A coin like no other
There are several theories as to when the first challenge coin was created, and why it was presented to deserving individuals. Some believe they hold lineage back to the Roman Empire, given to soldiers who performed well in battle. These special coins were stamped with the mark of the legion from whom they were issued, and became coveted mementos of their recipient’s service. Others, tend to believe that the onset of World War One and flying missions into enemy territory prompted, young affluent officers to issue coins to their men, as a bond of friendship between comrades in arms. This further help to identify squadron members to each other in the event of capture. Whatever variation or mix of the original history lends to your heart, one thing is for certain they are given with great esteem and favour and, are a mark of respect and honour upon the recipient.
I have always felt that it is important to recognize those who do great things in their everyday life, sometimes with more than just a handshake, head nod or a genuine thank you. It’s also important at times to show the respect and mutual bond that you hold for certain individuals whom you count on for advice, mentorship, and leadership. That is why earlier this year, I had coins created that in my private and professional life can be distributed to honourable individuals for various reasons. They are each a token of my gratitude to the individual, and in many cases, these reasons are only known between the individual recipients and myself.
Each coin bears my personal seal on the front of it, surmounted by my motto. The reverse bears my monogram in the center, with my name and the latin translation of With Gratitude around the band. What makes each coin unique is they are individually numbered. Those numbers correspond to an entry in the coin registry, which states the recipient’s name, hometown, citation, and date of issue, it also bears their signature upon being coined. So as you can see, there is no other coin like this one on the public or private market, as its uniquely my gift to them.
Being coined is not a formal presentation for all to see, in most cases, it’s a brief moment between the recipient and myself where a shake their hand and thank them for something they have done. This is normally followed by them slipping their hand into their pocket and going about what they were doing. It’s only afterwards when we have a moment to chat in a non-formal setting, that the registry is pulled out. They have a chance to read the entry and sign their name. It is at that time, we normally also get to have a candidate chat about the gratitude and respect I have for them, and the rules that go along with being coined.
On the street, it is worth noting, as it’s just a simple piece of metal, which has little monetary value. But to the recipients who have been coined, it can be worth so much more, because it shows the respect, gratitude and fellowship that we share for each other, and all the recipients.
Front of coin
Reverse of coin
Editors Notes: I have been asked by a few weekly readers what the rules are for being coined. The short answer which some may not want to hear is those are only shared upon being given a coin and are kept amount the recipients.
