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What is a challenge coin and what does it mean?
President Joe Biden presented Pope Francis with a gold ‘challenge coin’ during their meeting – and explained its meaning in rough terms.
‘Now the tradition is – I'm only kidding about this – the next time I see you, if you don't have it you have to buy the drinks. I'm the only Irishman you've ever met who's never had a drink,’ Biden quipped.
Biden was informing the Pope about a practice he frequently takes part in.
Challenge coins are popular with members of the military, service organizations and law enforcement. They sometimes represent military units or even particular military missions.
When Biden travels, he often carries challenge coins with him, presenting them to military greeters or people he meets at events. He will sometimes bust out a coin if someone makes a personal connection with him or shares their story.
Biden’s coin has an image on one side of Delaware’s 261st National Guard regiment, on which his late son Beau served.
Prior presidents including Bill Clinton and Donald Trump had challenge coins made. Trump's said 'Make America Great Again.'
The presidential challenge coins are meant as keepsakes. Technically, there is also a ‘challenge’ aspect.
A member of the group of coin-holders may at any point brandish his or her own coin as a ‘challenge’ to other members. If they fail to have it on them, depending on informal rules, they may be obliged to buy a round of drinks who have a coin with them.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10144177/Joe-Jill-Biden-arrive-closed-door-meeting-Pope-Francis.html
Biden said the coin he handed Francis included insignia of the 261st Signal Brigade unit in the Delaware Army National Guard, the unit in which the President's son, Beau Biden, served as a captain.
"With your permission I'd like to be able to give you a coin. It has a US seal on the front, but what's different with this coin, usually – I know my son would want me to give this to you because on the back of it I have the state of Delaware and the 261st unit my son served on," Biden said, handing the Pope the large gold coin.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/29/politics/challenge-coin-joe-biden-pope-francis/index.html