aaamusic | On 08, Jul 2020

Do you want to give something to a family member who rendered service for the country? Do you want to honor him with a small token that they’ll truly appreciate? Then a challenge coin is one of the best gifts you can give them.

Challenge coins come with a rich history and tradition that military men continue to honor to this day. These coins signify and confirm military men’s membership in a particular group, unit, or organization. 

But do you know how to give a challenge coin? This question is crucial considering that the manner of giving the coin is part of the tradition. 

So how does one give a challenge coin to another? What are the rules that you need to consider? Can a civilian give a challenge coin, to begin with?

Continue reading below for an ultimate guide to giving challenge coins.

The Coin Check and the Handshake 

There are two important elements that you must first understand when learning how to give a challenge coin. There are the coin check and the handshake. 

The coin check is part of the challenge coin’s rich tradition. A coin check is where the actual challenge takes place. In a coin check or coin challenge, when someone with a coin raises it or slams it on the table, everyone in the place who also owns a challenge coin must show theirs as well.

Those who should have a coin but couldn’t produce one will have to buy everyone a round of drinks. Sometimes, the last one to raise his coin will be the one to shoulder the round. 

As for the second element, military veterans receive their coins from their commanders when they shake their hands. This discreet method of passing the coin gives a sense of pride and honor to both the giver and the receiver.

It is important to note where this discreet manner is coming from. Challenge coin history says that it is also one way of reaching out and asking for help.

Thus, if you’re planning to give a challenge coin, it is best to follow the secret handshake tradition. Conceal the coin at the palm of your hand and give the recipient a handshake.

Slide the coin from your palm to his as you complete the handshake.

Rules Are for Everyone

It is also important to touch on the rules surrounding the challenge coin. Understanding the rules will help you get a better appreciation of what the coin is all about. 

First, you must understand the rules are for everyone. If you wish to raise your challenge coin, you must first explain the rules to everyone you wish to challenge. It is a must that everyone who will participate in the challenge to know the rules before you initiate a coin check.

This covers the biggest down to the smallest detail that everyone should follow. For example, you need to state if the challenge involves a single drink or a round of drinks.

Minding Proper Etiquette

Apart from explaining the rules, everyone who has his respective challenge coin must follow proper etiquette. Violating any of these means dishonoring the coin and everything it stands for.

First, if you own a challenge coin, you must carry it at all times. The rationale behind this is that you will never know when or where someone will call out a coin check. Also, you only have a maximum of four steps to reach your coin.

Another important etiquette is if you fail to produce your coin, you need to honor the challenge no matter what. This means you need to buy everyone drinks according to what the stipulations say.

Also, you only challenge each person once. 

You need to be careful before initiating a coin challenge. If everyone you challenged can produce a coin, you have no choice but to buy everyone drinks.

If you accidentally drop your coin, you will automatically lose the challenge. In turn, you will have to shoulder the next round of drinks.

Proper Coin Treatment

Whether you’re planning to give a challenge coin or receiving one, you must understand that the coin is valuable. Hence, you should treat it with the utmost respect and care for it at all times. 

Owners should never let anyone else touch their coins. If they do, they are essentially giving the coin to the other person. However, you can put the coin on a table.

Other people may examine it closely but they cannot touch it. In case you lose your coin, you have to replace it ASAP. If someone raises his challenge, not having yours doesn’t exempt you from the challenge. This means you will have to buy drinks for everyone.

Also, never use the coin as an accessory. You cannot turn it into a necklace or bracelet. Likewise, you cannot drill a hole into it. 

When to Give One

Last but not least, you should know when to give a coin. People usually give challenge coins to ex-military men. Statistics reveal that half a million military veterans suffer from PTSD. Hence, giving them a coin can help boost their morale.

It is a good token that will help raise their spirits.

However, you can also gift the challenge coin to someone worthy even if he didn’t serve in the military.

In such cases, it is not the military challenge coins that you should give but the custom challenge coin. You can give these coins to anyone you wish to honor for their hard work or good deed.

Moreover, you can give these custom coins to members of fraternal organizations. If you are a business owner, you can also reward your hard-working employees with one. 

Click on the link if you wish to learn more about the differences of challenge coins and custom coins.

Now You Know How to Give a Challenge Coin!

Knowing how to give a challenge coin the right way is crucial in the grand scheme of things. Following the steps is a way of honoring the coin’s history, as well as the sacrifices of the recipient. But if challenge coins don’t suit your taste, other options are worth giving as tokens. 

Discover more gift options by checking our other blog posts.