Noah Vinter
Medallions are small tokens given to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members to commemorate and celebrate their recovery milestones. They are not officially affiliated with AA, but they are used throughout the world to mark the amount of time a member has been sober. Medallions are often given to those in recovery by their home group, sponsors, or even friends and family members. They are meant to celebrate the accomplishment of staying sober and to remind the recipient of their daily commitment to recovery. The act of receiving a medallion is considered a sacred thing by some, and the medallions themselves can serve as a source of comfort and a reminder of a personal pledge to improve one's life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To commemorate special milestones in recovery |
| Size | About the size of a poker chip |
| Material | Silver-plated, aluminum, brass, gold-plated, bronze, plastic, wood, leather, glass, crystal |
| Shape | Round |
| Symbol | Circle and Triangle |
| Text | "Unity", "Service", "Recovery", "To Thine Own Self Be True", Serenity Prayer |
| Colours | Rainbow, green, purple, gold, silver, bronze |
| Timing | 24 hours, 3 months, 4-9 months, 10 months, 11 months, 1 year, annually |
| Distribution | Home group, sponsors (spiritual mentors), friends, family members |
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What You'll Learn
- Medallions are a symbol of a recovering alcoholic's pledge to themselves
- Medallions are given to recovering alcoholics to celebrate milestones
- Medallions are not officially affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous
- Medallions are given to recovering alcoholics by sponsors or friends
- Medallions are a reminder of a recovering alcoholic's daily commitment to recovery
Medallions are a symbol of a recovering alcoholic's pledge to themselves
The medallions are given out by various 12-step recovery groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), to mark milestones in a person's recovery journey. They are not officially affiliated with AA, but the group has embraced the tradition. The chips or medallions are given out at meetings or upon completion of treatment.
The act of receiving a medallion is described as sacred by some, as it marks a significant achievement in a person's recovery. They serve as a reminder of the progress made and the strength gained throughout the recovery process, and they symbolise achievement, determination, courage, and hope in the face of ongoing struggles.
The medallions are also known as sobriety coins, and they are often given to those in recovery by their home group, sponsors (spiritual mentors), or even special friends or family members. The intent is to celebrate the accomplishment and to remind the recipient of their daily commitment to their personal recovery.
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Medallions are given to recovering alcoholics to celebrate milestones
The tradition of giving out medallions to recovering alcoholics is believed to have originated with Sister Ignatia, a nun devoted to assisting early members of AA in Akron, Ohio, in the 1930s and 1940s. She would give her patients a Sacred Heart medallion, asking them to return it before they took their first drink. The practice was further popularised by Doherty S., who founded an AA group in Indianapolis in the early 1940s and introduced the use of medallions and chips to mark milestones of sobriety.
The colours and materials of AA medallions vary, but they often correspond to specific milestones. For example, a silver chip represents 24 hours of sobriety, a green chip celebrates 11 months, and a bronze chip signifies one year of continuous sobriety. These medallions are not just markers of time but also serve as reminders of the recipient's commitment to their recovery journey and the personal growth and transformation achieved during that time. They are a source of motivation and a symbol of hope, determination, and courage in the face of addiction.
While the distribution of medallions is not an official part of AA, it is a widely adopted tradition within the organisation and other recovery groups. The medallions are given out during meetings, upon completion of treatment, or by sponsors, family, or friends to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the recovering alcoholic. They are not merely tokens but hold deep significance for those on their journey to sobriety, providing a sense of accomplishment and serving as a reminder of their pledge to improve their lives.
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Medallions are not officially affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous
The use of medallions in AA is believed to have originated in 1942 in Indianapolis. The man who began the Alcoholics Anonymous section in the city, Doherty S., is thought to have started the sobriety coin tradition within this section of AA. The Portland group in Maine began a tradition of using coloured poker chips to mark time sober. As each section of AA saw fit, it joined in on the sobriety coin custom. As private companies saw these coins being used, they began to manufacture “AA” chips and sell them to different sections, even though they were not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous.
