Challenge coins are significant gift items and receiving one is of the highest honor. It’s not just because of the price of the item but due to the sentiments attached with it that makes these coins so valuable. Challenge coins can be gifted on any occasion like anniversaries, holidays, birthdays, where you want to make things more memorable. It can be gifted at any time and comes with significant meaning.
Challenge coins come and are used in several institutions like the military, a personal coin, or union made challenge coins. They are even used in businesses and corporations to honor and recognize the efforts and achievements of employees.
However, many of us are not aware of the ‘challenge’ associated with these coins and the rules for them. As it is, these coins have a specific set of rules that must be adhered to by everyone receiving them. So here we have come up with five challenge coin rules that you must never forget.
You Cannot Refuse a Coin Check
The coin check is a common challenge among its carriers. It’s a tradition that follows with challenge coins, right from military to fellow first responders. When someone challenges to show your coin, you must be able to produce it.
The coin check follows a simple procedure. Someone slams his coin on a desk and all the challenge coin holders must also do the same. This will show that you are carrying your coin and abiding by the rules. Failure to produce it or delaying in producing it means that you owe a drink to all the people who have shown their coins. If everyone shows their coins it means the challenger owes a round of drink to everyone. So, for winning a coin check, you must keep you challenge coin within your reach at all times.
Always Carry Your Coin
This follows from the first rule. You never know when a coin check might take place. So, you need to carry your coin at all times. It’s a tradition among coin carriers and they must follow the rules of coin check to show brotherhood and increase morale.
Never Give Away Your Coin
A challenge coin is earned through hard efforts and it’s an object of value to its carriers. And this fact results in the third rule. When you are producing your coin for a coin check, never hand it down to the challenger. You can slam it down and show your coin but handing it over means that the ownership of the coin is now of that person.
At a coin check, you’ll normally place the coin at a table for people to take a closer look. And then they will place it back at the same point. However, if you think that someone is worthy of the coin you may hand it over as a gift.
The Rules are Not Secret
When you hand over your challenge coin to someone make sure that you explain the rules to him. Or, when you are receiving a coin, the giver must explain the rules of carrying a challenge coin. These rules are not secret and must be passed on from the giver to the receiver.
Protect Your Coin
Carrying a challenge coin is an honor and you must do everything to protect that. It’s not a jewelry item, so don’t wear it. Do not tamper or modify your coin in any manner. For instance, do not drill it to use it as a necklace. Carry your coin in your pocket or somewhere safe. Respect your challenge coin at all times.
These are the five rules of challenge coins and apply to any type of coin. Be it military coin or union made challenge coins, you got to adhere to these rules to show that you honor your coin and also the person or the institution who gave it to you.
