Does anyone know of a source for a money clip that would hold a challenge coin similar to the ones you can get in Vegas to hold a casino chip? One that could be switched out. All I can find are companies that sell clips and keyrings fabricated from the coin which ruins the coin.
(http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-74384257834993_2018_3916188)
How about a decent, skinny card wallet with a coin slot that doesnt use velcro.?
These look nice but are a little thicker than I want to carry around:
(http://www.coinpride.com/store/images/1_34_inch_wallet.jpg)
http://www.coinpride.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=4&zenid=v3ldet47ds2pugmj292bsk4ed6
The one I'm carrying right now is just a typical card wallet with a poor money clip on the side, and is all worn out.
I keep a challenge coin, and my spare change, in one of these (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007XU4XS). Works great. Just a suggestion if you don't find a money clip.
If anyone wants a free beer drink, just "challenge" me. I don't carry coins because I hate having anything in my pockets. That's why I end up with $100 in change every month or so, because I take it out and put it in a 1 gallon ziploc until it fills up.
Only time you'll catch me carrying a challenge coin is if I know I'm going somewhere and will likely be challenged.
I still don't get the whole "challenge coin" thing, but was recently given one by an Army Maj Gen and don't know what to do with the thing.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin
Some good info on the background and use, at the end of the day its just for fun and esprit-de-corps.
As the resident foundry contact for my AOR, I've run up close to 1000 coins at this point - that's uber-bucks into the Turkish
economy as well as assisting in the design of several that were minted by others.
Because of that I wouldn't be caught without my unit coin, and other know the same when I'm around. With that said, I don't drink, so its either a Starbuck's or just for fun.
I'm more interested in seeing people carry them then in nailing a free drink.
Ah! Should have thought to check Wikipedia. What *dont* they have an article about these days?!
Not sure what to do with this challenge coin then, seems a bit useless to carry the thing with me. It'll likely wind up in a drawer. A shame, it's a *really* nice coin, looks darned expensive.
Give it to a cadet!
That general likely gave it to you as a remembrance of some shared activity or in thanks for your service.
Get a nice little desktop stand or a frame and start your collection!
(http://store.nwtmint.com/images/products/771__big.jpg)
And then start designing one for your unit!
Quote from: JoeTomasone on March 31, 2009, 01:45:23 AM
Ah! Should have thought to check Wikipedia. What *dont* they have an article about these days?!
Not sure what to do with this challenge coin then, seems a bit useless to carry the thing with me. It'll likely wind up in a drawer. A shame, it's a *really* nice coin, looks darned expensive.
You can get a challenge coin display that sits on your desk. Basically its a piece of wood with an angled channel. Then, when people see it you can explain how you got it.
I'm to the point where I've gotta carry like 3 coins to keep from getting tagged by different groups... Sheesh.
The capper came when GEN Tornow coined me, and I whipped out my 19th Avn Bn coin (that was my unit on active duty and my *first* coin) and he said "that doesn't count!"
Now I carry the General's coin, my 19th Avn coin, and a USAC coin, so I'm covered. :)
@#$%~!
Quote from: Eclipse on March 31, 2009, 02:09:13 AM
That general likely gave it to you as a remembrance of some shared activity or in thanks for your service.
Correct; (thanks for) participation in a joint exercise.
Quote from: Eclipse on March 31, 2009, 02:09:13 AM
Get a nice little desktop stand or a frame and start your collection!
Well, seeing as how I've never gotten one before (and I've been active as a SM for 10+ years now), seems silly to start a collection... :)
Quote from: Eclipse on March 31, 2009, 02:09:13 AM
And then start designing one for your unit!
I'll leave that to the Commander. :)
Quote from: NIN on March 31, 2009, 02:53:48 AM
I'm to the point where I've gotta carry like 3 coins to keep from getting tagged by different groups... Sheesh.
The capper came when GEN Tornow coined me, and I whipped out my 19th Avn Bn coin (that was my unit on active duty and my *first* coin) and he said "that doesn't count!"
Now I carry the General's coin, my 19th Avn coin, and a USAC coin, so I'm covered. :)
@#$%~!
^ that's where things start getting crazy, though I guess the stars buy you something regardless.
A coin is a coin to me, as long as you came by it "honestly". (i.e. buying a Chief's coin at the NAVEx kinda defeats the purpose).
At encampment I'd prefer people snap out the encampment coin, likewise at an ES activity, etc., but a unit coin is always sufficient, and sadly there's no consistency, so I don't give anyone grief if they don't have one (though I might coin them there myself).
I love these cadets who walk around sounding like a change bank with 15 coins in a zip lock and want to start ranking coins like they were Pokemon cards.
Interestingly, my son now has more than I do - the neighbor was cleaning out their basement and he came running over with a bag of about thirty coins "just like daddy's.." ????!??
We went through them - WOW! Commander's coins from all over the middle east, recent conflicts, major commands, all sorts of unique shapes, and lots of birds and chiefs.
I said to my wife, "These aren't the kinds of things someone gives away." I was figuring an uncle or grandfather with a recently storied history was missing some important mementos. Both kids were pretty bummed when I suggested they might have to return them.
