SOG challenge coins. Info and any stories?

Christophe · 07-31-2007, 14:13

Gentlemen,

I have a SOG PUC coin and a CCN RT XXXXXX coin I received from a 1-0, together with a team pic, his yard bracelet and other items.
The items like the bracelet received a prominent place in my home.
The coins I always carry on me in my wallet. I see them as bringing good luck.
I do not show them off or anything, besides no one here in Belgium would have the slightest idea what they are or mean.
I´d like to hear your opinions on this (a civvy european carrying coins).
Are there other SOG coins in existence?(Each RT his own coin?)
Also, does any of you have some stories regarding (SOG) challenge coins?

Thank you.

**The Reaper** · 07-31-2007, 14:38

I do not like it, but that is just my opinion.

I accept, but do not carry coins I have not earned.

TR

MFFI115 · 07-31-2007, 15:46

I don't carry coins and never liked the coin challenge thing. But that doesn't mean others shouldn't. Just don't expect me to buy a round on a challenge. I do have tons of them, though, to include the SOG PUC coin I earned the right to carry around. I'm proud of the coins I have from the units I was in and display "gift" ones along with my earned ones.

No, RTs don't have their own coins because the coin thing was not around in those days. In my recollection, the first time in my 26 years in SF that I saw or knew about coins was in the 70s when I was in the 10th. I was against the whole thing then. In fact, Bing Allar, my Hvy Wpns man gave me his so that I would have one. I guess he was embarrassed that his Tm Sgt wouldn't buy his own.

That said, were I you, I would display them prominently and not carry them. I wonder that they must not have meant much to your 1-0 friend or you must have meant quite a bit to him for him to turn them over.

Christophe · 08-03-2007, 02:31

Gentlemen,
I appreciate and value your opinions.
I now also understand the importance of a coin. I have allready put the coins together with the other items I received.
I have the utmost respect for the men that ran recon over the fence, and was and am honored to having been able to talk with some (over the net) through the years (Bus, B.W., R.N., Constable,...). They are a nice and helpfull group of men and they´ll forever have my respect. I hope to one day meet all of them at a SOA convention.

MFI115: regarding the coins not meaning much. I dunno, he always told me his yard bracelet was the most important thing to him. Maybe he got me an extra one of the bronze PUC and silver SOAR team coin.

Regards,

Chris.

Pigpen · 08-03-2007, 08:53

as far as I know it was the 10th group coin which was the 1st "Coin" created. I am not positive on this but fairly sure. Perhaps someone else can add more. After the 1oth SFG(A) coin the other groups created theirs, somewhere along the line the rest of the army and other units joined the coin game.

SFS0AVN · 08-03-2007, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pigpen

as far as I know it was the 10th group coin which was the 1st "Coin" created. I am not positive on this but fairly sure. Perhaps someone else can add more. After the 1oth SFG(A) coin the other groups created theirs, somewhere along the line the rest of the army and other units joined the coin game.

The first coins were carried by some aviation unit pilots in WWI. 10th SFG Commander COL Greene had coins made for his Lodge Act members in 1969 for identification purposes. From there it went through SF and then the rest of the military.

MFFI115 · 08-03-2007, 19:15

[

MFI115: regarding the coins not meaning much. I dunno, he always told me his yard bracelet was the most important thing to him. Maybe he got me an extra one of the bronze PUC and silver SOAR team coin.

[/QUOTE]

Perhaps. As I said, he must think highly of you (no sarcasm). Didn't mean to sound like I was busting your chops. The PUC coin was a nice gift from SOCOM, but isn't a totem that has the same value like your friend's yard bracelet. We all have items that mean more to us for our own reasons. One of mine was a cross bow that my Yard Platoon Leader gave me when I was in 1st Exploitation CO, CCS. It had been in his family for at least 4 generations. The EFFing REMF that shared my hootch stole it when he PCS'd and I was on a mission!!!

QRQ 30 · 08-04-2007, 08:46

I have a few. To be honest I never heard of coins until recently, the last 5 years. I don't carry them. I do carry my life membership SFA and SOA cards. They are great for setting off metal detectors.

I have them and keep them but as Bill Murray said in STRIPES:

"Coins? Don't need no steenkin coins!"

Christophe · 08-05-2007, 13:38

QRQ30: You have an excellent website. Your pics aren´t in any of the SOG books I have. Also the first time I hear of CUTLASS and SABER. Very nice and informative.

MFI115: sorry to hear your crossbow was stolen by a REMF.

Since you were in CCS, do you know who was on team West Virginia? I have a teampatch I found in a surplus shop here. It seems genuine (faded, OD coloured cloth on the edges where it was cut off a shirt,...). I´d like to know more about the history of the patch (who designed it, what its Chinese(?) characters mean,...).
Also, if one of its teammembers would like that patch I can send it to´em.
If nec, feel free to PM me Sir. Thank you in advance.

QRQ 30 · 08-05-2007, 14:07

Thanks Chris. I believe some pictures will appear in a new volmue which should appear shortly.

I can't remember he title or author but it will chronicle the history of the Teams in FOB-2 aka CCC.

Tetonale · 02-13-2008, 00:49

Chris,
I agree with Reaper, keep the coin at home. You seem to have the respect of the veteran's other items, do you really need his hard deserved coin for luck? Put the coin with the rest of his collection. Buy the standard group coin that is readily available and have it inscribed with a date of your choice.

If you keep that coin in your pocket everyday, then everyday you will think of your friend. You won't think less of the fact that it was not the actual coin he had in his pocket. But I can quarantee you this. If you lose the coin he earned, you will hate yourself for the rest of your life. It is simply not worth the risk.

Michael

Pete S · 02-13-2008, 01:36

I've only seen a challenge coin used once, and this was at the Marine Corp Ball and as a joke.

Christophe · 02-13-2008, 06:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tetonale

Chris,
I agree with Reaper, keep the coin at home. You seem to have the respect of the veteran's other items, do you really need his hard deserved coin for luck? Put the coin with the rest of his collection. Buy the standard group coin that is readily available and have it inscribed with a date of your choice.

If you keep that coin in your pocket everyday, then everyday you will think of your friend. You won't think less of the fact that it was not the actual coin he had in his pocket. But I can quarantee you this. If you lose the coin he earned, you will hate yourself for the rest of your life. It is simply not worth the risk.

Michael

I no longer carry them. I put them with the other SOG items I received.
I didn´t earn them, so I don´t carry them.

Ret10Echo · 02-13-2008, 06:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete S

I've only seen a challenge coin used once, and this was at the Marine Corp Ball and as a joke.

We had some internal team play with coin checks. Trying to get the challenge in the strangest circumstances...

In shower room...(don't ask)

While in Freefall...

But that was amongst us, not outsiders.

**Pete** · 02-13-2008, 07:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ret10Echo

We had some internal team play with coin checks. Trying to get the challenge in the strangest circumstances.....................
But that was amongst us, not outsiders.

Ditto - like at the end of the 130' dive clump - on the ramp as the green light comes on "COIN CHECK"

.

It came and went in phases based on the team personality. Be real strong for a few months then fade away for years. One team might be doing it for a while, stop, another team pick it up and so on.

I can not remember any time a whole company was into it at the same time.