AA medalions

soberjulie · Veteran Member

AA medalions

angelov8 · MIP Old Timer

Here in my neck of the woods, medallions or "coins" are given for milestones in the first year and to mark annual birthdays. Milestones here are acknowledged and celebrated at 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. On one side is printed, "To thine own self be true", which encircles a triangle that has the words "unity", "service", and "recovery" on the sides of it. The serenity prayer is printed on the other side.

They are manufactured and pre-printed. Most meetings have some on hand to hand out if it's a special day. My women's meetings have cards which those who are present fill out if they care to when it is a birthday aniversary.

-- Edited by angelov8 on Tuesday 29th of December 2009 02:39:20 AM

bikerbill · MIP Old Timer

we tend not to go with medallions, coins, chips etc, though I did get one from my sponsor's partner on my first birthday, with the suggestion that if I ever want a drink, I was to put this in my mouth and suck. When it dissolved I could have a drink. i tried it once, tasted awful.

I carried it around for a long while then passed it on to someone else who had a first birthday.

we tend to celebrate birthdays with cake and cards. I like to go to the meeting that falls on my birthday and also to hit my first meeting in the day before and after my birthday.

It's a nice thought, but sometimes I feel it's a bit like being congratulated for doing what you should do anyway.

Counting the days was dangerous for me. The first day came and went, then i targeted a week, then a month, then 90 days, then 100 days, then a year. On the run up to each 'milestone' up to 90 days I had a feeling that I would excuse myself the day after and pick up again, so a few days before the target, I'd set a new one. after day 90 and before day 100, my sponsor told me to stop counting and setting targets beyond today and he'd do the counting for me.

ljc · MIP Old Timer

My home group does not give coins, or medallions or chips for AA anniversaries. Not saying that I wouldnt purchase a coin for significant 20 or 30 yr. person.

I think I got a 1 & 2 yr. coin for my own sobriety. But havent received or taken any since. I guess for me its not about some token to mark the miracles that have taken place in my life. It should be about the gratitude I feel for staying sober just one day at a time.

pinkchip · MIP Old Timer

While it does feel good to pick up the medallion (at least the 1 year one - because that is all I have personal experience to talk about)....the theory is that you don't really pick it up for yourself. You do it to show others it can be done and to tell them how you did it. In other words, to give hope. We have a huge anniversary meeting at the clubhouse I go to at the end of every month. There are usually at least 15 or so celebrants at each one. As a newcomer, I am so glad I got to go to those and see other people pick up their medallions because I got to hear how life was across the spectrum of sobriety. I got to see what a sober life looked like from 1 up to 35 years sober and it was a great learning experience. I'm glad people picked them up and spoke so that I could see all that (and that they still do).

Avril G · Senior Member

In Belgium, where I lived for 2 years, they did a 'chips and medallions' before opening the meeting for sharing, they went from the 24-hour desire chip, 3 months, 6 months 9 months, then up in years to 40 years!!! They had them in a lovey presentation box on the table, but not many groups seem to do this nowadays.

A few years ago, one of our groups kept a Birthday Book, so that every homegroup member had a cake at the meeting on their AA birthday, again this seems to have dropped off.

kld47 · Senior Member

Hi

I have gotten a chip/coin for each of the various milestones/birthdays I have had.

1 Hour, 24 Hours, 1, 3, 6, 9 Months are Plastic.

From 1 Year and On they are like Gold Plated Ones.

In some areas the Big Years like 10, 20, or 15, 25 Some Clubs have it made up like Wedding Aniversary ones are.

Some People Pass theirs on to a New Comer. Sponsors pas theirs down to Sponsees. Others give out AA Books or Jewelry Items.

My Sponsor gave me a signed small 12 and 12 on one of my birthdays. And when we went to Founders Day My Grand Sponsor gave us each a Necklace.

Some Groups even have Milestone Coin In Plastic with a Presentation Big Book.

