Personal Challenge Coins.

2013-12-12T10:22:13-05:00

For background, many moons ago (I think it was four or five deployments ago) I was in a unit that was pretty bad about awards being based off of rank, as opposed to actual accomplishment. The predictable end result was that the more junior Soldiers were getting the short end of the stick, many of which actually threw away their medals immediately after the ceremony in disgust. While I can't fix the Army awards system, I decided to have my own personal coin created, so that I could in some way bridge the gap, show them that at least SOMEONE appreciated their efforts,& that someone noticed and cared. The coins turned out to be very well received, even if people do sometimes give me a bit of a ribbing for having my own coin, but it's a tradition I've continued, because frankly you never know when a Soldier will be in dire need of a gesture of appreciation, and I think of it as a small way I can hopefully pull someone out of the dumps, show them someone appreciated them. My question to you all is this; am I really the only one with my own coin? I didn't think it was all that odd of a thing to do, but other than one or two, I've actually not met anyone else who has their own personal coin. Commander coins, CSM's, Generals, Units, all these we see all the time, but personal seem to be a rarity.

Response by SFC James Baber made Dec 12 at 2013 10:55 AM

2013-12-12T10:55:50-05:00

I have seen many personal coins over the last decade, now whether or not it is counted as a command, CSM, or 1SG is where the debate will come in. I have seen and received many coins that have the issuers name on the coin from SMA, COS, GEN CMD, CSM on down to the company CDR/1SG, even PLT SGT/LT coins with the individual names of each on them. I have even seen coins that were company or platoon issued with members of a team listed on them as well. So to answer your question, no you are not alone, now you may be alone if you came out of pocket for these coins to be produced as I know that for the most part to have a coin made you must order the dye and a minimum most times of 100-200 coins to have it done. So to add to your question did you pay for these out of pocket or find a way for it to processed through the PAO channels to pay for it? Just curious.

Response by SFC James Baber made Dec 12 at 2013 11:33 AM

2013-12-12T11:33:55-05:00

I have seen personal coin literally, it had the individual persons name on the coin along with rank and unit as part of the dye for the coin. That was a pretty penny for you to put out on your own, I know when I was a retention NCO and a recruiter, it was in our budget, but I also had to do the workup, get the prices and get the command approval before I could order them, and the initial dye price was the big chunk and then the minimum order of coins was the other piece of the money as well. So I applaud your effort as I know it wasn't cheap.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Dec 12 at 2013 12:01 PM

2013-12-12T12:01:36-05:00

While not many people have personal coins, I like the reason why you went and did this! You are right, you never know when someone will need a gesture like that and how a simple act such as presenting someone with a coin will impact their moral. I say keep it up!

By the way, if anyone else is looking to make coins, may I suggest check out Minnichs Metals, Awards & More (http://www.minnichsmetals.com/). This company is based in Eastern PA and is a Veteran Owned Business. I've used them to make the official Steel CIty Vets coin and they came out great and Minnichs worked with me from start to finish and it is always good to help a local Veterans Owned Business out.

Minnichs Metals, Awards & More

Trophies and custom made challenge coins. One of the largest trophy companies in Northeast PA!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2013 12:34 PM

2013-12-12T12:34:53-05:00

I really like the intent here. While i stand by some of the awards system for responsibility and achievement ( I have realized that a big part of compensation is how bad your worse case scenario is) i agree that awards are rarely pushed up or down for individual achievement, especially at the junior enlisted level. (cue Oprah saying "EVERYBODY GETS AN AAM!") <div> </div><div>Like Sun Tzu asks regarding which army will when in a conflict " In which army is there the <a name="46" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"></a>greater constancy both in reward and punishment?" </div>

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2013 3:11 PM

2013-12-12T15:11:08-05:00

I have in my coin collection three coins that mean a great deal to me, but no one else would understand.  At my previous (first) unit, I kept my coin collection out on my desk, and one day my supervisor walked by and handed me a nickel... he said something to the effect of "here's my coin to add to your collection." A few months later, the office NCOIC (E7) was passing by and added a quarter after hearing that the nickel was my supervisor's coin. On a third occasion, the NCOIC (E8) of the whole Directorate dropped a dollar into my coin collection as HIS coin.  These three coins and a thank-you note mean more to me than the PCS award that I got when I left...