The chip system is optional and not a part of all AA groups nationally or worldwide. The medallions themselves are often small in diameter—about the size of a poker chip. AA medallions tend to come in a variety of colours, with each one representing a different amount of time that the recipient has spent sober. Many feature designs with one side showing the amount of time that the medallion represents, encased within the famed Circle and Triangle symbol. The words “Unity,” “Service,” and “Recovery” are etched along the outside of the triangle, and the phrase “To Thine Own Self Be True” floats along the perimeter. The other side often includes a smaller circle containing an even smaller triangle. Surrounding the circle is the text of AA’s Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the Serenity to accept things I cannot change, Courage to change things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.”
Medallions are distributed at recovery meetings throughout the world, but they are not badges of membership. Instead, they are markers of clean time and a source of comfort.
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Medallions are given to recovering alcoholics by sponsors or friends
Medallions are a common way to commemorate and celebrate milestones in the recovery journey from alcoholism. Medallions are given to recovering alcoholics by sponsors (spiritual mentors), friends, family members, or other members of their home group. They are often distributed at recovery meetings, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups, but they are not officially a part of the AA program or provided by the organization. The medallions are usually small, about the size of a poker chip, and come in various colours and materials, including silver, bronze, aluminium, brass, and even gold or silver plating. Some tokens may even feature crystals.
The colours of the medallions often correspond to specific durations of sobriety, with each colour representing a different amount of time that the recipient has spent sober. For example, a silver chip may represent 24 hours of sobriety, a green chip 11 months, and a bronze chip one year. The medallions may also feature designs, such as the amount of time the medallion represents, encased within the Circle and Triangle symbol, with the words "Unity," "Service," and "Recovery" etched along the outside.
The act of receiving a medallion is described by some as a sacred thing, marking a significant milestone and serving as a reminder of the progress made and the strength gained throughout the recovery process. They are a source of comfort and a symbol of achievement, determination, courage, and hope in the ongoing struggle against addiction. The medallions are not just badges of membership but markers of "clean time" and a personal pledge to improve one's life with temperance. They are a way to celebrate the accomplishments of those in recovery and remind them of their daily commitment to their journey.
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Medallions are a reminder of a recovering alcoholic's daily commitment to recovery
The tradition of distributing medallions is believed to have begun in Indianapolis in 1942 by Doherty S., who founded an AA group there. The medallions are not limited to AA groups, however, and are also distributed by other support groups for recovering addicts and alcoholics. The medallions are often distributed by sponsors or spiritual mentors, or even friends and family members.
The medallions are a way to celebrate and acknowledge the significant milestones achieved on the path to recovery. They represent the dedication, commitment, and personal growth demonstrated by individuals in their ongoing sobriety journey. For instance, the silver chip, representing 24 hours of sobriety, is a powerful reminder of a recovering alcoholic's commitment to a sober lifestyle. Similarly, the bronze chip, awarded for one year of sobriety, is a highly cherished medallion that symbolises an individual's dedication, perseverance, and personal growth during a pivotal period.
These medallions are a source of comfort and a reminder of how far a person has come in their recovery journey. They serve as a tangible representation of achievement, determination, courage, and hope in the face of addiction. They are a way to commemorate special milestones in recovery and remind the recipient of their daily commitment to sobriety.
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Frequently asked questions
A medallion, also known as a sobriety coin, is a token given to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or other 12-step program members to mark their progress in recovery.
A medallion is a symbol of a recovering alcoholic's pledge to themselves and their commitment to sobriety. It serves as a reminder of their daily commitment to personal recovery and celebrates their achievement, determination, courage, and hope in the face of addiction.
The use of medallions in recovery has a long history. The Sacred Heart medallion, used by the Father Matthew Temperance Movement in the 1840s and the Pioneers, an Irish Temperance Movement of the 1890s, predates AA medallions. The tradition of using medallions in Alcoholics Anonymous is attributed to Sister Ignatia, a nun who helped establish the hospitalization program at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron. She gave her patients medallions and asked them to return them before they took their first drink. The chip system, where medallions are given to mark milestones in recovery, is believed to have originated in Indianapolis in 1942 by Doherty S., who founded an AA group there.
Medallions are often given to those in recovery by their home group, sponsors (spiritual mentors), or even special friends or family members. They are not officially provided by AA, but many groups offer them to members celebrating achievements in their recovery. Additionally, some people may choose to purchase their own medallions to mark their recovery milestones.