Check your Area, Some Alano Clubs will give out Coins at Speaker Meetings, In some cases depending on how many the club/group has you can buy one for a small cost (usually $1 or 2) to offset costs of getting more.

angelov8 · MIP Old Timer

I appreciate the coins as symbol. I love that they are round, like a wedding band. I'm still married, whether or not I wear the ring, makes no difference, but I still like wearing it. I'm am touched by symbols and rituals. I love that the coin is often passed around, so that each meeting member touches it. Of course, the true strength is not measured by a material object; the inspiration and power is already present in all of us who work a program of recovery, in our collective higher power.

For me, the coin is a symbol of this power, and marks the significance of our sobriety. As Pinkchip noted, the coin is less about the individual in my opinion. I appreciate knowing where folks are at. Again this is clear by listening to people in meetings. As a newcomer, I liked knowing specifically about other's milestones. I have appreciated watching other's recovery, and knowing where they are at in terms of milestones enables me to see changes that occur universally when we surrender to recovery.

All that said, I am a firm believer in the 24 hour plan and one-day-at-a-time concept. For me this is not in opposition to marking longer lengths of time. I am also helped by listening to our differences, in terms of needs and opinions, and then seeing the unity that we share.

I'm ready to forgo the cakes that are brought to celebrate, my metabolism reacts poorly to this type of ritual.

-- Edited by angelov8 on Wednesday 30th of December 2009 02:32:56 AM

cooncatbob · Senior Member

The area where I used to live had a very large (1000+) monthly birthday speaker meeting.
This was a big time meeting where after they gave out the birthday chips they would have a circuit speaker and after the meeting you'd be able to buy a tape of the share that the speaker had just given.

-- Edited by cooncatbob on Wednesday 30th of December 2009 06:15:59 PM

Avril G · Senior Member

You can collect a cybriety medallion here. (Virtual medallion) You can also send them to friends who have a soberversary.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/daily/ig/Anniversary-Medallions/

Edit in ~ Sorry for the intrusion, Avril! Thought I could transfer it to the cool stuff thread! Have swiped it instead :) Dxx

-- Edited by Sobrietyspell on Friday 1st of January 2010 08:08:53 PM

bferrucci · Newbie

<send me a message if you're looking for> medallions for gift or groups and anniversaries.

Bob

-- Edited by StPeteDean on Thursday 25th of February 2010 05:54:48 AM

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

bferrucci, welcome to the board. Please start a new introductory thread so that you can get a proper welcoming from our regulars.

Tessa · Senior Member

Avril, thx for the link. I didn't need medalions. But, it's interesting reading & I signed up for the women alcoholics email course.

FlyingSquirrel · Senior Member

To me, they are nice and everything, but not necessary. I'm not going to depend on keeping something like that in my pocket to rub, what happens if something catastrophic happens in my life and I forgot to grab the coin? Anyway, I accepted a 1-year coin today from a group that I used to go to regularly in my first 6 months or so but haven't been to in a long time. Didn't even know it was going to be a birthday meeting, I just happened to decide that it was time to make an appearance. I'm glad I did, and I'm going to start trying to hit that meeting more often again. As far as the coin goes, I'm really looking forward to passing it on to someone!

bferrucci · Newbie

i think you might find something suitable on sobermedallions.com

Dave Harm · Senior Member

For e-mail type celebrations these are my favorites

Recovery emporium

Barnicalbill · Newbie

About your AA medalions. There are some diferent variations, but the most common has the Serebty prayor on the back and the number of years sober on the front along with the AA trangle labled "Unity", "Service", and "Recovery" on each leg of the triangle. Good luck in your search. If you don't have any luck lwt mw kno at barnicalbill@windstream.net and I'll send you one...Bill

-- Edited by Barnicalbill on Wednesday 20th of July 2011 10:55:54 PM

Barnicalbill · Newbie

Hi Bob, please send me info about those coins. You can reach me at barnicalbill@windstream.net Hope we can connect soon...Bill