History Main / MembershipToken

* On ''Series/BabylonFive'', members of the ''Anla-shok'', or as they are known to the humans, The Rangers, wear a distinct brooch showing a Minbari and a Human on either side of a large green stone. Earlier in the series, when the Rangers were a covert intelligence-gathering organization, this was used to allow them to discretely identify each other in public[[note]]also serves as a RewatchBonus as many of the earlier appearances of the Rangers on the show were subtle {{Meaningful Background Event}}s[[/note]] Once they become an overt military organization, and even later again become a form of SpacePolice, it is used as insignia on their uniforms instead.

* In ''Series/NCIS'', in one episode, Tony and Ziva are [[spoiler:captured in a mock war games event and]] met by a man who talks with them briefly, hands them a coin before leaving. Ziva, confused, asks what happened. Tony replies two things, something bigger than them is going on, and two, they will never have to buy drinks at a coin challenge again. The man who gave them his coin? The Secretary of the Navy of the United States.

** ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'': The gold coins from the cursed treasure. Elizabeth Swann unwittingly convinced the Black Pearl's crew that she was Bootstrap Bill's daughter because she had his coin, along with claiming Will's last name (in order to prevent them from realizing she was [[ThePresidentsDaughter the Governor's daughter]]), unaware that they needed the blood of the child of Bootstrap Bill in order to break the curse.

* In ''RevolutionaryGirlUtena,'' the ring with the rose crest instantly identifies Utena as a Rose Duelist to her fellow Duelists, and [[CoolKey allows entry]] to the Secret Forest. But Utena herself no knowledge of the purpose of the ring; she had been carrying it for years as a [[MementoMacGuffin memento of her prince]], who said it would [[BatmanGambit lead her back to him]]. Though the the true meaning of the ring is... [[{{Deconstruction}} complicated]].

* The Literature/{{Horus Heresy}} novels in the {{Warhammer 40000}} universe have specially minted medallions[[spoiler:, with the makers brutally murdered to cover traces,]] as proof of belonging to a warrior lodge. As the heresy unfolds, having one can mean the difference between life or death.

* The {{Horus Heresy}} novels in the {{Warhammer 40000}} universe have specially minted medallions[[spoiler:, with the makers brutally murdered to cover traces,]] as proof of belonging to a warrior lodge. As the heresy unfolds, having one can mean the difference between life or death.

* In ''One Lonely Night,'' MikeHammer finds a card cut into odd angles on the body of a gunman and shows it to his FriendOnTheForce, who explains it's used as a method of identification by communists, who change the angles on the cards to trip up spies. Before this happens, Hammer is able to use the card to infiltrate a local Communist cell.

* ''LackadaisyCats'' has its club pendant, often hidden under a layer of clothes, which is used to get into the speakeasy.

** In some fields this is less likely than others. For example, this troper is an aerospace maintainer, one of the first fields along with pilots from the army air core era to practice this tradition. However her never has his coin on him. Why? It's considered [[TurbineBlender foreign debris]] and can cause mechanical failure. So while coining may be still practiced and said coins are collected, the practice of challenging changes from unit to unit and field to field. This trope was taught that only three kinds of guys do challenges, Nonner's[[note]]Airmen who are not aircraft maintainers[[/note]], cheapskates, and fresh airmen. All of which you don't want to be associated with.

* In TheBBC's ''Series/RobinHood'', the outlaws have wooden tags with a bow and arrow carved on them.

** The "Nine Pieces of Whatever We Happened to Have in Our Pockets at The Time" from ''Pirates of The Caribbean: At World's End.''
** From the ''Curse of the Black Pearl'', the gold coins from the cursed treasure. Elizabeth Swann unwittingly convinced the Black Pearl's crew that she was Bootstrap Bill's daughter because she had his coin, along with claiming Will's last name (in order to prevent them from realizing she was [[ThePresidentsDaughter the Governor's daughter]]), unaware that they needed the blood of the child of Bootstrap Bill in order to break the curse.

* The movie version of ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'' uses this when the Captain of the USS ''Kennedy'' takes a dislike to Jack Ryan disguising himself as a naval officer, until the carrier battlegroup's commanding admiral points out his Naval Academy graduate ring, going on to explain how Jack was in a helicopter crash while at the Academy, and had to finish his studies while in the hospital for his entire last year.

* The movie version of ''Film/HuntForRedOctober'' uses this when the Captain of the USS ''Kennedy'' takes a dislike to Jack Ryan disguising himself as a naval officer, until the carrier battlegroup's commanding admiral points out his Naval Academy graduate ring, going on to explain how Jack was in a helicopter crash while at the Academy, and had to finish his studies while in the hospital for his entire last year.
-->'''Admiral Painter''': Now it's up to you, Charlie, but you might consider cuttin' the kid a little slack.

