Author Topic: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection  (Read 21456 times)

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Thought this is good as any on a location for this thread.  Attached will be scans of my collection of challenge coins from the NRO and other DOD space organizations.  If there is enough interest, I also have collections of USAF launch and range units, USAF space control units, NRO launches, USAF launches and NASA spacecraft launches. 

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #1 on: 03/06/2013 01:24 am »
I have the coins in pages of coin collecting albums.  The second page is the backs of the coins.  Just be aware that coins "switch sides" between the two photos (i.e. the back of the coins on the left edge of first photo is on the right edge of the second photo)
« Last Edit: 03/06/2013 01:28 am by Jim »

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #2 on: 03/06/2013 01:29 am »

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #3 on: 03/06/2013 01:29 am »

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #4 on: 03/06/2013 01:30 am »

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #5 on: 03/06/2013 01:30 am »

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #6 on: 03/06/2013 01:31 am »

Offline Lar

  • Fan boy at large
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13463
  • Saw Gemini live on TV
  • A large LEGO storage facility ... in Michigan
  • Liked: 11864
  • Likes Given: 11086
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #7 on: 03/06/2013 06:16 am »
Quite the collection.  Are most of these struck bronze?

Jim, did you belong to a unit that used them, and did you ever win a round of drinks?

For those who may not be familiar with Challenge Coins (I wasn't until recently) the WP article is pretty good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline R7

  • Propulsophile
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2725
    • Don't worry.. we can still be fans of OSC and SNC
  • Liked: 992
  • Likes Given: 668
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #8 on: 03/06/2013 08:00 am »
They look amazing! Who designs the artwork?

Unable to decide which is cooler, a challenge coin with "BLACK OPS" on the back or challenge coins that are intentionally(?) obfuscated :)

edit: tyop
« Last Edit: 03/06/2013 10:20 pm by R7 »
AD·ASTRA·ASTRORVM·GRATIA

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #9 on: 03/06/2013 06:53 pm »
Quite the collection.  Are most of these struck bronze?

Jim, did you belong to a unit that used them, and did you ever win a round of drinks?


They are various metals.  I left the USAF before they became into vogue.  However, there is one that is from a unit that is related to a unit I was in and it uses the same mascot.  It is the one with Payload Operation - Night Gators in the first photo.
« Last Edit: 03/06/2013 06:54 pm by Jim »

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #10 on: 03/06/2013 06:57 pm »
They look amazing! Who designs the artwork?


Many the different people from the many different organizations.  There isn't a single group.
« Last Edit: 03/06/2013 06:58 pm by Jim »

Offline Rocket Rancher

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 119
  • Merritt Island, FL
  • Liked: 49
  • Likes Given: 55
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #11 on: 01/15/2016 11:40 pm »
I was hoping you could tell me what metal the NG PLO coin was. I know it isn't attracted by a magnet.
« Last Edit: 01/15/2016 11:41 pm by Rocket Rancher »

Offline enigma9o7

  • Member
  • Posts: 2
  • San Jose California USA
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #12 on: 05/06/2017 01:48 am »
Jim,

Thanks for posting these!  I literally found one on the side of the road, and wondered what it was, and after googling forever finally found this thread.  Your first picture, bottom row center, is exactly the same as the one I found.   And with the wikipedia article Lar so helpfully linked, I now have an idea what it is. 

Can you tell me if these have any value?  If so, is there somewhere people buy/sell them?  The one I found is somewhat worn or perhaps just dirty, presumably carried around by someone.

Offline enigma9o7

  • Member
  • Posts: 2
  • San Jose California USA
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: NRO and DOD Space Organizations Challenge Coin Collection
« Reply #13 on: 05/06/2017 05:05 pm »
Actually, maybe mine's not exactly the same as yours.  On closer look, yours is silver colored.  Mine is gold colored (maybe made of bronze?).  Are there perhaps different versions, or is it just due to lighting in your photo (meaning, is yours actually gold colored irl)?



« Last Edit: 05/06/2017 05:07 pm by enigma9o7 »

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0