At the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Chef de Mission is the head of a nation's delegation — the leader who guides and champions its athletes throughout the competition. The challenge coin is a small token of that role, carried as a mark of leadership and team identity and exchanged as a gesture of respect and camaraderie among delegations during the Games.
This coin draws its design from the host region of the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. The jagged alpine peaks of the Dolomites rise across its face, while the spires of the Duomo di Milano — Milan's iconic cathedral — ascend at their base. Finished in the Team USA palette of sky blue, navy, white, cherry red, and gold, the reverse honors the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic team and spells Milano Cortina in raised braille.