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2013 5:28 PM

2013-12-12T17:28:54-05:00

That is a great looking coin! I made a coin by printing out the front of the coin and attaching it to a pog with tape. I handed them out to soldiers saying "if you don't like it you can spend it at AAFES. Soldiers worked harder for that than when I had a real coin in command.

Response by COL George Reed made Dec 12 at 2013 6:31 PM

2013-12-12T18:31:31-05:00

I funded my coins as a battalion commander. They were clearly marked as a commander's coin for excellence. It did not say "Reenlist" or have any other purpose than to recognize someone who was caught doing something right. I think it meant more to the soldiers that it was funded out of my pocket. There may be some circumstances where it is appropriate to spend appropriated funds for coins, but I preferred to avoid all that and make it a personal investment. 

Response by SSG Kevin McCulley made Dec 12 at 2013 9:08 PM

2013-12-12T21:08:45-05:00

Way back when I was a wee pup in 2/3 Inf on my first deployment, one of my brothers went up to our BN CSM and gave him a PFC coin from the PX and told him he was doing a hell of a job. I've never seen a CSM smile like that. It was quite epic. 

Response by LTC Jason Bartlett made Dec 12 at 2013 9:32 PM

2013-12-12T21:32:38-05:00

I made my own coin when I was in Command, it was a 3in coin. Well worth the cost. 

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2013 9:36 AM

2013-12-13T09:36:57-05:00

I first deployed as a SSG Sergeant and saw my Specialists and Corporal only receive AAMs for 14 months of tough work on a unique mission.  I spent a lot of time on their award write ups but could not overcome the rank hurdle.  My response was to present each Soldier and NCO on my team a framed collection of personalized deployment photos.  The framing was completed by my wife and I.  The plaques were presented to the guys during a post deployment dinner in front of the Soldiers' families where I tried to explain their contribution to the team.  I commend you Staff Sergeant for seeking to make things right at your level. Sometimes the higher echelons get it wrong but we shouldn't just sit around and complain about it.  

Response by MSG Brian Breaker made Dec 14 at 2013 3:13 AM

2013-12-14T03:13:02-05:00

I think it's a great idea. Commanders and Senior NCO's at all levels have coins. I have always thought of making my own, but not sure what I would put on it. I think you just motivated me to design my my first challenge coin.

Response by CMC Robert Young made Jan 30 at 2014 6:40 PM

2014-01-30T18:40:33-05:00

SSG, you are not the only person to fund their own coins. The Chief of the Mess at my last unit and the school chief for the Coast Guard's law enforcement rating school; the LANT Area CMC and the Senior Enlisted Reserve Advisor to the SECDEF among others all developed their own coin. All figure prominently in the coin box in my office at home. I would also offer that one of my units had a similar situation with regard to awards. Our parent command for some extended time refused to process awards submitted through the food chain. Concurrently, I discovered one of my guys was a phenomenal artist; gave him some ideas about what I wanted on the coin; and left him alone to develop a two sided unit coin. We the (the senior enlisted) found a vendor; paid them to have the coins manufactured with serial numbers on them; and then developed an accompanying certificate with the coin graphic superimposed and our best Davy Jones Locker verbiage on it. When we began giving them to our crew, we made a big deal out of it; formation in front of the unit; told what the member had done to earn the coin; asked for them to speak to the crew once we were finished. A chief (E7 & up) had to recommend to the chiefs' mess (five most senior enlisted leaders) that a member had earned a coin, and a vote of thumbs up or down determined who got a coin. The crew found out what went into the coin; the certificate; and the recommendation. It was a shot in the arm for morale, and it wasn't uncommon to find the coin certificates displayed in individual work spaces. Good on you for doing what you do. That's leadership at its best...;-) Don't let anybody give your crap for being a good leader.

