Title: Challenge Coins
Informant info: Craig Serpa, marine. He was stationed in San Diego.
Type of lore: Customary, Game
Language: English
Country of Origin: USA
Social / Cultural Context: Craig Serpa was interviewed at Dartmouth College. Craig was asked about certain games that they had experienced during their time in the military. Craig described a drinking game often often played at bars on their base. Each military man/woman is given a coin that displays their battalion, company, etc. While at a bar, if someone presents you their coin, you must have yours within two steps of you or else you have to buy that person a beer. But, if you present your coin and it is of a higher rank than the initial coin, the first person has to buy the second a beer.
Associated file:
Transcript:
Interviewer: Speaking of superstition, do/did you have any superstitions? I play softball and I’m so superstitious/well I used to play. I used to have so many superstitions. Or rituals? I guess they’re kind of enforced.
C: One thing I never really got into was the whole challenge coin thing. Did billy talk about that at all?
Interviewer: I don’t think so.
B: So, a lot of regular companies are doing it now, it started as a military tradition I believe where each battalion level has, or it doesn’t have to be level, but each has little coins. And it says like unit name, ahs emblem, you know how each has little emblems for stuff? Black horse is their battalion, 5th marines, stuff like that. And the thing behind is that you’re supposed to carry a coin on you and if you’re out drinking or whatever, and like you present your coin to somebody and if they don’t have one within two steps of them, then they have to buy you a drink. So if you present it, then some coins depending on where you got them or how high up you got them. So some people will present it to their general, they will have a general star on the back, um whoever has the higest ranking one has to buy.
Interviewer: Is this at bars nearby?
C: Pretty much, yeah, so like you know theyre a military person.
(Interviewer and informant talk)
Interviewer: So if you know, then you present it.
C: it’s a marine, military thing. I’m pretty sure army does. It’s a navy thing. Lets think, I never really did anything, or got into the challenge coin thing. I would think that the majority of things I should be talking about is being a drill instructor, because you’re creating a marine from the beginning.
Informant’s comments: Craig admitted that he did not like to partake in this game, although he did lose many a time.
Collector’s comments: Although Craig did not think the game was important, I thought it was very interesting. I am curious if this game is popular throughout all of the branches of the military.