Pooling Money for a Sobriety Gift: Agree Before Ordering
Several friends want to contribute to one sobriety anniversary gift. Before someone starts collecting money, agree what you are buying and whether the recipient wants it. One person can coordinate the order while keeping the contribution small and voluntary.
Confirm the person and the occasion
Ask the recipient about the kind of recognition they would enjoy. You can keep the exact design a surprise while checking whether they want a medallion and which sober year it should show. Avoid working out the year from an old social-media post or someone else’s recollection.
People may attend AA, Al-Anon or both, so confirm which occasion they wish to mark. Our Al-Anon token-custom guide provides background on asking about local practice. A numbered AA sobriety coin should use the intended recipient’s own confirmed milestone.
Agree the budget and the collection
Tell contributors the proposed total, including delivery and any known extra costs shown at checkout. “We're buying one coin and a card; contribute only if you want to” makes the invitation clear. Let people join the card without paying, and avoid public lists of who gave what.
Choose a reasonable deadline and a single coordinator. Keep a private record of money received and costs paid. Explain beforehand whether an unused balance will be returned or used for an agreed extra, such as postage. Seek agreement if the plan or total changes before ordering.
If the money belongs to an AA group, follow the group’s own decision and spending process. A collection among personal friends should be identified as that. Avoid assuming a treasurer can pay for a private gift simply because contributors know one another through meetings.
Check the actual order together
Send the buyer a short written confirmation of the recipient’s selected milestone, the product and the delivery arrangement. A main photograph can show a sample inscription. Check the chosen variant on the order itself, particularly when several years are offered on the same page.
Our guide to obtaining AA chips covers asking about meeting customs before arranging a purchase. A decorative personal gift can be chosen separately from a chip the person receives at a group. Confirm which gesture the friends are funding.
Give one gift without a public accounting
Ask whether the recipient wants the gift presented at a meeting, a meal or privately. Include only the names people have agreed to put on the card. There is no need to read out each contribution or say who organised the largest share.
If delivery is delayed, tell the recipient and contributors. A card can still arrive on the date, with the medallion following when available. Avoid buying a second coin before checking the first order and the seller’s options.
After the purchase, share a simple total with contributors and close out the balance as agreed. Delete payment details you no longer need, while keeping any order record required to resolve a delivery or return question. The recipient can enjoy the gift without becoming responsible for the collection behind it.
Medallions to consider
These two current designs can be considered for an agreed personal AA anniversary gift. Confirm the recipient’s preferences and the selected year before the coordinator places the order.
Tricolor Glittering Purple Diamond Sparkle (1-50y)
The current selector lists 1 to 50 years. The main photograph shows one sample inscription. Choose the confirmed milestone in the selector and check the order.
Tricolor Opulent Deep Blue (24h, 1-65y)
The current selector lists 24 Hours, 18 Months and 1 to 65 years. The main photograph shows one sample inscription. Choose the confirmed milestone in the selector and check the order.
Common questions
Does every person signing the card have to contribute?
Agree that separately. A voluntary gift can include greetings from friends who are unable or prefer not to pay.
What if two people order different coins?
Check the existing orders and sellers’ options before spending more. Choose one coordinator early to reduce that confusion.
Keep reading
Compare current designs in Elite Medallions and Deluxe Coins, then check the available milestone options on the product page.
