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Congratulations on resolving to give up the bottle!  

You’ve just made one of the most daring yet ultimately rewarding health decisions.  

However, you’ll soon discover that the journey to complete sobriety is anything but easy. The road ahead is fraught with bumps and pitfalls, many of which will occasionally have you questioning the very decision to quit alcohol.  

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 40% - 60% of people who receive treatment for substance abuse end up relapsing at some point. These statistics underscore the treacherous journey to abstinence and how a little bump on the road can send you plummeting back to alcohol.  

But just as numerous circumstances may trigger a relapse to alcohol, there are equally several places you could find the motivation to remain steadfast in your newfound lifestyle. One such source is AA medallions.  

AA medallions are an integral part of most alcohol rehabilitation programs. They provide the much-required inspiration to press on whenever relapse urges threaten to overwhelm you, serving as a constant reminder of your sobriety accomplishments thus far.  

But do AA medallions truly work? And what’s the symbolism behind their varied colors?  

Read on for conclusive answers to those questions. 

What Are AA Medallions? 

AA medallions are small tokens typically issued to members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a symbol of the duration they’ve successfully abstained from alcohol. They’re alternatively known as AA coins or AA chips.  

Alcoholics Anonymous is a global community of people who come together to solve their drinking problems. The organization was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson (Bill W.) and Bob Smith (Dr. Bob), both of whom were hopeless drinkers.  

AA has grown over the years to become the world’s largest alcohol-based recovery program. It maintains an open-door policy where anyone struggling with alcohol use disorder can freely check in and find solutions from former drinkers.  

To foster complete healing from alcohol abuse, AA programs are split into multiple sobriety milestones. Participants receive custom sobriety chips for being sober for 24 hours, one month, and all the way to one year. 

What Do AA Medallions Symbolize 

Recovery medallions by Alcoholics Anonymous celebrate the period the recipient has been alcohol-free. The coins remind AA members of the duration of their sobriety journey, urging them to press on regardless of how treacherous the road ahead may be.  

The symbolism of AA anniversary medallions is also rooted in their ability to inspire hope and courage in the recipient. By bringing these coins wherever you go, you can gracefully fend off personal setbacks, social pressures, and even medical predispositions that could have you relapse to alcohol.  

Recovery chips also serve as a visual representation of progress.  

While navigating the intricate paths out of alcohol addiction, it’s easy to get so deeply fixated on the bottom line that you miss a chance to celebrate the small gains achieved in the meantime. Sobriety coins stand as a reminder to step back and pat yourself on the back for the far you’ve come. Sure, the road ahead may be daunting. But it’s in celebrating our little achievements that we can master the courage to pursue even bigger accomplishments.  

For those who prefer to wear their sobriety chips with pride, these coins can serve as excellent icebreakers. Showing up at an event with AA recovery pins sparkling from your ensemble will instantly stir a conversation, allowing for a seamless connection with other people.    

Photo Credit: DoingItSober.com 

AA Medallion Colors and Meanings 

1. White Chips - Kick-starting Your Sobriety Journey

White chips are given immediately after joining an AA program. They represent a clean slate, acknowledging your commitment to embark on a journey of abstinence.  

2. Silver Chips - A Day of Sobriety

Silver chips are issued to AA participants to commemorate 24 hours of sobriety. For chronic alcoholics, receiving these sobriety coins is a significant accomplishment. The medallions can serve as daily reminders for people with a substance use disorder who need frequent inspiration. 

3. Red Chips - A Month of Sobriety

In color psychology, red symbolizes strength, passion, and sacrifice. Receiving red AA medallions is a testament to all the gratifications you’ve forgone to get this far. The chips are typically issued after thirty days of sobriety.  

4. Gold Chips - 2 Months of Sobriety

Gold oozes wealth and flamboyance. When viewed concerning its yellowish hues, the color evokes hope and optimism. Golden AA chips, issued after 60 sixty days of sobriety, represent the hope for a brighter, alcohol-free future. 

5. Green Chips - 3 Months of Sobriety

AA participants receive green chips for 90 days of being alcohol-free. The coins are a powerful symbol of the growth and renewal happening in the recipient’s life.  

Photo Credit: DoingItSober.com 

6. Purple Chips - 4 Months of Sobriety

Purple resonates with power, ambition, and creativity. An AA participant will receive a purple sobriety coin after four months to demonstrate their deepening commitment to sobriety. 

7. Pink Chips - 5 Months of Sobriety

 

Pink is a blend between white’s purity and red’s passion. The color also connotes success, indicating steady growth toward complete abstinence. You’ll receive pink AA coins after five months of sobriety. 

8. Dark Blue Chips - 6 Months of Sobriety

Dark blue AA medallions resonate with knowledge and a higher state of consciousness. The coins are gifted for six months of sobriety, bestowing the recipient with the authority to share their experience of alcohol addiction. 

9. Copper Chips - 7 Months of Sobriety

 

Copper AA coins stand for energy and stability. Just as copper wires are conduits for electrical energy, recovering people with a substance use disorder receive copper AA tokens after seven months as a commission to spread the abstinence message to the world around them. 

10. Red Chips - 8 Months of Sobriety

Red AA chips are issued after thirty days and eight months of sobriety. In both cases, the medallions stand for passion and enthusiasm.  

11. Purple Chips - 9 Months of Sobriety

The wisdom you acquired after four months of sobriety has doubled by the ninth month. Receiving purple sobriety chips is a reminder to tap into your creativity in dealing with recurrent alcohol urges. 

12. Gold Chips - 10 Months of Sobriety

Clocking ten months of sobriety must have been tremendously challenging. However, there’s no limit to how far you can travel if you only look on the bright side. 

13. Green Chips - 11 Months of Sobriety

Oh, you’re just a month shy of completing a trip around the sun alcohol-free. Receiving gold AA chips is a nudge to press on even harder. 

14. Bronze Chips - 12 Months of Sobriety

There’s no better way to commemorate 12 months of sobriety than bronze recovery chips. Bronze evokes wealth and luxury, which you’ll attract if you keep pushing alcohol away. 

 Photo Credit: DoingItSober.com 

Kick-start Your Recovery Journey With AA Medallions 

Attaining complete abstinence from alcohol is an ongoing journey rather than an overnight event. Therefore, it calls for a remarkable degree of patience and resilience.  

Occasionally, you’ll encounter situations that threaten to reverse all the sobriety gains you’ve made so far. But it’s during such moments that AA medallions can kick in and save the day.  

AA coins stand as an enduring symbol of your struggles to overcome alcohol abuse and addiction. There’s a coin for every color, each marking significant sobriety milestones and nudging you to persist on your newfound path.