Challenge Coins

[MacEanruig]

If "some Top Brass of Clan MacLeod of USA" runs into Jock in a pub (for example) and presents his challenge coin, typically by slapping it on the bar/table, and Jock cannot produce his coin then Jock owes the "challenger", and anyone else that produces their coin at the challenge, a round. If Jock can produce his coin then the challenger buys the round.

As aforementioned, here in the US it's typically been a military custom/tradition. Once you have earned the coin you carry it with you always.

To Jock and the Mrs.: Proud you should be. T'is an honor.

As a corollary, if you happen to drop your coin by accident, you also owe the group a wee dram of their choosing. In the military some coins have rank over other (i.e. a general's coin trumps a brigade level and below coin).

[Hawk]

As a vet I'm also versed in the "challenge coin". Very nice Jock. I've never seen a clan one, it's very handsome. Within my SpecOps group we've some nice ones too.....

Hawk

( note to self - start looking for an outlet to find Scot Clan coins......hummmmm....)

[Riverkilt]

Visions of an X Marks the Scot challenge coin....

[Tarheel]

Visions of an X Marks the Scot challenge coin....

Noticing that Riverkilt's post is number 13 in this thread, I see my financial doom in every chance encounter with a fellow rabble members if an "X Mark challenge coin" becomes a reality. Sounds like a good idea!

[Geoff Withnell]

The Scottish American Military Society has a challenge coin. As I understand the custom, it is not that you have a specific coin you can slap down, but that you do have one about your person to present. The one I have that means the most to me I received at a farewell dinner hosted by some coworkers at the National Security Agency after I was laid off from my job contracting there. As we were getting ready to leave, the senior NSA employee present shook my hand, and gave my the coin. "It's against regs and policy to give awards to contractors" he said. "But since as of 1700 today you are no longer a contractor, we all decided you should have this."

[Jock Scot]

Ah-ha, well done Geoff, you have brought up a point that I was wondering about. So to be clear here and as an example, if I was with a group of Marines and the challenge is made with their Marine coin, then I would be OK with my MacLeod coin? What is the form for those that have no challenge coin (I don't mean that they have forgotten it, but they just do not have one)?

Thank you every one for the advice given and yes, I can see that things could get expensive!

[unixken]

Ah-ha, well done Geoff, you have brought up a point that I was wondering about. So to be clear here and as an example, if I was with a group of Marines and the challenge is made with their Marine coin, then I would be OK with my MacLeod coin? What is the form for those that have no challenge coin (I don't mean that they have forgotten it, but they just do not have one)?

Thank you every one for the advice given and yes, I can see that things could get expensive!

That's not the way I understood the challenge coin concept. I believe the intent is to offer proof of a given affiliation. Not whether you carry a round piece of metal in your pocket.

If I claimed to be a Marine, and you called me on it, and I could produce a Marine challenge coin, "the challenge" would be satisfied and you'd owe me a drink. But if all I could show was a coin produced for a totally unrelated organization, the challenge (against my claim of being a Marine) has not been met, and I would owe you the drink.

EDIT: On the other hand, if I went to the pub and asked "Who has a challenge coin?", that would be different, as "the challenge" was not about affiliation with a specific group, but rather, whether you had "a coin".

[HootinHoller]

As unofficial things are, the 'rules' vary widely similar to who can wear a tartan. My understanding is that challenge coins started as a drinking game within units, and have spread haphazardly. When I was in the Navy, neither the sub I rode nor the survey ship I rode had challenge coins. I do carry an FAA Command Center coin (the Command Center is the top tier of active flight control in US controlled airspace) I got while working there.

I would buy into an X-Marks coin! I suggest the X-Marks clan badge on the obverse and dandelion on the reverse? They can be minted for about $5 US each.

[HootinHoller]

Ah-ha, well done Geoff, you have brought up a point that I was wondering about. So to be clear here and as an example, if I was with a group of Marines and the challenge is made with their Marine coin, then I would be OK with my MacLeod coin? What is the form for those that have no challenge coin (I don't mean that they have forgotten it, but they just do not have one)?

Thank you every one for the advice given and yes, I can see that things could get expensive!

I think you would be ok without any coin unless you were, er, are, a US Marine. (A Marine by their own lore is a position for life.)

[Mel1721L]

That's not theI understood the challenge coin concept. I believe the intent is to offer proof of a given affiliation. Not whether you carry a round piece of metal in your pocket.

If I claimed to be a Marine, and you called me on it, and I could produce a Marine challenge coin, "the challenge" would be satisfied and you'd owe me a drink. But if all I could show was a coin produced for a totally unrelated organization, the challenge (against my claim of being a Marine) has not been met, and I would owe you the drink.

EDIT: On the other hand, if I went to the pub and asked "Who has a challenge coin?", that would be different, as "the challenge" was not about affiliation with a specific group, but rather, whether you had "a coin".

But you can buy these on ebay, so a challenge coin doesn't really proove anything.