The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 18, May 6, 2007, Article 22

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH'S CHALLENGE COIN

Jim Downey writes: "In last week's E-Sylum you asked an editorial question
about the president's "Commemorative Coin".  It is a challenge coin similar
to those given out by military commanders.  Attached are pictures of the
coin received by my sister whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004.  When
President Bush travels around the country he makes time to meet with the
families of military personnel who have died overseas."

George W. Bush Challenge Coin (Obverse)
George W. Bush Challenge Coin (Obverse)

George W. Bush Challenge Coin (Reverse)
George W. Bush Challenge Coin (Reverse)

[I'd like to express our collective condolences on the loss of Jim's
nephew.  Many thanks also for providing the photos of this beautifully
done piece.  Has anyone else seen one of these?  Was this a U.S. Mint
product?  -Editor]

Jim adds: "Some of your readers will be familiar with my nephew's story.
It was covered in an article that I did for Bank Note Reporter in 2005.
It won the NLG award for Best Token and Medal Article for 2005.  The
irony of the award is that of all the pieces I have written for numismatic
publications this one was mostly based on personal recollection and was
the least scholarly item I have written.

The article was in the March 2005 issue.  It was titled:  'Family Ties
Add Meaning, History to Items'.  It told a couple of stories about items
that related to my family including my nephew (Sgt. Benjamin Edinger,
USMC) and his experience with the Army Air Force Exchange Service pogs,
a National Bank Note that belonged to my grandparents and chits issued
by a lumber company that my grandfather worked for.  It was written shortly
after he and my grandmother died.  He died at the end of November 2004.
My grandmother died, believe it or not, while we were attending his
funeral.  (She was not there.)  She was 94 and it was no surprise,
just awkward timing.

"A truncated version of my nephew's story also appeared in the MPCGram
around the same time.  Here is the link to the MPCGram article:
Full Story"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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