Response by SSG Kevin McCulley made Feb 7 at 2014 12:37 AM

2014-02-07T00:37:29-05:00

Check this one out. Fox had a contest where NCOs could report everything that was wrong with the pilot of Enlisted ( I had a full page, size 12 font) and they would send you a coin. Here is said coin. It is now my favorite. :)

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2014 7:38 AM

2014-05-10T07:38:10-04:00

I think its a great Idea, as a SQD LDR or PSG, creating a coin like that really makes the Soldiers proud to be in that unit. Look at me I am in 1st PLT "warriors". It can be given to the Soldiers when they PCS (if they did not already get one) or given to outside people who come into contact with the PLT or SQD. OCs, CSMs etc, but they got to earn it too!!!!

Response by CPT Jacob Swartout made Jun 15 at 2014 5:38 PM

2014-06-15T17:38:36-04:00

Who did you use to make your coins? I have seen several ones out there like challenge coins r us.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2014 5:59 PM

2014-06-15T17:59:13-04:00

As an incentive to strive for excellence on the APFT, my 1SG created a coin of his own to award to soldiers that score 250 or above. After seeing the first round of coins go out, I have been motivated to earn a 250 coin.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2015 8:38 PM

2015-01-21T20:38:37-05:00

As part of my final project in a discipleship class in seminary I designed a personal coin to use as a basis for Christian discipleship. I was the only one in the class who had any military experience, but once I explained the idea of challenge coins everyone loved the idea. I got an A on the project. Never have had the coin minted, but I still have the design. I may need to pull it back out and actually have it made.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2015 5:47 PM

2015-01-26T17:47:19-05:00

SFC Michael Hasbun, you are not the only one with an individual coin. I agree with you that I did not think it was an odd or unusual thing to create and have my own coin. I was the Range Control NCOIC at Bagram for quite a while. The range location was far away from where the rest of the Garrison folks worked, and it was easier to have this made than to try to chase down the Garrison Commander or the Garrison CSM.
My favorite part of having my own coin is being able to present them to people who I thing are worthy, by my own standards of achievement; rather than having to explain to someone else why this or that person deserves to be presented with someone's coin.

Response by LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 7:49 PM

2015-06-18T19:49:24-04:00

I made this challenge coin for my ship a few years ago. It still is one of my favorite and most cherished. I have made 1,000's of coins since then and always look back at it as a reference to keep creating some killer coins.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2015 6:42 PM

2015-08-23T18:42:12-04:00

I was only 1LT I knew who made his own company command coins. I did for my company command when I was a CPT too. Helps as you said recognize more people as the LTCs and their CSMs and above cannot be everywhere and they have a limit on their coins that the military will pay for.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 8:10 AM

2015-08-28T08:10:29-04:00

I do not have my own coin but I do thank you for going the extra mile. That shows that you care about your troops. Bravo Zulu.

Response by Michael Kirchhubel made Feb 19 at 2016 3:59 PM

2016-02-19T15:59:48-05:00

I actually had "thinking of you" coins made and sent 1000 to the troops. I had more made, but they were stolen. Getting ready to start up again though.

Response by Sam Carter made Mar 28 at 2017 4:12 PM

2017-03-28T16:12:28-04:00

The coins I have posted are made from http://www.challengecoins4u.com. All the pictures are extra coins that were sent back to us from customers to show us out the actual product turned out from concept to reality :)

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Mar 29 at 2017 3:51 PM

2017-03-29T15:51:04-04:00

ONE AND ONLY

Response by CW4 Scott Hyde made Apr 1 at 2017 4:45 PM

2017-04-01T16:45:03-04:00

I went the poker chip route.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2017 10:13 PM

2017-04-01T22:13:20-04:00

I am a SSG in the army reserves now and on my deployment in2013 I had my own coin made and halfway through the deployment I gave them out to all the soldiers in my unit and even a few to the Germans we worked with and the interpreters as well they were all in shock that a SSG would do something like this. I even gave on to a MAJ and he had told me that it was the first coin he had ever got from an NCO in his 18 plus career. I think more NCO'S should do this I think it means more to the soilder than any award.
SSG A

