Noah Vinter
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of men and women who support each other in their shared goal of solving their common problem of alcoholism and recovering from it. To celebrate different lengths of sobriety, AA groups distribute tokens, which are also known as AA chips, coins, or medallions. These tokens are given to members during a celebration ceremony at the beginning or the end of an AA meeting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Sobriety coin, AA chip, AA token, AA medallion |
| Description | A token given to Alcoholics Anonymous members to represent the amount of time the member has remained sober |
| Size | 34 mm (1.34 in) (standard) or 39 mm (1.5 in) in diameter |
| Material | Metal or plastic |
| Colours | Various |
| Distribution | Distributed in 12-step meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous |
| Distribution time | Distributed during celebration ceremonies at the beginning or end of an AA meeting |
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What You'll Learn
- Tokens are given to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members to represent their continuous sobriety
- Tokens are known as sobriety coins, AA chips, or AA medallions
- Tokens are usually small, round pieces of metal or plastic
- Tokens are given to members during a celebration ceremony at the beginning or end of an AA meeting
- Tokens are not required to be earned, but instead remind members of their commitment to sobriety
Tokens are given to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members to represent their continuous sobriety
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of men and women who share their experiences, strengths, and hopes to overcome their common problem of alcoholism and help others recover from it. Tokens, also known as sobriety coins, chips, or medallions, are given to AA members to represent their continuous sobriety. These tokens are small, round pieces of metal or plastic, typically measuring 34 mm by 2 mm. They are distributed to members of 12-step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, to mark significant periods of continuous sobriety.
The use of tokens in AA is believed to have originated in 1942 in Indianapolis by Doherty S., who started the Alcoholics Anonymous section in the city. The Portland group in Maine adopted a similar practice, using coloured poker chips to indicate the time of sobriety. Soon, other AA sections joined in on the tradition, and private companies began manufacturing and selling "AA" chips, even without any affiliation with Alcoholics Anonymous.
The tokens are given to members during celebration ceremonies at the beginning or end of an AA meeting. They are not officially conference-approved by AA, and the logo has not been granted for use on medallions. However, they serve as powerful reminders of an individual's commitment to recovery. The tokens come in different colours, alloys, or metals, each representing a specific milestone in an individual's recovery journey. For example, the 24-hour chip represents the initial decision to live a sober life, while the one-year chip is traditionally made of bronze. There are also special novelty chips that come in unique designs.
The chip system is optional and not a part of all AA groups nationally or worldwide. However, many AA groups provide chip or medallion nights to celebrate those receiving tokens. These tokens are meant to inspire and remind members of their progress and commitment to sobriety. They are not just decorative items but symbols of an individual's journey towards recovery and a life free from alcoholism.
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Tokens are known as sobriety coins, AA chips, or AA medallions
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of men and women who support each other in their shared goal of solving their common problem of alcoholism and helping others to recover from it. Tokens distributed by AA are known as sobriety coins, AA chips, or AA medallions. These tokens are small, round pieces of metal or plastic that are given to members of 12-step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, to commemorate significant periods of continuous sobriety.
The use of tokens in Alcoholics Anonymous is not mandatory and varies among groups. AA chips typically start as aluminum coins, marking 24 hours of sobriety. After the initial 24-hour chip, they increase in monthly intervals, starting with one month and eventually reaching one year. The chips after the one-year chip are traditionally made of bronze. There are also special novelty chips that come in other metals, colors, types, and designs. Some tokens may even feature crystals.
The different colors of AA chips represent the number of months of sobriety achieved by the recipient. They serve as a reminder of the member's commitment to sobriety and their progress in recovery. The chips are usually distributed during celebration ceremonies at the beginning or end of an AA meeting. Some groups also hold special medallion nights to commemorate the distribution of tokens.
The tradition of using tokens in Alcoholics Anonymous is believed to have originated in 1942 in Indianapolis, started by Doherty S., who founded the Alcoholics Anonymous section in the city. The Portland group in Maine adopted the use of colored poker chips to mark time sober, and soon other sections of AA joined in on the custom. Private companies began manufacturing and selling "AA" chips, even without any affiliation with Alcoholics Anonymous.
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Tokens are usually small, round pieces of metal or plastic
Tokens given to alcoholics in recovery are known as sobriety coins, sobriety chips, or AA coins, tokens, or medallions. These tokens are usually small, round pieces of metal or plastic that are distributed to members of 12-step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous. The standard size of these tokens is 34 mm (1.34 inches) in diameter and 2 mm in thickness, similar to a poker chip. They are often made of bronze, brass, or aluminum.
