Sobriety coin

Alcoholics Anonymous was not the first organization to use sobriety chips: other temperance societies gave medallions to those who swore to stop drinking/using and to track the duration of their sobriety. First use Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers, the history book for Alcoholics Anonymous, discusses the work of Sister Ignatia in Akron, a nun who was devoted to assisting early members of AA and was known for passing out coins to these members. In this book, it states, "Sister Ignatia gave each of her newly released patients a Sacred Heart Medallion, which she asked them to return before they took the first drink. She would occasionally give out St. Christopher and St. George medals as well." The Portland group (Maine) began a tradition of using colored poker chips to mark time of sobriety. 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 (even though they were not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous) and sell them to different sections. It is believed that the company that made the modern chip as we know it today occurred in Minneapolis in 1965. == Coin design ==

"Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism." To show how far along each person is in his or her sobriety, most AA groups use a chip of a particular color or alloy that constitutes a range of time that person has been sober. These different-colored chips and values are meant to be tokens of inspiration and a reminder of just how long the member has been sober and how far that member has come. It is evident that "early on, many people in A.A. carried personal mementos to remind themselves of the importance of their sobriety". From personal mementos to coins, the practice of giving out something such as a sobriety chip represents the will and desire that a person has to quit drinking. The practice of giving sobriety chips in AA is attributed to a group in Elmira, New York, in 1947. The celebration of birthdays came from the Oxford group, where members celebrated the anniversary of their spiritual rebirth; in Alcoholics Anonymous, people choose the anniversary of the date of their first full day without a drink. There are thirteen basic coins that are given to members within their first year of sobriety. Generally, coins are given at one month, three months, six months, and nine months of sobriety in the first year. After this, coins are given after each yearly milestone. . Typical coin milestone colors: • Silver Chip24 hours of sobriety • Red Chip30 days/1 month of sobriety • Gold Chip60 days/2 months of sobriety • Green Chip90 days/3 months of sobriety • Purple Chip4 months of sobriety • Pink Chip5 months of sobriety • Dark Blue Chip6 months of sobriety • Copper Chip7 months of sobriety • Red Chip8 months of sobriety • Purple Chip9 months of sobriety • Gold Chip10 months of sobriety • Green Chip11 months of sobriety • Bronze Chip1 year of sobriety. "The chip system is optional and not a part of all A.A. groups nationally or worldwide." In 2011, the General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous estimated that there were about 58,000 Alcoholic Anonymous groups throughout the United States. All the chips after the one-year chip are traditionally also bronze. There are special novelty chips that come in other metals, colors, types and designs. Common premium sobriety chips are gold- and silver-plated, colored and sometimes coated in a clear epoxy dome. == Notes ==