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How long are challenge coins "valid"? If someone had a challenge coin from Eisenhower (not sure those exist, let's pretend they do) would that person essentiall

by defen 7y ago

How long are challenge coins "valid"? If someone had a challenge coin from Eisenhower (not sure those exist, let's pretend they do) would that person essentially always win, forever?

GlenTheMachine 7y ago
I honestly don’t know. The guy whose coin I have is now retired.
WorldMaker 7y ago
From my weird lay understanding, it's somewhat similar to childhood games where people would try to determine who had the "coolest" Pogs [1]. There are multiple "axes" that determines which challenge coin "wins": highest rank associated, most interesting challenge involved (some coins represent specific deployments or activities or actions), perceived rarity (there only three of the coins ever made), etc. To some extent the challenge coins serve what medals/badges always have: an excuse to tell a cool story, maybe brag about something. Similarly the "free alcohol" rules follow the same general principles of "that's a really cool story, I owe you a beer for it", just reduced to simple evocative coin form. Which "axes" are in play, and who "wins" (or ties, a lot of the rule variations I've heard are set up to optimize towards ties; the most common challenge is just whether or not the other person has a challenge coin of any sort, not necessarily trying to figure out which wins if both people have coins on them) varies a lot between groups. Also, challenge coins have seeped into some parts of lay culture, especially bar culture (given that alcohol has always been the big bet, it shouldn't be a surprise). For instance, the liqueur Fernet has its own challenge coins that bartenders tend to challenge each other for free shots of Fernet. (Bars try to keep one in reach of the bar at all times in case the bar is challenged, and the number of people that have them that have them that aren't themselves bartenders is supposedly kept quite rare.) https://talesofthecocktail.com/history/part-family-behind-scenes-fernet-branca-challenge-coins https://talesofthecocktail.com/history/part-family-behind-sc... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_caps_(game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_caps_(game)
- defen 7y ago
  Interesting, I love Fernet. Now I just have to figure out how to get a coin...
0az 7y ago
I'm inclined to believe that it's the story and tradition, less the coin itself. Incidentally, Howard Tayler's Unofficial Anecdotal History of Challenge Coins is excellent. https://www.schlockmercenary.com/assets/img/uploads/UAHCC/UAHCC-v0.99.pdf https://www.schlockmercenary.com/assets/img/uploads/UAHCC/UA...

by defen 7y ago

How long are challenge coins "valid"? If someone had a challenge coin from Eisenhower (not sure those exist, let's pretend they do) would that person essentially always win, forever?

GlenTheMachine 7y ago

I honestly don’t know. The guy whose coin I have is now retired.

WorldMaker 7y ago

From my weird lay understanding, it's somewhat similar to childhood games where people would try to determine who had the "coolest" Pogs [1]. There are multiple "axes" that determines which challenge coin "wins": highest rank associated, most interesting challenge involved (some coins represent specific deployments or activities or actions), perceived rarity (there only three of the coins ever made), etc. To some extent the challenge coins serve what medals/badges always have: an excuse to tell a cool story, maybe brag about something. Similarly the "free alcohol" rules follow the same general principles of "that's a really cool story, I owe you a beer for it", just reduced to simple evocative coin form. Which "axes" are in play, and who "wins" (or ties, a lot of the rule variations I've heard are set up to optimize towards ties; the most common challenge is just whether or not the other person has a challenge coin of any sort, not necessarily trying to figure out which wins if both people have coins on them) varies a lot between groups. Also, challenge coins have seeped into some parts of lay culture, especially bar culture (given that alcohol has always been the big bet, it shouldn't be a surprise). For instance, the liqueur Fernet has its own challenge coins that bartenders tend to challenge each other for free shots of Fernet. (Bars try to keep one in reach of the bar at all times in case the bar is challenged, and the number of people that have them that have them that aren't themselves bartenders is supposedly kept quite rare.) https://talesofthecocktail.com/history/part-family-behind-scenes-fernet-branca-challenge-coins https://talesofthecocktail.com/history/part-family-behind-sc... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_caps_(game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_caps_(game)

defen 7y ago
Interesting, I love Fernet. Now I just have to figure out how to get a coin...

0az 7y ago

I'm inclined to believe that it's the story and tradition, less the coin itself. Incidentally, Howard Tayler's Unofficial Anecdotal History of Challenge Coins is excellent. https://www.schlockmercenary.com/assets/img/uploads/UAHCC/UAHCC-v0.99.pdf https://www.schlockmercenary.com/assets/img/uploads/UAHCC/UA...