The purpose of this page and the links are to create a list of 2 types of Numbered Amusement Tokens in my collection. In the TAMS Journal, August 1976, is a great article on these tokens written by Stephen P. Alpert, Don Finch & Kenneth E. Smith. Below is part (edited) of what they had to say about these interesting tokens plus some additional information I found.
Many common amusement tokens do not carry the name of a person or business, but instead have just a number of one to five digits. The meaning of these numbers is not known for certain. These tokens generally are brass, nickel & nickel plated brass. The size is 21mm and most have a center hole. One side of the token carries a number (obverse) and the other side the value (reverse), most commonly “Good for 5¢ In Trade”. Numbered tokens for other denominations are: 1¢, 10¢, 15¢, 25¢, & 50¢.
The numbered tokens were used in slot machines or other types of gambling or amusement devices. Possibly because of the association with gambling, numbers were used on the tokens rather than names and addresses especially where gambling was illegal. Some slot machines paid off in tokens or packages of mints only, in attempts to pass as vending or amusement machines. Most of the tokens had 3 different size center holes. Machines could sense if a 5¢ coin or a token was being used. Most machines could be arranged so that when a 5¢ coin was played winners would be paid out in tokens and they could be played back into the machine for “amusement only”. But I wonder how many tokens were redeemed for cash by the machine owner or operators at the end of play. One theory is that the numbers represent the serial numbers of a particular amusement machine or was assigned to machine operators.
An ornament usually occurs on the bottom of both the numbered side and the denomination side of the token. Below is an ornament drawings from the TAMS article.
Should you have any numbered amusement tokens not listed on the links below please let me know. I would like to purchased or trade.
