Posted on Mar 27, 2016
Challenge coins. Do you use them, collect them, or both?
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I know they mean something to the older and saltier vets on here so this is geared more towards the younger folks like me. Personally I collect the ones I receive; on great occasion I buy one. I've sold most of the ones I've bought on impulse (yeah I was that boot) except for a few that I haven't been able to. I have yet, however, to run into a situation where I needed to use one (bar scenario).
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 93
I was in during a period of time when you did not see Challenge coins, in the 70's and 80's. Their us blossomed about the same time when you got two automatic ribbons/awards just for making it through Basic, and could get up to 4. That has cheapened the meaning of awards to us old timers.
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I never saw or even heard of a Challenge coin while I was in the Navy. However that was more than 20 years ago.
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Never used them for challenge, only have a few, I got out in 2000. But the 2 I like the most was one I received from Sargent Major of the Army Kidd. And one I received in 2014 at a veterans reception at the Texas Republican Convention from The soon to be Governor Greg Abbott. Just 2 cool coins that have a special meaning to me as the one from Abbott was a couple months before I received my disability rating. Cooler that the coin was seeing him honor all the old school vets to include one that served in WW2, Korea AND Vietnam. Now that's a special man.
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I've never used them. I do collect them. I have a few that were gifted, but most of them I bought as a memento. I have a coin from every base I've been to. I have a coin from every unit I've worked with. I have my boot camp coin. Then I have a coin for every rank I achieved. To me it's like having a piece of history from my contributions to the Marine Corps.
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We used it a lot in korea at the squadron hooch other than that I've never used it
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This is sounding more and more like a pokeman thing.....gotta catchem all lmao
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I like to collect them and pass them to those I've met in the course of my career. I'll buy several of my unit coins and give them to others as a sign of appreciation. For instance, my Career Course instructor collected coins from his students over his years, so I helped to increase his collection. It is a personal touch and adds to the camaraderie between Marines across the Fleet and Reserve.
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Mine are all in a baggie in my desk drawer.... maybe someday I will get around to doing something with them. Maybe.
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I've been given coins more meaningful then most my medals, It's not the coin that adds value but the accomplishment and memory attached.
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When I was in Germany, we had a soldier E5 promotion board. Soldier came in after doing the proper reporting proceedure, he then had the balls to coin challenge the board president. The CSM kicked him out.. the soldier also earned the respect of the CSM and was awarded full board points and was made promotable for E5.
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I live in fear because I lost my Lucky Puppy (131th TFS) coin. Ten years after leaving the squadron I got tagged at a NASCAR race.
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I could and would kill the guy who stole my regimental CSM coin and a 2 star coin I received from FT Campbell. A few years ago a coin to meant more than an award. The coin, was personal. The award a COL or LT. COL sees come across his desk daily.
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Being an older soldier, I remember the pride I got when I first received a coin. If caught without it was the way of getting us I learned after the first time in the shower without it. I still have that first coin, with a hole drilled for my dogtag chain. Over the years they slowly diminished in meaning when you could purchase them. They no longer were a thing rare and everyone had many. They passed inspection and got a coin. I wouldn't trade or sell none of mine. They all have memories even though tarnished a bit
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I never received one while on active duty, but I did get a coin from R Lee Ermy, when we went to Sturgis one year, although it was a true "military" coin, still makes me happy
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I lost a 3-star general coin once. I had it with me while traveling, fell asleep on the mwr couch in an airport and it fell out of my pocket into the couch. I didn't realize it until I was on the plane.
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I cared about coins for all of maybe 6 months. I EARNED my first coin for busting my ass and excelling. I was proud of that coin. Then a few months later I got a coin from General Defretes for nothing more than being in his presence. It was pointless. I did nothing. More trivial coins came after that. See a high ranking individual, shake hands, talk about my job, get a coin. I started discarding them as soon as I got out of sight of the person. My ex wife kept around a dozen I got from 2008 - 2010 but after that I just give them to the closest person to me that's into that sorta thing. Now I'm a SETA Contractor and I get coins from everyone for training Soldiers for deployment (my job) I just hand them straight to the hardest working Soldier I trained that the Command overlooks and never recognizes. Coins are pointless.
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The coins have never meant much of anything to me. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the recognition value of the person giving it to me, but the coin itself has no value to me. I've lost most if not all of my coins, and don't even give them a second thought, until the topic is brought up.
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