It turned out that a cousin or similar worked for a mint, and they were all samples.
Quote from: JoeTomasone on March 31, 2009, 03:15:37 AM
Well, seeing as how I've never gotten one before (and I've been active as a SM for 10+ years now), seems silly to start a collection... :)
It seems like even though they have been around for eons, they hadn't really started to hit CAP or even the active services that much until the last 5 years or so - I'm betting, especially for CAP, because of easy access to the foundries in Turkey and other places via the internet.
Our SD the other day was mentioning how excited he was now that he had a enough to put on a display. This is a USAFR Lt. Col., fighter pilot, BTDT kinda guy. He said "They really didn't do much of that kind of thing when I was coming though."
These days, at least in my parts, coins are beginning to become somewhat of the norm and expected. I take credit for some of that locally, just as our work on the insignia was what brought the heraldry standards to wings attention about 8 years ago.
I've wound up with about 8 CAP coins presented from various activities, and another 9 non CAP, military or similar from other agencies, etc.
The coin thing is prevalent in some corners of the military, but not all of them.
A co-worker of mine is a retired CMSgt, and he has coin-related stories going back a couple of decades. Other people I know that were in the USAF hardly saw coins at all.
They're a nice idea, and cool incentive for cadets and senior members. The only CAP coin I have is a NYWG encampment coin from 2002. It's not the one I carry, though.
I've got a few, including some really nice ones, all since coming back into CAP. I must admit I never even heard of them WIWOAD.
Here's what I did with my coinage...
(http://captalk.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2877.0;attach=986;image)
How about a wallet made with a challenge coin pocket like the ones made by Spec.-Ops Brands: T.H.E. Wallet J.R. (smaller size) http://specopsbrand.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=11 (http://specopsbrand.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=11)
(http://specopsbrand.com/images/products/LGwalletJR_1.jpg)
or the fullsized version, http://specopsbrand.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=10 (http://specopsbrand.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=10)
(http://specopsbrand.com/images/products/LGwallet_1.jpg)
I've looked at those a few times, but they fail my "slim" or "no velcro" requirement. That one above looks like it would be great for traveling or when your world is a briefcase or go bag.
There's one that is ABU-pocket sized as well that is basically a mini briefcase, but again, I'm looking for
something pretty slim.
I find the whole challenging part... infantile. And using it as a means of appropriating free alcohol has no place in our organization.
Having said that, I do appreciate the coins as items of gratitude for having served as staff in events (which is how I got most of mine). But my last two items, a CAP watch for NCC and a CAP pocketknife for Summer Encampment, are much more useful.
My cadets get a free soda out of it! Does not hurt to modify the tradtion for cadets(soda)
Quote from: Strick on March 31, 2009, 04:52:01 PM
My cadets get a free soda out of it! Does not hurt to modify the tradition for cadets(soda)
Soda, coffee, whatever the beverage of choice or propriety is.
Quote from: jkalemis on March 31, 2009, 04:47:54 PM
I find the whole challenging part... infantile. And using it as a means of appropriating free alcohol has no place in our organization.
Really?
Quote
The tradition of a challenge is the most common way to ensure that members are carrying their unit's coin. Unfortunately, the rules of a challenge are not always formalized for a unit, and may vary between organizations. This may lead to some controversy when challenges are initiated between members of different organizations.
The challenge, which can be made at any time, begins with the challenger drawing his/her coin, and slapping or placing the coin on the table or bar. In noisy environs, continuously rapping the challenge coin on a surface may initiate the challenge. (Accidentally dropping a challenge coin is considered to be a deliberate challenge to all present.) Everyone being challenged must immediately produce the coin for their organization and anyone failing to do so must buy a round of drinks for the challenger and everyone else who has their challenge coin. However, should everyone challenged be able to produce their coin, the challenger must buy a round of drinks for the group.
While most holders of challenge coins usually carry them in their pockets or in some other readily accessible place on their persons, most versions of the rules permit a challenged person "a step and a reach" (particularly useful if one is challenged in the shower).
Variants of the rules include the following. If you are able to steal a challenge coin, everyone in the group must buy you a drink. During a challenge, everyone in the group must buy you a drink if you are the holder of the highest ranking coin. Some units provide strict time limits to respond to a challenge.
While the
military tradition usually insinuates an alcoholic beverage, I'm quite certain all here can agree that no one is encouraging the consumption of alcohol by cadets; or mass amounts of alcohol by seniors in front of cadets.
The type of drink is not specified, so why throw in some assumption about anyone appropriating free alcohol or even encouraging it?
Here's my one coin, btw.. I guess just to see how impressive it is/how proud of it I should be... :)
Sharp looking coin - even nicer that they had the enamel put over the stamping and coloring.
Quote from: jimmydeanno on March 31, 2009, 06:19:09 PM
Sharp looking coin - even nicer that they had the enamel put over the stamping and coloring.
Yeah, it's pretty heavy as well... Not a cheapo.
Quote from: jimmydeanno on March 31, 2009, 06:19:09 PM
Sharp looking coin - even nicer that they had the enamel put over the stamping and coloring.