* In the sadly [[VideoGameMoviesSuck unappreciated]] ''Film/WingCommander'' movie, Taggart is able to earn the trust of the ''[[CoolShip Tiger Claw's]]'' captain because he has [[spoiler:an [[MilitaryAcademy Annapolis]] class ring, from the [[WorldWarTwo Class of 1942]], specifically a family heirloom of Admiral Tolwyn's, which he would not have parted with easily, indicating that Taggart held Tolwyn's implicit trust.]] Among the setting's Pilgrims, the Pilgrims' crosses serve the same purpose.

* The movie version of ''HuntForRedOctober'' uses this when the second officer of a ship takes a dislike to Jack Ryan disguising himself as a naval officer, until the captain points out his Naval Academy graduate ring, going on to explain how Jack was in a helicopter crash while at the Academy, and had to finish his studies while in the hospital for his entire last year.

** In some fields this is less likely than others. For example, this troper is an aerospace maintainer, one of the first fields along with pilots from the army air core era to practice this tradition. However her never has his coin on him. Why? It's considered foreign debris and can cause mechanical failure. So while coining may be still practiced and said coins are collected, the practice of challenging changes from unit to unit and field to field. This trope was taught that only three kinds of guys do challenges, Nonner's, cheapskates, and fresh airmens. All of which you don't want to be associated with.

* It's subtle, but in ''Film/IronMan'', both [[Comicbook/WarMachine Rhodey]] and Tony Stark wear the "Brass Rat", the class ring of MIT, though no particular attention is drawn to it.

** From the ''Curse of the Black Pearl'', the gold coins from the cursed treasure. Elizabeth Swan unwittingly convinced the Black Pearl's crew that she was Bootstrap Bill's daughter because she had his coin, along with claiming Will's last name (in order to prevent them from realizing she was [[ThePresidentsDaughter the Governor's daughter]]), unaware that they need the blood of the child of Bootstrap Bill in order to break the curse.

** From the ''Curse of the Black Pearl'', the gold coins from the cursed treasure. Elizabeth Swan unwittingly convinced the Black Pearl's crew that she was Bootstrap Bill's daughter because she had his coin, along with claiming Will's last name (in order to prevent them from realizing she was [[ThePresidentsDaughter the Governor's daughter]]).

** The "Nine Pieces of Whatever We Have in Our Pockets" from ''Pirates of The Caribbean: At World's End.''

** In some fields this is less likely than others. For example, this troper is an aerospace maintainer, one of the first fields along with pilots from the army air core era to practice this tradition. However her never has his coin on him. Why? It's considered foreign debris and can cause mechanical failure. So while coining may be still practiced and said coins are collected, the practice of challenging changes from unit to unit and field to field.

* In ''QuestForGlory 2'', just before leaving for the enemy-controlled Rasier, the hero receives a sapphire pin from a Katta merchant for free. When inevitably captured in Rasier as part of the plot, the guards remove all your equipment except for the pin, which a fellow Katta prisoner (and leader of the resistance) identifies as a magical Pin of Friendship, which can only be seen by those who would be (or are) friends of the person wearing it. It convinces the prisoner to assist the hero in escaping.

* The movie version of ''HuntForRedOctober'' uses this when the second officer of a ship takes a dislike to Jack Ryan disguising himself as a naval officer, until the captain points out his Naval Academy graduate ring, pointing out that technically Jack is an officer, then explains the circumstances.

* In ''StargateSG1'', since Earth's Stargate has an Iris to prevent any unwanted travellers from coming through, potential allies are given a specially crafted box designed to leave a unique radioactive signature on the iris, alerting them that someone wants their attention. This is later phased out after allies are trusted enough to be given a remote GDO, which also lets them know ''which'' friendly wants to come through the Gate.

* A major portion of the plot of ''VideoGame/Metro2033'' involves [[PlayerCharacter Artyom]] getting Hunter's Ranger token (and himself) to Polis so he can get help with the Dark Ones for his home station. By the time of [[VideoGame/MetroLastLight the sequel]], Artyom has a token of his own.

* After completing the Joining ritual that enters them in the order, Grey Wardens in the ''Franchise/DragonAge'' universe are presented with the Warden's Oath, a special pendant containing [[spoiler:a drop of the blood mixture they have to drink during the Joining]]. It boosts Constitution a little. The pendant isn't mentioned again after the player character receives his/hers in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', however, and in fact it can be removed (and even sold) in favor of a necklace that has better attributes.