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2017 10:34 PM

2017-04-01T22:34:45-04:00

I actually created a personal poker chip coin when I became a CSM. I had them done while I was at PCC courtesy of our prisoners there. I did it mostly so I could give them to who ever I wanted without having to abide by the crazy rules for unit coins. Since there are a lot of restrictions on when and who you can give them to, it was a good solution for me.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2017 11:07 PM

2017-04-01T23:07:29-04:00

As a young E5 I bought a bunch of the PX E5 coins. I would give them to Soldiers who were busting there ass with little recognition. As I handed them this simple coin I would tell them " keep this in a safe place, this is my rookie coin. When I become a CSM you can trade this in." Now as a BDE CSM I have crossed paths with a couple of those Soldiers. As we catch up I offer them the opportunity to trade up. I haven't had one taker. They all say the same thing. That one coin at that particular time meant a lot to them.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2017 12:25 PM

2017-12-04T12:25:34-05:00

Back when I was the FDO for a M-198 Battery, my section got overlooked when the VIPs including the 2-Star stopped by our firing point. My Soldiers busted their butts during that LFX and we were the fastest Battery in the Battalion to fire. Several of the guys on the gun line got coins but my FDC guys didn't. I went to the PX and got 1LT coins for my section. I presented each one of my Soldiers a coin. I acknowledged that a 1LT coin wasn't much, but I wanted to let them know their hard work was appreciated by me.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Apr 25 at 2018 7:14 PM

2018-04-25T19:14:03-04:00

UPDATE!

The new command coin is in! ;o)

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jul 9 at 2018 11:29 PM

2018-07-09T23:29:16-04:00

Oops. Repeat

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Aug 28 at 2018 9:16 AM

2018-08-28T09:16:59-04:00

I think the coin thing has gone away, I work for the NAVY and I have not seen one coin given away since I have been here in 2010 to a civilian or even military will being here. The cost I was told.

Response by CPL Cord Nipper made Oct 17 at 2018 8:12 AM

2018-10-17T08:12:44-04:00

My cousin was the BN motor NCOIC for (I believe) 1/327.
He had a "coin" made in the shape of a wrench to give out to his troops who went above and beyond yet didn't meet the unit's criteria for an award.
I have one of them and they're pretty sharp.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2018 7:24 PM

2018-10-17T19:24:58-04:00

At this point I have a lot of coins. There are very few these days that I put in my pocket to take home.

One of the ones that I did put in my pockets was a store bought specialist coin. I had an old soldier of mine give it to me after I took him to the sergeant board. And still have a hell of a story to go with it these days.

Response by CPL Chris Palmberg made Oct 17 at 2018 8:40 PM

2018-10-17T20:40:02-04:00

The first coin I ever received was from a company commander who was enroute back to his AO at NTC when his driver hit a washout and busted the windshield with her helmet. I was providing real- world medical care to a LOGPAC nearby and was flagged down by an OC. My driver & I busted our humps getting get packaged up and evac'ed. No Medevac available because of a storm, and so it was 2 hours cross country in the era before NODs had made it to the Reserve Component, in blackout drive, with the CO navigating. The only thing I have ever been awarded that I cherish more was my CMB.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 18 at 2018 7:55 AM

2018-10-18T07:55:32-04:00

I joined the infantry at 34 years old. Before that I taught gymnastics and dance for most of my life. I was graced with having a former student join the navy to go thur BUDS and go further down range and let me know that I was an influence on his life. I bring this up because as a teacher and now back to being a student, I see your act of recognition to your soldiers and applaud all of you.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2019 9:50 PM

2019-04-26T21:50:11-04:00

Gave a SPC coin I carved my name in with a pocket knife to General Lengyel when he came to visit us. He seemed pretty happy when he got it and he gave me his in exchange. Good times

Response by SGT Mark Estes made Sep 7 at 2020 11:51 AM

2020-09-07T11:51:52-04:00

Nice looking coin too!