If you ever have a coin made and you want the enamal coating, make sure you design your coin to
not have a place for your name. Most of the unit coins I've gotten have a smoothed out block so you can have your name engraved. My buddy spent some serious cash on a great looking coin for his Long Ranger Surveillance (LRS) unit and opted for both the inscription block and enamel. Once the enamel is on there you can't engrave anything.
Quote from: JoeTomasone on March 31, 2009, 06:34:09 PM
Yeah, it's pretty heavy as well... Not a cheapo.
They're all "cheapos" if you order enough. I've seen the best of the best coins, very similar tothe SCARNG one you got there and cost about $2.50 a piece. I think the coin I had made a few years ago was about $3.50 a piece and I only ordered 100.
My Turkish source does them in lots of 50 for $195 shipped with about a 30-day turn around if you haven't bought that design before. 2 weeks if he's already got the design. For some reason the think enamel is required on the silver-tone ones, but only a very thin layer is required on the bronze ones.
Some of the US foundries charge twice that for just the setup.
Some of the "museum quality" mirror finish ones go for $5-8 and up of they have a custom edge or something, etc.
I'm to the point where I'm carrying 5 now, and always think that I should pare it down to one. Problem is that I can't settle on which one, because they all have meaning to me.
I carry:
- CAP Ground Ops (one of Dan Pace's) that was bought and given to me by a friend.
- Alpena CRTC coin, given to me by the commander in 1995. Lost a little meaning when they started selling them in the BX, but I just can't bear to be without it.
- MIWG commander's coin, given to me at the end of my encampment last year.
- Team USCG, given to me by ADM Thad Allen when he was commander of 9th District, for participating in OPSAIL2000.
- 7th SFG, unengraved, given to me by the son of my High School history teacher, who was in 7th Group. It was my first coin, and I was told, under no circumstances, not to have my name engraved on it.
As encampment vice commander and commander, I bought seven coins at the BX when I first got there, and passed out one each day for the duration of the encampment, usually the Air Force core values coin. Last year, they didn't have any, so I bought the CRTC coin instead. They were given as rewards for doing a good job, standing out in an activity, or for pushing themself outside their limits and doing something they didn't think they could.
I wish I would have had the money to have my own coin made, but the budget just doesn't allow it.
I cary 5 with me also
- Major Gen Courters coin
- MIWG Commanders's coin
- Alpena CRTC, given to me by Slim
- CAP SAR coin (NBB 06)
- NCAC (08-09 term)
I have 2 in my wallet at all times and the other 3 in a little bag i carry at CAP
Quote from: Slim on March 31, 2009, 07:52:37 PM
I'm to the point where I'm carrying 5 now, and always think that I should pare it down to one. Problem is that I can't settle on which one, because they all have meaning to me.
And
Quote from: caprr275 on March 31, 2009, 10:50:38 PM
I cary 5 with me also.
Sorry guys, but don't you think that's a little...
(http://images.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=tbn&q=http://www.yachts-vip.com/uploads/posts/2008-04/1207755632_overboard.jpg&usg=AFQjCNFzABi6W-cqBP2iT3_Dutk6x8yW1Q)
5 coins?
Yeah, I only "surge" my coins when I'm going to be around some folks that will nail me (ie. at an USAC activity).
I got a really frickin' sweet coin this weekend. Need to snap a photo of both sides for you to behold. Its *awesome*.
I have six, but only carry one when I'm at larger events like wing training missions.
Volk Field CRTC
CAP 60th Anniversary
332 Expeditionary Medical Group - Given to my by a medic my mom works with
Air Show Buzz coin
Chris Frost memorial coin
Wisconsin DNR Hunters Safety Instructor coin
For giggles, I laid out all my coins that I could put my fingers on quickly and snapped a shot.
Definitely missing is my 19th Avn Bn coin (in my wallet).
I was given pretty much every coin here. The exceptions are some of the AUSA coins that are actually NWT Mint "business card" coins (esp the M109 SPARTY piece in the upper left), the Pentagon coin and the CAP coin in the baggie (bought those at the Andrews AFB BX), the CH-47 coin and the Desert Shield coin (nobody was giving those out, so I coordinated a group purchase for all the guys in my Guard unit who were deployed with me @ Fort Hood during Desert Shield)
Quote from: Stonewall on March 31, 2009, 11:57:49 PM
Quote from: Slim on March 31, 2009, 07:52:37 PM
I'm to the point where I'm carrying 5 now, and always think that I should pare it down to one. Problem is that I can't settle on which one, because they all have meaning to me.
And
Quote from: caprr275 on March 31, 2009, 10:50:38 PM
I cary 5 with me also.
Sorry guys, but don't you think that's a little...
(http://images.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=tbn&q=http://www.yachts-vip.com/uploads/posts/2008-04/1207755632_overboard.jpg&usg=AFQjCNFzABi6W-cqBP2iT3_Dutk6x8yW1Q)
5 coins?
Meh....
Maybe, but if I wouldn't have said anything, you'd have never known it. It's not like I walk around slapping them on tables or anything.
I just got this coin this weekend from CPT Stanford, hot off the presses, darn near. The photo does NOT do this somewhat oversized coin justice *at all*.