CHALLENGE COINS
The history of the Challenge Coin is steeped in legend. Some stories date it’s origin to WWI, some to the Korean War and some to the Vietnam War. The purpose of the Challenge Coin in all cases however, remains the same; to foster moral and instill pride in ones service and unit.
The earliest known example of a Challenge Coin in existence today dates to the Korean War, but wide issuance of these types of medals did not occur until the Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War the traditions of always carrying your Challenge Coin and of challenging for drinks grew to widespread practice with service personnel.
Colorized Enduring Freedom Commercial Challenge Coin, Army Reserve.
In the last 20 years the practice of issuing Challenge Coins has grown tremendously, with both privately produced commercial coins available and Commander issued Unit coins being commissioned and awarded for exemplary service. Commercial Challenge Coins can be purchased on many Internet sites and are available for every branch of service. Commander commissioned Challenge Coins are normally awarded within the Unit and are prized by the recipient to the extent that they are far less often sold, traded or given away. When commissioned unit coins do eventually get sold they usually trade at higher values than the more ordinary commercial types.
We have grouped the Challenge Coin listings into the two categories of commercial and commissioned. The listings and images presented in the commercial area are products of the Northwest Territorial Mint. As the production of Challenge Coins today is so great and the issues so plentiful that an extensive listing of both commissioned and commercial issues would have been impossible to compile at this time, we have chosen to offer a representative grouping of each type.
Additional information on challenge coins can be had from the private web site www.militarycoins.com.
U. S. ARMY PHOTO BY SGT TOM PULLIN
SGT Manuel Herrera and PV2 Rittin from San Antonio, TX with the 277th Engineering Company, 420th Engineering Brigade in San Antonio, TX carefully monitor their course as they lay asphalt while expanding the taxiway at Balad Air Base on Camp Anaconda, Iraq.
Commercial Challenge Coins
Air Force
| Value | |
| Air Force J.R.O.T.C. | $12.50 |
| Air Force seal, uniface | $12.50 |
| Air National Guard | $12.50 |
| Air National Guard Family | $12.50 |
| Aircraft Maintenance, Military figure | $12.50 |
| Aircraft Maintenance, Military figure, flag and | $12.50 |
| crossed wrenches | |
| Airman (Officer) | $12.50 |
| Chief Master Sergeant | $12.50 |
| Civil Air Patrol, 60th Anniversary, antique finish | $12.50 |
| Civil Air Patrol, 60th Anniversary, proof finish | $12.50 |
| Command Chief Master Sergeant | $12.50 |
| First Sergeant (one patch) | $12.50 |
| First Sergeant (three patches) | $12.50 |
| Grade officer (Captain) | $12.50 |
| Military Spouse | $12.50 |
| NCO (Staff and Technical Sergeant) | $12.50 |
| NCO Creed | $12.50 |
| Operation Desert Storm, 1991 | $15.00 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, antique finish, new emblem | $12.50 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, antique finish, old emblem | $12.50 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, proof finish, new emblem | $12.50 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, proof finish, old emblem | $12.50 |
| Skunk Works, F-117 | $12.50 |
| Skunk Works, F-22 | $12.50 |
| Skunk Works, SR-71 | $12.50 |
| Skunk Works, U-2 | $12.50 |
| SNCO (Chief or Senior Master Sergeant) | $12.50 |
| Thunderbirds (Proof finish) | $17.50 |
| Top 3, Chief Master, Senior Master and Master Sergeant | $12.50 |
| Top 3, same as above, highlights polished. | $15.00 |
| U.S. Air Force | $12.50 |
| Well Done | $12.50 |
147 Fighter Wing - Houston TX
CAP 60th Anniversary
Army
| Value | |
| Army National Guard | $12.50 |
| Army National Guard Family | $12.50 |
| Army seal, uniface | $12.50 |
| Command Sergeant Major | $12.50 |
| Drill Sergeant, large emblem | $12.50 |
| Drill Sergeant, two men flanking emblem | $15.00 |
| Emblem | $12.50 |
| Great Seal - Operation Noble Eage, Iraqi Freedom, | $15.00 |
| Enduring Freedom, 50mm | |
| Master Sergeant | $12.50 |
| Military Spouse | $12.50 |
| NCO Creed with Department of the Army emblem | $12.50 |
| NCO Creed with eagle and stripes | $12.50 |
| Operation Enduring Freedom, Let's Roll | $15.00 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, antique finish | $12.50 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, proof finish | $12.50 |
| Quartermaster Corps | $15.00 |
| Rangers lead the way | $12.50 |
| Sergeant First Class | $12.50 |
| Sergeant Major | $12.50 |
| Tank, flag and two soldiers. | $12.50 |
| Warrant Officer | $15.00 |
Coast Guard
| Value | |
| 50th Anniversary, proof finish | $12.50 |
| Emblem colored | $12.50 |
| Emblem, antique finish | $12.50 |
| USCGC Eagle, antique finish | $12.50 |
| USCGC Eagle, proof finish | $12.50 |
Dept. of Defense
| Value | |
