Army Coins

Army Challenge Coins are specialized custom-made coins bearing the insignia or emblem of a particular squadron or unit of the U.S. Army. The significance of the coins pertains to a legend dating back to World War I. So strong is the resulting tradition that, nearly a century later, military personnel habitually carry their challenge coins with them.

THE LEGEND

Air warfare was a new concept during World War I. Unlike earlier times when militia were manned by working-class men, air squadrons were manned by men from all walks of life, wealthy or poor. As the story goes, one wealthy lieutenant had a custom coin created as a gift to his unit as a memento of their service together. The coin was gold-plated and quite valuable. One of the other soldiers, who had never owned anything of such value became very attached an began to wear the coin in a pouch around his neck for safekeeping.

The young soldier’s habit of sentimentally carrying the coin with him at all times would later save his life. Finding himself trapped behind enemy lines with a damaged aircraft, he struggled to return to safety without success. He was trapped by German soldiers and on his way to a permanent prisoner of war facility when, by some stroke of luck, allied forces attacked and took the German camp. However, having no form of identification after being stripped of his belongings by his in-prisoners the French army nearly executed him for worry that he was an enemy soldier. The coin he wore around his neck was the only thing that distinguished him as an aly-thus saving his life.

Thus began the tradition of carrying one’s squadron coin at all times.