It goes without saying that the United States military is one of the most unique and diverse organizations in the world today. Adding to its uniqueness are the countless customs, courtesies, and time-honored traditions that military members observe. One such tradition that has gained in popularity over the years is the coveted unit coin.
Unlike the distinct history of our military, the history of the unit coin varies depending on where you get your information from. Some claim that the unit coin came to be during World War I. Others say its existence started during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. From the research I've done, it appears most would agree that the 10th Special Forces Group can be credited with starting what we know today as the unit coin. In 1969, Colonel Vernon Green, then commander of the 10th SFG, designed his unit coin and had it produced. Until the mid-1980s, the 10th SFG was the only Army unit with its own coin. At that time, the tradition caught on and started spreading rapidly throughout units from all the other military branches as well.
Unit coins, which normally contain the unit's crest on the front of the coin and whatever design they would like on the back, were originally handed out by commanders to unit members for a job well done. To be personally recognized by your commander has always been a huge morale booster for military men and women. Many high-ranking officers and senior Department of Defense civilians have their own coins that are representative of their office or position they hold that they also hand out in such a manner. A coworker of mine was presented with a coin by former Secretary of Defense William Cohen. Distinctive coins such as these become instant keepsakes as well as fascinating conversation pieces.
In todays military, unit coins are much more readily available to unit members. Most units order hundreds at a time so that people can buy them on their own. This is their way of showing their pride in the unit they're currently assigned to. On average, the majority of unit coins are sold for $5. These coins are yet another way of promoting esprit de corps within the unit's ranks. With the popularity of these coins growing at a rapid pace, many people buy extras in order to trade with people from other units for their coins. In addition to unit coins, recent years have brought about special coins that are produced to celebrate memorable occasions as well as for specific military operations. Some people have built up impressive collections over the years and have several hundred coins. The designs of the coins range from being very basic to being exquisitely detailed. The most popular size is 1½ inches in diameter, but they can be ordered up to 2 inches. Some coin manufacturers offer a variety of shapes and sizes depending on what the customer wants.
The tradition of the unit coin has also brought about yet another militarily unique tradition: the challenge coin. As with the unit coin, the origin of the challenge coin varies, but it has been traced to the Vietnam conflict era. One of the more entertaining stories is that the challenge coin stemmed from the dangerous tradition of soldiers carrying a personalized bullet with them wherever they went. Upon entering a bar, a soldier was challenged by his fellow team members to produce this bullet. If he did have it with him as he was supposed to, then the person who challenged him would pay his tab for the rest of the night. If the challenged person didn't have his bullet with him then he had to pay for everyone else's drinks. Boys will be boys, and as time went on, soldiers tried to outdo each other by bringing in much larger ordnance. Soon, a full range of cannon and artillery shells were brought into the bars. With a paramount concern for safety, the dangerous live ammunition was eventually replaced with a unit coin, which served the same purpose for these challenges.
The rules for the challenge coins have been greatly expanded throughout the years. Some units take this tradition so seriously that they have developed regulations on challenge coin etiquette. The most important rule to remember is that you should have your coin with you at all times, whether at work or not because challenges can be issued at any place and any time. Remember my coworker who was given a coin by the Secretary of Defense? This same man was taking a shower at a deployed location when his commander walked by and challenged him to produce his coin. Not having many places to put his coin while taking a shower, my coworker failed to produce his coin and was therefore obligated to buy his commander a drink.
While military coins haven't yet become a highly sought after collectible in the civilian world as other items have, they are an extraordinary element in our military history and are becoming more and more collectible among military personnel. As new coins are being developed, the designs are becoming more intricately detailed thus increasing their popularity. Perhaps in a few years, these coins will be as admired as unit patches currently are among civilian collectors. In the meantime, those of us in the military will continue collecting and carrying them while exuding our military pride.
