THREAD: "Challenge coins" are common among military and police. They're little medallions to promote team spirit.

They're also weird and scary when you see the logos and designs these groups use.

Vancouver Airport enforcement uses a menacing Punisher logo for some reason.

2/ Last month a Toronto cop was ordered to remove a Punisher logo from his uniform. But it turns out this image is common on Challenge Coins and other internal police memorabilia.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/09/08/toronto-police-officer-ordered-to-remove-punisher-patch-from-uniform.html

3/ Here's the Canadian Border Services Agency challenge coin. It's got the Punisher logo wearing what looks like a Centurions helmet.

4/ The CBSA one actually opens up to reveal a suitcase containing lube, cash, cocaine and a gun.

5/ Many of these coins raise questions. Here's the one for the Vancouver Police "Public Safety Unit" - a flaming Phoenix rising from the ashes of chaos.

To me this seems to be saying Vancouver has been destroyed by fires of chaos and the VPD will rebuild?

Toronto Housing has their own special "Community Safety Unit" for law enforcement and security on their properties.

Here's their challenge coin. This is how they see themselves.

https://www.torontohousing.ca/careers/communitysafetyunit/Pages/Our-constables.aspx

7/ There's a special coin for Canadian "Drug Recognition Experts" – cops trained to identify what drugs a person may be using.

Weirdly all their challenge coins feature a US eagle with the Canada or Province shield on its chest. I wonder what that symbolizes?

8/ It's a fascinating glimpse into police and enforcement culture. Here's the coin for the RCMP "Strike Force" in Surrey. They use the "All Seeing Eye" from the US $1 bill, and the Spy Vs Spy characters created to mock CIA/KGB during the Cold War.

9/ Here's the Toronto Police Drug Squad challenge coin. I don't know what the diamond and design on the skull's head is supposed to symbolize. This looks to me like a gang logo. Does anyone know what "Majors/Clan" means?

10/ Here's the Sudbury Drug Enforcement Unit. Apparently they're going after syringes, pot leaves, lightning bolts, pills, cigarettes, triangles and Xs.

11/ I'm not sure what's going on here with the horse, but this is from Quebec, the Laval Police Service Drug Unit.

12/ Holy this one is insane. A tuxedoed skeleton holding a syringe while passing you a joint is the BC "Drug Recognition Expert" Instructor coin.

This is how cop "drug experts" see drugs and drug users.

As the watermark shows, I'm finding these coins at http://ChallengeCoins.ca 

13/ From coast to coast, the police drug squads all love skulls and death imagery. RCMP Langley Drug Squad.

14/ Hamilton Police Drug Squad. The maple leaf in the skull's eyesocket really does it for me.

15/ There's also a Punisher/Sheepdog coin for the Toronto Court Officers. Imagine describing the people you're supposed to "Serve and Protect" as "sheep."

16/ Cops seem to love Spy Vs Spy. Here's the Calgary Police "Strike Force Unit."

(The latin text translates to "If I tell you I'll have to kill you.")

17/ Anyways, there's all kinds of these police challenge coins. While many are threatening and seem kinda fascistic, there's some that are a little more fun.

I leave you with this RCMP North Vancouver Challenge Coin as a palate cleanser.

18/ I found all these coins on http://ChallengeCoins.ca  and now that this thread is getting attention they've shut down their website!

ChallengeCoins is just a collector site, I didn't mean for them to shut down!

For the curious, their site is archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20170823084648/http://www.challengecoins.ca/the-coins/

19/ Another one of these crazy coins has surfaced... https://twitter.com/RomyYYC/status/1316826587858427905