Vivian Marlowe
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship for people with drinking problems, and it is open to anyone who wants to quit drinking. The AA chip system is a tradition that began in the mid-1940s to provide positive reinforcement and a sense of accomplishment for members. These chips are small, round tokens given to people in recovery to signify their sobriety milestones and serve as a physical reminder of their commitment to sobriety. While the chips are not mandatory, they are a common and integral part of AA culture. There is no requirement to return the chips, and members can choose to keep or dispose of them as they wish.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Remind people of their daily decision to maintain sobriety |
| Shape | Small, round tokens |
| Material | Aluminum, brass, gold, silver, bronze |
| Colors | Various |
| Distribution | At the beginning or end of 12-step meetings |
| Milestones | 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, etc. |
| Revoked after relapse? | No |
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What You'll Learn
- AA chips are small, round tokens given to people in recovery to signify their sobriety milestones
- The tokens are not mandatory but are a common part of AA culture, with various colours and materials used
- The tradition of giving out chips is believed to have started in Indianapolis in 1942 by Doherty S., who founded the local AA group
- The practice was recognised by psychologists in 1975 as a positive behaviour modification technique to help prevent relapse
- There is no process for returning AA chips
AA chips are small, round tokens given to people in recovery to signify their sobriety milestones
The practice of giving out sobriety chips is thought to have started with an AA group in Indianapolis in 1942, although some attribute it to a group in Elmira, New York, in 1947. The custom grew as a way to positively reinforce members and give a sense of accomplishment. By 1975, the practice was recognized by psychologists studying the 12-Step method, with criminologist and social worker Alexander Bassin describing the chip system as "a behavior modification technique."
The chips come in a variety of colours, each signifying a different milestone in sobriety. For example, the white chip signifies a commitment to or renewal of sobriety, while the silver chip, or "desire chip," represents the decision to embark on a sober journey. The chips are usually given out at various points during the first year of sobriety, such as one month, three months, six months, and so on.
There is no requirement to do anything specific with an AA chip once received, and individuals are free to keep, discard, or pass it on as they see fit.
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The tokens are not mandatory but are a common part of AA culture, with various colours and materials used
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship open to anyone with a drinking problem who wants to quit drinking. AA groups distribute small, round tokens, commonly known as \"chips\" or "coins", to members as they reach sobriety milestones. While the tokens are not mandatory, they are a common part of AA culture, with various colours and materials used.
The tokens are believed to have originated in Indianapolis in 1942, although some accounts attribute their creation to an AA group in Elmira, New York, in 1947. The tradition is thought to have begun with Doherty S., the man who started the Alcoholics Anonymous section in Indianapolis, or Sister Mary Ignatia, a nun who worked with alcoholics in the 1930s. The practice quickly spread, and by 1975, it had been recognised by psychologists for its effectiveness in helping addicts and alcoholics.
The tokens are typically made of plastic, aluminium, brass, bronze, or sometimes gold or silver plating. They are given to members after a number of months or years of sobriety, with 13 basic coins awarded within the first year. The chips are meant to make members feel supported, motivated, and loved, reminding them that they are not alone in their journey to sobriety.
The chips are not required to be returned upon leaving AA or relapsing, and members can choose to keep or dispose of them as they wish. The act of receiving and collecting these tokens serves as a physical reminder of a member's commitment to sobriety and their progress in their recovery journey.
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The tradition of giving out chips is believed to have started in Indianapolis in 1942 by Doherty S., who founded the local AA group
The tradition of giving out sobriety chips is believed to have begun in 1942 by Doherty S., who founded the local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group in Indianapolis. AA is an international fellowship of people with drinking problems, and it is open to anyone who wants to quit drinking. Members are encouraged to attend AA meetings.
The practice of distributing sobriety chips in AA is thought to have originated with the Indianapolis group in 1942, with other AA groups soon adopting the custom. While some accounts attribute the tradition to an AA group in Elmira, New York, starting around 1947, the earlier beginnings in Indianapolis are supported by several sources.
Doherty S., who brought AA to Indianapolis, is credited with initiating the sobriety coin tradition within this section of AA. The AA website and writer Nell Wing also reference the start of giving out 'chips' and 'tokens' in Indianapolis in 1942. The custom continued to grow within AA, NA (Narcotics Anonymous), and other organizations that wanted to provide their members with positive reinforcement and a sense of accomplishment.
