A challenge coin is used to represent an individual or an organization. But challenge coins have many uses. Here’s your guide that’s all about challenge coins.
Are you interested in finding a unique way to promote teamwork within your organization?
Would you like to find a subtle way to honor the sacrifices the military veteran in your family has made?
Are you looking for ideas about how to facilitate communication in your volunteer group?
If so, then challenge coins may be right for you.
From learning a bit about their history to understanding how they can help to facilitate communication in your workplace, you’ll learn all about challenge coins by the end of this post.
What’s A Challenge Coin?
Before we get into telling you all about challenge coins, let’s first make sure you understand the basic definition of one.
In a nutshell, these coins serve to represent a specific unit, business, organization, or even segment of the population.
Though the tradition started with a military coin collection, now a wide variety of industries and nonprofits use them. Their ultimate goal is to connect groups of people from similar walks of life together.
For example, one of the most popular types of challenge coins in recent years has been the military suicide prevention coin.
These coins are recognized by the yellow ribbon (the color of suicide prevention) surrounding the border. Because an astounding twenty veterans take their own lives in a single day, these coins serve as an unspoken and subtle signal that a veteran is in need of some mental health help.
Instead of being forced to talk about their problems, all they need to do is take out their challenge coin and show it to a person that they trust.
This person will then recognize that this means the vet is ready to talk about their combat experience, their feelings of depression — anything that’s on their mind.
These coins have already saved countless lives, and have helped to erase the stigma surrounding mental health issues within the veteran community.
Of course, there are other, much happier, reasons to reward the people in your life or place if business with challenge coins.
Discover more about their different uses by clicking this link.
Let’s talk about the other things these coins can do now.
They Promote Teambuilding
Another awesome reason to make challenge coins a part of your life or organization?
They help to encourage you all to work together — and especially to keep the lines of communication open.
For example, let’s say that you’re sitting in a meeting, and one person in particular has been talking for a little bit too long.
When another member of your team holds up their challenge coin, it could serve as a signal that they need to wrap things up.
It’s also an awesome way to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard equally.
Challenge coins also help people from similar backgrounds, places of employment, and even causes and lifestyles to help to identify each other in public.
When one person takes out their coin, they’re sending a signal to others from the same background that they’re with someone who they can feel comfortable speaking to about their unique issues.
They’re an Awesome Rewards System
Are you looking for an affordable way to celebrate someone special in your life? Would you like to be able to recognize the achievements of one of your coworkers or employees?
Maybe you’d even like to reward your child for a job well done on a presentation or test.
These coins are a great way to do just that!
They offer a tangible reminder not only of a person’s success, but also of the fact that their hard work as been recognized. We love the idea of creating a collection of lots of different coins, and encouraging your team to work hard in order to collect them all!
Whoever completes their “set” first can even win an extra prize.
They’re a Fun Activity
No matter which organization you’re a part of or the cause that you stand behind, there are times when all you want to do is kick back and have fun.
These coins allow you to do just that.
You can even use them to help you to play a game or take a break throughout the day.
One of the most popular games is for one person to slowly and subtly take out their challenge coin and hold it up. Slowly, the other members of your team will begin to notice, and will also start holding up their coins.
The last person to put their coin in the air is responsible for buying everyone a round! And if anyone has forgotten their coin at home, they have to buy the next two rounds (or another, silly “punishment” of your choice.)
Make Challenge Coins a Part of your Life
We hope that this post has helped you to answer the question, “How do challenge coins work?”
We also hope that it’s encouraged you to make them a part of your daily routine — whether you’re in the military, a community organizer, or just looking for ways to promote a sense of teamwork in your office.
Being among people that share your goals, perspective, and priorities can help you to fell more relaxed — and work together to have a much bigger impact on the world.
These coins can help to bring you all together, and perhaps even save a life in the process.
Looking for more ways to unite your team?
Check out our blog for more advice on how to get the most out of every day by working together.