Introducing The New “Silver Penny”
THIS SEASON MARKS THE FIRST USING OF A SPECIALLY-PRODUCED “PENNY” TO REPLACE THE COIN WHICH IS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION
The 2026 Silver Penny, and the start of a new era!
Since the 1992 season, every Bluecoat has received a silver-plated U.S. penny minted during each year they performed with the corps. Suspended from a helmet chain link strung onto a blue shoelace, a “Pennies” necklace is a time-honored tradition at Bluecoats that binds our alumni across generations, and denotes how many seasons a Bluecoat has marched with the corps.
But the last penny was minted by the United States on November 12, 2025, so the 2026 season will be the first without any coins to use!
Since the announcement of the end of the penny, the organization conducted a months-long reimagination of the “Silver Penny” tradition, which ultimately resulted in the decision to mint our own coin with a symbolic design.
The “heads” side of the coin features the Autumn Leaf, a symbol of the corps’ alumni and an homage to the corps’ song, “Autumn Leaves”. It reads “Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps”, and includes the year at the bottom. The “tails” side, features the Shield - a part of the corps’ logo - and the corps slogan, “Six Words.” Since the tradition began, the organization issued the pennies to the corps after having them silver-plated, thus, the new coins are silver.
You can read about the Silver Penny Tradition on page 90 of 50 Years of Excellence, a coffee table book published in 2022 chronicling the history of the Bluecoats organization on its fiftieth anniversary.
Many historical designs of the penny were used as inspiration for the Bluecoats-issued coin.
Near the start of each national tour, performers who are new to the corps receive a blue shoelace and a helmet chain link to commemorate their new status as Bluecoats. Near the end of each season and usually around the corps’ hometown show in August, all performers receive their new silver penny. Since the start of the tradition, the corps has also back-issued pennies (with the corresponding year!) to every corps participant since 1972.
The organization keeps a collection of dated and silver-plated pennies at its headquarters, and alumni from around the world can request replacement pennies if theirs are lost. Starting in 2026, that will include these newly-minted coins.
A Bluecoat wears their shoelace, and the shoelace of two alumni, on the field following the corps’ second World Championship win. In addition to the Silver Penny, international students often supply a similar coin from their home country to represent their contribution to the season. Many also adorn their shoelace with pendants and championship rings.