The chips are small, round tokens given to people in recovery to signify their sobriety milestones. They are not mandatory but are a common and integral part of AA culture. The chips serve as a physical reminder to take one day at a time and make members feel supported, motivated, and loved. They also symbolize that the member is not alone in their journey towards sobriety.
The chip system is optional and not universal across all AA groups, and the customs for celebrating sobriety milestones may vary depending on the local group. The chips come in different colors and materials, each representing different milestones and lengths of sobriety.
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The practice was recognised by psychologists in 1975 as a positive behaviour modification technique to help prevent relapse
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) chips, also known as "sobriety tokens" or "medallions", are small, round tokens given to members of a 12-step program to mark their sobriety milestones. The practice of distributing these tokens can be traced back to the early days of AA, when Sister Mary Ignatia, a nun who worked with one of AA's co-founders, Dr. Bob Smith, began giving patients Sacred Heart medallions upon their release from hospital in 1939. She asked them to return the medallions before consuming any alcohol.
The use of tokens to mark sobriety milestones continued, and by 1975, it was recognised by psychologists as a positive behaviour modification technique to help prevent relapse. In a 1975 paper for the journal American Psychologist, criminologist and social worker Alexander Bassin described the chip system as a "behaviour modification technique" that served as a talisman to ward off relapse. Bassin noted that the alcoholic could keep the chip in the same pocket where they kept money to buy alcohol, and each time they were tempted to buy alcohol, they would come into contact with the chip and be reminded of their commitment to abstinence.
The distribution of chips or medallions is not mandatory in the AA program, but it is a common practice and part of AA culture. The chips are meant to remind members of their daily decision to maintain sobriety and provide a sense of accomplishment. They are also a reminder that the member is not fighting their addiction alone and that they have the support of their group.
The chips come in various colours and materials, such as aluminium, brass, and silver or gold plating, with each colour representing a specific milestone in sobriety. While the chips may have similar overall meanings, they can hold special significance for the individual receiving them. Members typically receive chips for milestones during their first year of recovery, such as one month, three months, six months, and nine months, and then annually thereafter.
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There is no process for returning AA chips
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship of people with a drinking problem. It is open to anyone who wants to quit drinking, and members are encouraged to attend AA meetings. The AA chip system is a common practice and a part of AA culture, but it is not mandatory.
The tradition of giving sobriety chips is thought to have started with an AA group in Indianapolis in 1942. However, some attribute it to a group in Elmira, New York, in 1947. The chips are small, round tokens that come in a variety of colours and materials, including aluminium, brass, and sometimes gold or silver plating. They are given to people in recovery to signify how long they have been sober and serve as a physical reminder to take one day at a time.
While some sources mention that Sister Mary Ignatia, a nun who worked alongside Dr. Bob, would give out medallions and ask that they be returned before the recipient consumed alcohol again, there is no standard process for returning AA chips. If someone chooses to give back their chip, they can keep it, throw it away, or pass it on to another person.
The chips are meant to make AA members feel supported, motivated, and loved, and to remind them that they are not fighting alcoholism alone. They are not meant to be returned and are intended to be kept as a memento and a symbol of commitment to sobriety.
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Frequently asked questions
No, you do not have to give Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) chips back if you relapse. AA recognizes that relapsing is part of the recovery process.
AA chips, also known as sobriety tokens or coins, are small, round tokens given to members of a 12-step program after a certain number of months of sobriety. They are meant to remind members of their commitment to sobriety and provide a sense of accomplishment.
The use of medallions in AA can be traced back to Sister Mary Ignatia, who worked with Dr. Bob Smith to admit alcoholics into St. Thomas Hospital in Akron, Ohio, starting in 1939. She gave patients a Sacred Heart medallion, asking them to return it before they drank again. The practice of giving out AA chips specifically is believed to have started with an AA group in Indianapolis in 1942 or Elmira, New York, in 1947.
AA chips are made from a variety of materials, including aluminum, brass, and bronze, sometimes with gold or silver plating. Some tokens may even feature crystals.
The colours of AA chips represent the number of months or years of sobriety a person has achieved. Each colour signifies a different milestone in recovery.