The tokens are given to members to celebrate and mark significant periods of continuous sobriety. They typically begin with a 24-hour coin, representing the initial decision to live a sober life. After that, they are given at monthly intervals, starting with one month and eventually reaching one year. The one-year chip is traditionally made of bronze, and yearly anniversary coins are usually brass with a special antique finish, stamped with Roman numerals to indicate the number of years of sobriety.
The chips or tokens are not officially used by all AA groups, but they are a common tradition in many of them. The chips are meant to be tokens of inspiration and a reminder of how far the member has come in their recovery journey. They serve as powerful symbols of a person's commitment to recovery and can be a source of motivation to stay sober.
In addition to the standard metal tokens, there are also special novelty chips that come in other metals, colours, types, and designs. Some tokens may even feature crystals. The colour of the token often holds significance, representing the number of months of sobriety or the specific milestones achieved in an individual's recovery journey. These tokens are an important part of the personal journey towards sobriety and can be a source of pride and encouragement for those in recovery.
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Tokens are given to members during a celebration ceremony at the beginning or end of an AA meeting
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of men and women who share their experiences, strengths, and hopes with each other to solve their common problem of alcoholism and help others recover. AA groups use tokens, chips, or medallions to celebrate members' recovery milestones and the amount of time they have remained sober. These tokens are given to members during a celebration ceremony at the beginning or end of an AA meeting.
The tokens are small, round pieces of metal or plastic, typically about 34 mm in diameter and 2 mm thick. They are distributed to members of 12-step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, to mark significant periods of continuous sobriety. The tokens are sometimes referred to as sobriety coins, AA coins, AA chips, or AA medallions. The 24-hour chip, typically made of aluminum, represents the initial decision to live a sober life. After the 24-hour chip, the tokens are given in monthly intervals, starting with one month and eventually reaching one year. The one-year chip and beyond are traditionally made of bronze. Yearly anniversary coins are usually brass coins with a special antique finish and are stamped with Roman numerals to indicate the number of years of sobriety.
The use of tokens in AA is not mandatory, and the practice varies among different AA groups. The tokens are meant to be inspirational and a reminder of how far the member has come in their recovery journey. They serve as powerful symbols of a person's commitment to recovery and can be a source of motivation during difficult times. The tokens can also include crystals or other special designs to make them more personalised and meaningful to the recipient.
The tradition of using tokens in AA is believed to have originated in 1942 in Indianapolis, started by Doherty S., who founded the Alcoholics Anonymous section in the city. The Portland group in Maine adopted the use of coloured poker chips to mark time, and soon other AA sections joined in on the custom. Private companies recognised the use of these tokens and began manufacturing and selling them to different AA sections, despite having no official affiliation with Alcoholics Anonymous.
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Tokens are not required to be earned, but instead remind members of their commitment to sobriety
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of men and women who support each other in their shared goal of solving their drinking problem and maintaining sobriety. AA groups use tokens, chips, or medallions to celebrate members' recovery milestones and periods of continuous sobriety. These tokens are not required to be earned, but instead serve as reminders of members' commitment to sobriety.
The tokens are usually small, round pieces of metal or plastic, often about 34 mm in diameter (the size of a poker chip). They are distributed to members of 12-step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, to mark significant periods of sobriety. The tokens typically start as aluminum coins, with a 24-hour chip representing the initial decision to live a sober life. After the 24-hour chip, they are given out in monthly intervals, starting with one month and eventually reaching one year. The one-year chip and beyond are traditionally bronze, while the yearly anniversary coins are brass with a special antique finish and stamped with Roman numerals.
The use of tokens in AA is believed to have originated in 1942 in Indianapolis, when Doherty S., the founder of the local AA group, started the sobriety coin tradition. The Portland group in Maine further developed this tradition by using coloured poker chips to mark time in sobriety. As other AA sections adopted the practice, private companies began manufacturing and selling "AA" chips, even though they were not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous. Today, the chip system is optional and not a part of all AA groups nationally or worldwide, and the specific ways of honouring sobriety milestones vary among local groups.
The tokens are meant to inspire members and remind them of their progress in recovery. They are not just decorative items but powerful symbols of a member's commitment to sobriety and recovery. These tokens can be personally significant and serve as a daily reminder to maintain sobriety. While the tokens themselves are not earned through specific actions, they signify important milestones and achievements in a member's journey towards sobriety.
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Frequently asked questions
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members receive sobriety coins, chips, or tokens.
Sobriety tokens are small, 34mm by 2mm, round pieces of metal or plastic distributed to members of 12 Step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. They are used to mark significant periods of continuous sobriety.
The sobriety token is believed to have originated in 1942 in Indianapolis. Doherty S., the man who began the Alcoholics Anonymous section in the city, is thought to have started the tradition. The Portland group in Maine then began using coloured poker chips to mark the time of sobriety.
