave me a 75th anniversary coin for his school's NROTC unit. Is that a "challenge coin?" It is about the size of a silver dollar, and very heavy.

There was a day when only paratroopers had coins, usually after an initiation into a unit by a festivity known as a "Prop blast".

Thereafter, anyone caught without his coin, bought the challenger a drink.

Now look at it. Another tradition spoiled by legs who wannabe Airborne.

I have a few, but never used them to get a drink at the bar. I always felt that in it's history it had it's time. For me, it was a coin, and only at my last base did my fellow unit members go almost overboard with it. Somehow, it lost it's spirit at that point... It became more of a game and a way to ostracize someone who either never got one, or maybe left it at home. I still have mine and will treasure it always.

They were only starting to come into Vogue in the Navy at the end of my Career but they are pretty cool and I've bought a couple and received one from a National Guard Co-Worker.

Challenge Coins Were meant to mean something back in the days as to now it is a dog and pony show to receive one. Tradition has left the building as well as Customs and Courtesies. Let's go old school and bring back the Real Backbone.

Only coins that ever mattered to me were ones with an EOD crab on them and that was mostly so I didn't get coin dropped

I'm giving you a thumbs up for the BIRF SOC photo.

Nope, never had them when I was in. A "Thanks for a good job" or a letter of appreciation was all we needed. Hell, we didn't have enough funds to pay for shit paper! No diesel for the trucks! And we gave a shit about some "coin" that is the military's answer to Hallmark? What a waste of money.

I have a collection of them. They range from the III Armored Corps Commanding General to the SGM of the Army (Long story for both, so not here). All of them were directly awarded to me with the "secret handshake," from the person whose coin it was. All of these I consider award coins.
Despite how high ranking some of them were, the one I am most proud of, and still carry, is my 2nd ID coin. It was awarded for being in the combat division. It served the purpose the original coins were for. I see it as an actual challenge coin. In my eyes, the others are not.

I ran into one Ammo troop at Bush Intercontinental airport who coined checked me, the one time i didn't have my ammo coin, and it seemed like vets and active duty came out of the woodwork at that airport bar. I had a $300 tab by the time I had to catch my next flight lol

I first enlisted in 2006. Here's the Corps as I first knew it:
There was no CFT. The PFT was done twice a year.
You were waived from height and weight standards if you got a first class on the PFT.
Rifle qualification consisted only of Table 1 for score. The other tables were to expend ammo.
You ironed in the creases to your khaki shirts both long sleeve and short sleeve.
The Post 9/11 GI Bill didn't exist just yet.
There was good expectation that you would deploy to either Iraq or Afghanistan at least once.
ISCs had more involvement with computer-related issues and emails than today.
Blackberries were the only smart phones, and you held high freaking status if you were issued one.
Annual training was done via DEATH BY POWERPOINT.
Most of the older command who were in during Operations Desert Shield and Storm had yet to retire.
My first issued weapon was an M16A2. No ACOGs; just iron sights.
Don't Ask Don't Tell was still a thing, but the Corps was a lot gayer then (just my personal opinion).
Loan sharks, for used car dealerships especially, were a much bigger problem than they are now.
Boot camp reference: 3rd Recruit Battalion was based literally in the woods away from the main parts of Parris Island. We even had our own parade deck.
You done f**ked up if your team/squad leader addressed you by rank, first, and last name and took you to an isolated spot for a private chat.
My MOS school had the students from Army, Navy, and Marines train and learn together except for PT and field drill.
You were issued Birth Control Glasses.
It was financially outstanding to reenlist as a musician (5-digit bonuses).

I have a few, a couple given, some gifted from Battles, and a few bought. The one's I bought are from the Forts/Bases I've been to. With the exception of the blood donation coin, I donated $10 for that after donating blood.

I was a bartender after I got out. Had a couple soldiers come in and I gave them their first bar challenge. I ended up giving them both a couple free because I was impressed they 1) knew what it was and 2) actually had coins on them.

Don't fit in the soda machines, so not very useful to me. I jut cherish my coin from the POTUS (W), Wolfowitz when he was deputy SoD, and those from a few Generals.

I still have all of the ones I was presented. The best was from the Secretary of Defense while in Riyadh.