| Armed Forces Day, 50th Anniversary | $12.50 |
| Joint Staff seal, uniface | $12.50 |
| Joint Staff seal, uniface | $15.00 |
| Pentagon 50th Anniversary | $15.00 |
Marine Corps
| Value | |
| Flag Raising on Iwo Jima | $12.50 |
| Freedom is Never Free | $12.50 |
| Marine Corps seal, uniface | $12.50 |
| Military Spouse | $12.50 |
| NCO Creed | $12.50 |
| Once a Marine…. | $12.50 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, antique finish | $12.50 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, proof finish | $12.50 |
| Sergeant Major | $12.50 |
| Tun Tavern, antique finish 1-1/2 inch | $12.50 |
| Tun Tavern, antique finish 1-7/8 inch | $17.50 |
| Tun Tavern, proof finish 1-1/2 inch | $12.50 |
| Tun Tavern, proof finish 1-7/8 inch | $17.50 |
| USMC Creed | $12.50 |
Navy
| Value | |
| Blue Angels, proof finish | $12.50 |
| Chief Petty Officer | $12.50 |
| Military Spouse | $12.50 |
| Navy Emblem, golden | $12.50 |
| Navy Emblem, silvered | $12.50 |
| Navy seal, uniface | $12.50 |
| Navy Supply Corps | $12.50 |
| NCO Creed | $12.50 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, antique finish | $12.50 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom, proof finish | $12.50 |
| Operation Noble Eagle, George Bush quote | $12.50 |
| Seabees, Chief | $12.50 |
| Submarine Service Centennial, antique finish | $12.50 |
| Submarine Service Centennial, proof finish | $12.50 |
Coalation Flags on Iraqi Feedom obverse
USCGC Eagle Commercial issue
Operation Noble Eagle Standardized Tactical Entry Point
Commercial Desert Storm issue
Combat Logistical Support Squadron Hill, AFB
1-41st Medics
909th Adjutant Gerneral Postal detachments joint postal mission
U. S. ARMY PHOTO BY SPC. AL BARRUS, 122ND MOBILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT
Capt. David Minascheck, civil affairs officer for 3-82 Field Artillery, offers a backpack and a handshake to Iraqi primary school children in Al Mansour, Oct. 9, as a part of Operation Virtual Pencil. The Soldiers gave out 1100 backpacks that day.
JR ROTC commercial coin
9th Engr Batallion
U. S. NAVY PHOTO.
TAn F/A-18 Hornet from the Mighty Shrikes of Strike Fighter Squadron Ninety Four (VFA-94) leaves a contrail while conducting missions over Iraq. Contrails form when hot humid air from jet exhaust mixes with environmental air of low vapor pressure and low temperature. The mixing is a result of turbulence generated by the engine exhaust.
U.S.S. Iwo Jima
U.S.S. Saipan
Navy Supply Corps. Commercial issue
Army Rangers Commercial issue
Commissioned Challenge Coins
Air Force
| Value | |
| 649 CLSS Combat Logistics Support Squadron, | |
| Hill AFB Utah | $15.00 |
| Anthony J. DeLuca, Director's Award | $20.00 |
| Eric Benden, Chief Master Sgt. | $20.00 |
| F. Whitten Peters, Secretary | $25.00 |
| General Handy, Vice Chief of Staff | $25.00 |
| General Ryan, Chief of Staff | $25.00 |
Army
| Value | |
| 1-41st Medics | $15.00 |
| 9th Engineer Battilon, B Co. | $15.00 |
| General Gordon Sullivan, Chief of Staff | $20.00 |
| General Keane, Vice Chief of Staff | $20.00 |
| General Reimer, Chief of Staff | $20.00 |
| General Shinseki, Chief of Staff | $20.00 |
| Joe Reeder, Under Secretary | $20.00 |
| Louis Caldera, Secretary | $25.00 |
| Michael P.W. Stone, Secretary | $20.00 |
| Robert E. Hall, Sgt. Major | $20.00 |
| Thomas White, Secretary | $20.00 |
| Togo D. West, Jr. Secretary | $25.00 |
Coast Guard
| Value | |
| USCG Electronic Systems Support Unit | $15.00 |
| USCGC Mellon WHEC 717 | $15.00 |
| Vince Patton, Master Chief Petty Officer | $20.00 |
Defense Dept.
| Value | |
| William Cohen, Secretary | $20.00 |
| William Perry, Secretary | $20.00 |
Joint Chiefs
| Value | |
| General Colin Powell, Chairman | $25.00 |
| General Ralson, Vice Chairman | $20.00 |
| General Richard B. Myers, Vice Chairman | $20.00 |
| General Shali, Chairman | $20.00 |
| General Shelton, Chairman | $20.00 |
Joint Mission
| Value | |
| 909th Adjutant General Postal Detachments | $15.00 |
| Operation Noble Eagle, Standardized Tactical Entry Point | $15.00 |
| Who's your Baghadaddy? | $15.00 |
Marine Corps
| Value | |
| 25th Marine Regiment, 20th Marine Division | $15.00 |
| General Jones, Commandant | $20.00 |
| General Krulak, Commandant | $20.00 |
| General Neal, Assistant Commandant | $20.00 |
| Sgt. Major, USMC | $15.00 |
National Guard
| Value | |
| 1249 Eng Battalion, Company A. Oregon Army National Guard | $15.00 |
| 147th Fighter Wing, Texas Air National Guard | $15.00 |
Navy
| Value | |
| Admiral J.M. Boorda, Chief of Naval Operations | $20.00 |
| Admiral Jay Johnson, Chief of Naval Operations | $20.00 |
| John H. Dalton, Secretary | $25.00 |
| USS Harry S. Truman CVN75 | $15.00 |
| USS Iwa Jima LHD-7 - Commissioned 2001 | $25.00 |
| USS Miami SSN755 | $15.00 |
| USS Saipan LHA-2 | $15.00 |
| Vice Admiral Kirk Donald | $20.00 |
SeeBee Chief Commercial issue
Tun Tavern Marines Commercial issue
USS Holland Proof Finish issue
PHOTO BY SFC JOHANCHARLES VAN BOERS, 55TH SIGNAL COMPANY, COMBAT CAMERA, FORT MEADE, MARYLAND.