Even if they are considered as military medallions, these challenge coins or military unit coins are steadily gaining numismatist fans.

Of course, the well-informed coin collector knows that the unit coins fall under the category exonumia, along with the casino chips in numismatics.

The military coins have a colorful history back in WW2. Lately, the challenge coins tradition has steeped into other civilian organizations, as well. Even the production of military unit coins are no longer restricted for their troop members; these coins can now be bought in thematic coin shops.

After learning the coin check rules by heart, now is the time to get your first military coin or add another interesting military memorabilia in your collection.

When should I start collecting military coins?

Start now. The longer you wait to start your passion, the more likely you’ll miss the chance of getting the best coins.

Plus, consider the fact that hundreds of new coins are released in the market every day, and are instantly snagged by hundreds of other collectors. Of course, as a collector, you always want the beautiful and rare pieces.

How should I start my military coin collection?

Military coin collecting is easier that ever before. Thanks to the mushrooming challenge coin websites and online shops, getting started in collecting is just a few clicks away. But if collecting military challenge coins is still a no man’s land for you, here are the tactics:

1) Always know what you are looking for.

Do you fancy those with unusual shapes like the SR-71 Blackbird challenge coin (a replica of the military aircraft) or those for commemoration like the Operation Iraqi Freedom War military challenge coin?

Collecting challenge coins is an expensive hobby since all of these pieces are collector’s items. Doing your homework, making a little research, and educating yourself on challenge coins collecting will help you a lot.

2) Learn from the military unit coin experts.

Gather tips from the pro before launching into your master plan. The challenge of the hunt is when you search for a challenge coin that is worth displaying in your shadowbox. 

As a rule of thumb for every coin collector both old and new: ask around from the right people. True, there is always the online resource but the numismatic experts and long-time collectors have plenty of tricks up their sleeves. Get information from them on where to get the best deals in collecting military challenge coins.

3) Go to military coin auctions.

A good way to learn about coins, whether challenge coins or just about any numismatic article, is through public unit coin auctions. In real-life auctions, sharpen your senses and note what pieces are valuable.

When participating in online challenge coin auctions, read thoroughly on the coin’s descriptive details (weight, dimension, specifications, etc). What you get might be a little different from what you’ve been expecting based on the internet pictures.

Military challenge coin auctions are also the best venues for you to hobnob with the dealers and other challenge coin collectors in the bourse floor.

4) Join challenge coin discussion groups

Challenge coin discussion groups are where you can find new articles and event announcements regarding your passion. Got questions about challenge coins? Join a challenge coin forum, start a thread, and sit back and wait for answers. This is also where you can interact with other military coin collecting enthusiasts from near and far.

Are challenge coins popular?

Yes. There are also challenge coins outside the military. These coins are produced exclusively for fraternities, colleges, and sports organizations such as the NFL, NASCAR, and World Series of Poker.

What is the numismatic value of military challenge coins?

As mentioned earlier, military unit coins are under the numismatic branch called exonumia. Challenge coins are mostly made out of precious metals or plated with gold or silver.

What are the challenge coin prices?

Ready-made challenge coins from different organizations and military units are available in the market. But you can also opt for a custom-made challenge coin.

Personalized challengecoin prices can be a bit costly, too. The cost in making the military coin dye (used to make an imprint on the coin) is about US$250 plus an average of US$7.00 per coin. Factors to consider are the quantity, design, color, finish, and etc.

Sometimes, challenge coins manufacturers will make their production off-shore in China and in South Korea where expenses are cheaper than in the US.

What are military coin display cases?

Your challenge coin collection is something to be proud of. That’s why your unit coin should be displayed nicely in your home or in your office.

Former US Pres. Bill Clinton even had his official portrait taken with his military challenge coins in the background. His array of challenge coins is sitting on a five-tiered wooden display rack.

There are many other ways to show your coins. Popular military coin display cases are made of wood. You can choose among memorial coin shadowboxes, unit coins display cases, and military coin holders with a beautiful wooden finish. Other options are plastic pyramid holders and display cases made of glass.