Does a Veteran presenting a Challenge Coin carry the same weight as one still in service?

This whole discussion is fascinating to an antique like myself.

I only even heard about challenge coins a few years ago. Now that I have acquired a couple I'm going to have to cruise the bars looking for opportunities for free drinks.

I have a shoebox with my coins in them in my closet with most of my other military things. I haven't been coin checked but maybe one time in the past year. About the only time I carry a coin is when I go to a casino and I use it when I play Texas Holdem to cover my hole cards, lol.

I still carry one with me, to me it is part pride and partly a reminder of the successful career I had as an NCO. The rest of my coins are displayed on my entertainment stand, and are usually a good conversation piece for my civilian friends and family that see them for the first time.

I have made a lot of different coins for veterans in the past and they often use them to give them away to friends and other supporters of their cause. Pretty cool to make something people care about and will keep with them for maybe the rest of their lives.

Mine are more important to me than my awards... The awards will likely end up in a shadow box that becomes part of the background.. My coins will be a tangible thing my son can play with and appreciate as he grows older..

Yeah no I usually give them to my kids to play with! When I seen a Soldier get a coin I just think they deserved an award but their leader to lazy to actually do a 638.

thank you all for sharing this conversation , when I was in I never saw coins only unit cress and rings.

Challenge Coin Clue Free Zone.

Never even heard of them until I met a retired USAF E-9 and saw his collection.

I belong to a military support group that presents Challenge coins to all returning personnel that we greet in our area . The coin, to us , tells the troops that we have their backs at home while they have ours when they are on duty . We just received an PFC from the sandbox who immediately told us that the coin will be treasured since he lost three comrades just before he came stateside. Everybody in the airport at PHL were in tears showing the emotion that this proud PFC had for his fellow troops. He received a commendation from our sister organization, A Heros Welcome , a MASWI Star to carry with him at all times and Warrior Beads from Warriors Watch Riders (my group) . We hope he will display those proudly.

I confess to being completely mystified by the challenge coin bit, but have acquired a few for my old units, service branch, rank, tour locale... just because I liked how they look. The notion that I could get free booze is interesting, but the possibility seems remote.