Masonic Challenge Coins: Origins, Etiquette, and Traveling Traditions

The first Masonic challenge coin I was ever given came out of the pocket of a retired Marine called Walt, about ten minutes after my initiation. He pressed it into my hand, closed my fingers around it, and said, carry this, and if anyone ever asks you for yours, you had better have it. I laughed. He did not. Three months later at a lodge in another county a brother slammed his coin on the bar and looked at me expectantly, and I have never been so grateful to have checked my pockets that morning.

If you have seen these coins online or been handed one by a Masonic relative, here is what they are, where they came from, and how to handle one without embarrassing yourself.

§What is a Masonic challenge coin?

A challenge coin is a medallion, usually brass or bronze and a little larger than a silver dollar, struck with the emblems and name of a particular lodge, Grand Lodge or Masonic body. One side often carries the square and compasses. The other might show the lodge number, a founding date, a local landmark or a motto. Some are enamelled in bright colours, some are cut into unusual shapes such as a keystone or a trowel.

They have no official ritual role. You will not use one in a degree ceremony. They are a modern tradition, a way for lodges to build identity, raise funds for charity and give brethren something to swap when they travel.

§Where the tradition came from

Challenge coins come from the military. The most repeated story places their origin in the First World War, when an American pilot carried a bronze unit medallion that later helped him prove his identity after capture. Historians are sceptical of the details, but the custom of unit coins certainly spread through the American armed forces during the twentieth century, and veterans brought it home.

Because so many veterans became Freemasons after their service, the custom crossed into lodges naturally. A good number of lodges in the United States now strike their own coins, and the practice has spread to Canada, the United Kingdom and beyond. If you have served yourself, you will find lodges full of men who understand that background. Many of the older brethren you meet will share that background, which is part of why Masons call each other brother.

§The challenge itself

The challenge is a bit of fun with an old pedigree. One brother produces his coin, usually by setting it down on a table or bar with a satisfying clack. Every brother present must produce his own. Anyone who cannot buys the round, or more often these days, puts a few dollars in the charity jar. If everyone produces a coin, the challenger pays.

• Challenges happen outside the lodge room, at dinners, socials and in the bar afterwards, never during a meeting.
• Many lodges substitute a charity donation for the round of drinks, which suits non drinkers perfectly. Do Freemasons Drink Alcohol? covers that topic honestly.
• A coin carried in a wallet or keyring usually counts. A coin left in the car does not, and you will be teased about it.
• Nobody will challenge a brand new candidate harshly. The joke is gentle and always ends with a handshake.

§Traveling and trading coins

Masons call visiting other lodges traveling, and it is one of the great joys of membership. A Master Mason in good standing may visit regular lodges across his jurisdiction and, with the right paperwork, around the world. Coins have become a small part of that tradition. Visit a lodge in another town and there is a fair chance the Master or Secretary will hand you one of theirs, and you are expected to return the favour with yours.

Over the years a traveling brother builds a collection that tells the story of where he has been. I keep mine in a shallow wooden box, and each coin brings back a face, a meal, a conversation. If you are nervous about walking into a lodge for the first time, it may help to know that so many visitors are greeted this way. What Happens on Your First Visit to a Lodge describes the welcome in more detail.

Coins come later. The first step is knowing whether you are ready to petition. The free Readiness Quiz gives you an honest answer in five minutes.

§Coins as gifts and recognition

Lodges use coins to mark moments that matter. A newly raised Master Mason might receive one from his lodge. A brother who has served faithfully as an officer might be given a special edition. Grand Masters often strike a coin for their year in office, presented to brethren who have done notable work. Some lodges give a coin to every candidate on the night of his initiation, as Walt did for me, so that the first thing a new Mason owns is a small token of belonging.

If you are presented with a coin in this way, the right response is simple thanks and a handshake. Keep it. It is a memento, not a currency. Brothers who sell presentation coins online tend to be quietly frowned upon.

§Can a non Mason carry one?

There is no law against it, and family members of Masons often treasure a coin as a keepsake. But carrying a lodge coin and joining in a challenge as though you were a member would be misleading. If you inherited one, keep it with the same respect you would give a Masonic ring that belonged to a father or grandfather. And if it makes you curious, ask the lodge whose name is on it. They will almost certainly be pleased to hear from you.

§Coins and charity

Many lodges sell their coins to members and visitors to raise money for local causes, scholarships or the upkeep of their building. Collectors pay well for rare designs. It is a small, cheerful way for a lodge to fund its good works, and one more example of how fellowship and charity sit side by side in Masonic life. If you want to see how money really moves in a lodge, The Real Cost of Being a Freemason is the honest breakdown.

§What the coin really represents

On the surface, a challenge coin is a game and a souvenir. Underneath, it is something rather tender. It says, I belong to something larger than myself, and so do you. It says, wherever you go, you will find brothers who will greet you. That is a feeling a lot of men have not had since school or service, and it is a big part of why Masons call each other brother.

Walt passed away two years ago. I still carry his coin, and when someone slams one on the bar, I am always ready. Somewhere out there is a lodge with a coin waiting for you too.