Challenge coins: what are they and who has them?

bt, Capital Chronicle

In just a few weeks, one Hoosier member of law enforcement will get a rare recognition: one of the Department of Child Services’ challenge coins honoring “a heroic act that protected a Hoosier child.”

“Our coins are awarded to individuals who demonstrate the characteristics featured on the coin — the courage of a lion, the thick skin of a rhino and the heart of a teddy bear,” a DCS spokesperson told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “These coins are awarded on a limited basis, by our director only, and intended to honor someone’s service to DCS, a heroic act, perseverance and dedication to child welfare.”

Recipients include former foster children now “thriving” in adulthood, DCS team members retiring after decades working in child welfare and community heroes, such as the law enforcement officer set to receive one from DCS Director Adam Krupp.

The 2025 445-coin order cost the department $1,495.20, according to an invoice shared by the agency. By ordering in bulk, the per-coin price dropped from $4.80 to $3.36 and included no upgraded edges or thickness — though both sides are the characteristic Indiana blue and gold.

Not all agencies or elected officeholders have the emblems. Gov. Mike Braun and Attorney General Todd Rokita don’t have one — but both Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Secretary of State Diego Morales do.

While the Indiana House of Representatives doesn’t have a coin, the Senate allows members to purchase the coins from their own funds, according to Sen. Travis Holdman, the Republican Majority Caucus Chair.

“We have probably ordered more than 1,000 challenge coins for our constituents to have,” Holdman, from Markle, estimated. “Some have really embraced it.”

Holdman guessed that nearly everyone in the 40-member caucus had purchased one.

“I think it’s a sign of friendship and a sign of loyalty and dedication,” Holdman said, about his personal practice in distributing the tokens.

What are challenge coins?

Challenge coins are traditionally small medallions with a special design used to commemorate a special team or event. Oftentimes, these coins are used in the military and, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, have been used for a century in America “to instill unit pride, improve esprit de corps and reward hard work and excellence.”

The origin of the tradition is a little murkier, “probably,” the agency concludes, because it “didn’t start as an officially sanctioned activity.” A popular story posits that a wealthy lieutenant in World War I gave each of his unit members a bronze medallion as a memento but Roman soldiers also received special coins for their service.

The legend goes on to say that the WWI lieutenant was once trapped behind enemy lines and found refuge with French allies — who recognized him because of his challenge coin and granted him safe passage.

Holdman referenced this story in his own recounting of the coin’s importance, sharing that his son received a challenge coin upon graduating from officer school in the Air Force.

“That’s become a tradition,” said Holdman.

Secretary of Public Safety Jennifer-Ruth Green is looking into ordering her own coins, an office spokesperson confirmed. The combat veteran has a long military career with the Air Force and will grant coins to those who go “above and beyond” to keep Hoosiers safe.

The coin will also feature her motto as secretary: “people first, safety always.”

Green oversees the Department of Homeland Security as part of her duties. The department shared details about two other recently purchased challenge coins: the Cobalt Magnet Challenge Coin and the CERT Challenge Coin.

The former recognizes those who participated in the Cobalt Magnet Radiological and Nuclear Multistate Exercise in March, which the U.S. Department of Energy said included more than 70 agencies across both the United States and Canada. One hundred coins were purchased at a cost of $470.80 in January, as detailed in an invoice shared by the agency.

The National CERT Conference for emergency managers, instructors and more will be held in Plainfield this fall and have its own coin. DHS purchased 500 of those for $2,350.08 in May — though grant funding covered the cost.

The Indiana State Police doesn’t have one as an agency but the office told the Indiana Capital Chronicle that several sections, with permission, have designed and ordered challenge coins for themselves and purchased them as a group. Additionally, the agency’s dedicated museum offers challenge coins for purchase.

In a military setting, challenge coins can even be a way to establish an alliance between countries, as shown by the collection of Brig. Gen. Lawrence Muennich, the adjutant general of Indiana’s National Guard.

“Military challenge coins are a significant way for senior leaders to recognize and commemorate exceptional service, accomplishments, or significant events in one’s military career. They are also a form of respect between allied forces, visiting dignitaries, and other senior leaders. When given, they signal mutual respect and enduring partnership,” a Guard spokesperson said.

An in-house graphic designer for ING designed Muennich’s coins, which feature a state cutout along with the signature of the state’s 60th adjutant general. The 500-coin purchase of $2,092 was paid for by funds from the State Armory Board — which has its own public administrative board and earns funds from renting out the state’s various armories.

But the practice has spread beyond its military roots. It’s unclear when individually elected offices and agencies not affiliated with the military or law enforcement picked it up in Indiana. An eBay seller specializing in challenge coins offers one from a former Indiana commerce secretary and another from a 2023 Indiana National Guard mission.

Holdman said he would “never” approve to purchase the coins as a state expense for senators and said he wasn’t previously aware that some state agencies had their own emblems.

“An agency like DCS needs to do absolutely everything they can to establish goodwill — so I would certainly give them a pass,” Holdman said after learning about the practice. “But if it’s a state elected official — I would never turn in a bill to have the Senate pay for anything like that.”

So who else has one?

The Office of Lieutenant Governor first told the Indiana Capital Chronicle it had no comment on its challenge coins — until it learned ICC had already confirmed their existence in an unrelated public records request.

According to the March emails, chief legal counsel Devin Norrick — an attorney with close legal ties to Beckwith’s church — sought legal guidance on whether the lieutenant governor’s challenge coin could feature a cross or bible verse.

A photo from the office shows that one side includes the Indiana state flag while the other features the state seal — a buffalo jumping over a log in a meadow. That side also includes the words “Faith, Family, Freedom” with Matthew 6:33, a short verse directing followers to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

“The Lt. Governor does have a challenge coin. He is proud to carry on this long-standing tradition by sharing them with his fellow Hoosiers,” the office said, declining to provide the coin’s cost.

The office also appears to have another coin design, according to constituents on social media, though it’s unclear where it came from or if it was purchased using state funds.

Secretary of State Diego Morales’ Office said he gives his coin to law enforcement officers, emergency responders, election administrators, members of the military, federal agency officials and more.

Morales distributes the coins himself and doesn’t provide them upon request, a spokesperson said.

“I am proud to carry on the long-standing tradition of presenting challenge coins — which are a modest but significant gesture rooted in military custom, to honor excellence, dedication, challenge, commitment, sacrifice, and accomplishment in public service,” said Morales. “As Indiana’s only current military veteran statewide officeholder I believe Hoosiers join me in valuing the history and meaning of presenting a state office challenge coin.”

Morales served with the Indiana National Guard.

The office didn’t provide an invoice, which might include design costs and other details such as size, but reported that it purchased 2,000 coins in 2024 at a cost of $3.60 each, or $7,200 total.

The Winchester News-Gazette reported in January 2024 that Morales gave a coin to a local county clerk and shared a more personal connection to the tradition. According to the publication, Morales said he received a challenge coin as a thank-you from Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger.