Brass State Tokens - Anyone Know Anything About These??
CoinJunkie
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So I just got around to looking through a bag of old coins my father sent me a while back. There were a couple of darkside coins and several Mercury dimes and old Jefferson nickels, and then there were these state tokens which I've never seen before that appear to be made of brass. Anyone know anything about these? I'm quite sure they're worthless, but was curious when and why they might have been minted. Thanks in advance.
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I believe that they were given out at gas stations as a promotion.
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Assuming you're serious (wasn't sure with the smiley), I could totally believe that. I'm guessing it would have been in the 1960s, because I remember that kind of thing was fairly common back then.
They are from the Shell gas station. Shell had several series of tokens with holders for you to place your collection in. I've only heard stories of the holders and haven't seen photos yet.
If you zoom in on the photo, you can see "(C) SHELL" on the tokens, such as on the lower right side here.
Well-spotted, @Zoins ! Mystery solved definitively.
And they checked your oil, filled your tank, checked your tires, and cleaned your windshield.
It seems like it could be fun to create a game to remember the following:
Yeah, was just noticing that Utah's state bird is the California Gull. Who da thunk it?
I think they date to the late 1960's and, yes, they were Shell gas station premiums.
I do remember them... gas stations gave out glasses, tokens, stamps etc. as promotions....and great service....If a gas station gave that kind of service today, they would crush the competition....Cheers, RickO
The brass ones were a set that could be purchased as a part of the Shell promotion. The free ones given out at the service stations were aluminum.
I believe based on my memory, they were also giving out presidential coins in the early 1970's because I pestered my mom to fill the Ford Intergalactic Spaceship at Shell during that time so I could get the coins.
We have full service stations here. They are generally $1.00 plus more per gallon for gas.
mark
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
@Justacommeman....Thanks Mark, did not realize there were stations still doing it...even with a surcharge. Cheers, RickO
Almost all the gas station premium tokens in the U.S. were made by Osborne Coinage of Cincinnati, Ohio who market themselves as the oldest private mint in the U.S. (Their lineage through acquisitions and mergers does go back to the Civil War and before.)
Their Presidential series is probably the most well known as the stock obverse dies featuring the U.S. Presidents were used with a number of different reverse dies. Their earlier Presidential series in bronze was used similarly -- you may remember those tokens from the "Meet The Presidents" board game, one of many uses.
They are the survivor of the Cincinnati chain of die sinkers and are still in business One of their current activities is destroying metal gaming tokens at casinos all over the U.S., either on-site or shipped to Cincinnati. More info can be found here: https://osbornecoin.com/
It is illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey. It is mostly illegal to do so in Oregon although the law was recently amended to allow it in some rural counties between 6PM and 6AM. My wife and I sometimes drive up to Bend to visit family and I must say I enjoy the luxury of the full service experience. Does remind me of growing up as well. I don't enjoy the statewide 55mph speed limit up there as much.
Great info. Thanks for posting it! The breadth of knowledge on this forum never ceases to amaze me.
One of the aluminum Shell gas station Osborne Coinage tokens found it's way into a mint press and was struck by 1970-S proof dies. It sold for $9,500 back in 2018.
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