Lucky Star Token Solved by bigcypresshunter Good Job!

[chukers]

sometimes a genius isn't a genius... anyways... I'll post this where I thought I was posting this in the first place...

I got out today but I didn't have much time.... so I went over my own yard but I knew there wouldn't be much since I have hunted it many many times... but I also a place is NEVER hunted out and this find proves it...

Its some kind of Lucky Token I'm not finding much about the names... I did find the info on the patent number its for the blank token not for the info on it... The patent date is 1923.

What do you all think?


Chukers

[Bigcypresshunter]

Its an arcade token. You could put any name you want on it. I remember them as a kid in the 50's. Maybe someone kind find the owners but may be tough. The date may be the day it was stamped by 2 lovers at the carnival, which is odd because patents were only stamped on these tokens for about 15 years. http://www.timepassagesnostalgia.com...&sis=-1&rdir=1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Great-Vintag...-/260911104942

[chukers]

Very interesting... thank you for your research... mystery solved! Good Job!


Chukers

[chukers]

wonder what the 8 18 58 means... probably just a date... didn't know that format was used back then


Chukers

[aka, da Prof]

you might research both names and if there was a carnival in town then---and if they ever got married!!!--then return the lucky token--- wouldn't that be a story!!

[Bigcypresshunter]

you might research both names and if there was a carnival in town then---and if they ever got married!!!--then return the lucky token--- wouldn't that be a story!!

Yes that would be a story! Priceless! Maybe someone can research the names in Chukers home town.

Maybe a previous home owner,

[GpSnoopy]

wonder what the 8 18 58 means... probably just a date... didn't know that format was used back then


Chukers

Looking at all the samples brom BCH's fantastic link, doesn't look like any were normally pre-stamped, so the date would have meaning only to the couple that had the token made.

[Bigcypresshunter]

I remember using the machine as a kid. It would cost a nickel or dime, I cant remember. The tokens all came blank originally. Pick a letter, pull the lever, pick another, pull the lever etc. The date was typed in by the owner for sure. Most likely August 18, 1958. They had 2 spaces left.

The part I dont understand is the 1923 patent date because patents good for 12-15 years were only stamped on the older tokens.
In other words the token could not have been manufactured after 1938.

[Bigcypresshunter]

Brown and White?

http://names.whitepages.com/texas/gay/brown http://names.whitepages.com/texas/odie/white

http://www.peoplesmart.com/psp.aspx?...city=&state=TX

[GpSnoopy]

The part I dont understand is the 1923 patent date because patents good for 12-15 years were only stamped on the older tokens.
In other words the token could not have been manufactured after 1938.

There are two main types of patents, design and utility. If it is mainly the design that you are concerned with then you should choose that option. If you are more concerned about how the invention will function, then apply for a utility patent.
Design patents are good for 14 years
Utility patents were good for 17 years prior to June 8, 1995 and 20 years after that.
That is assuming that the patent holder kept up the yearly maintenance fees, otherwise a patent can be revoked after non-payment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Term_of..._United_States

A. Maybe the vendor had a huge inventory of the tokens and hadn't used the old ones up?

B. I did some reading, and it is not illegal to manufacture items after a patent has expired, but it is illegal to stamp those items with that expired patent number. Many manufacturers apparently did not follow compliance, possibly because of the cost of changing molds, or just plain laziness.

For example, Whamo. Inc, makers of the Frisbee were in court last year for manufacturing frisbees with expired patent labels, some which had expired as long ago as 1967. This really came to light when some courts decided to fine for every instance of non compliance, which meant meant a separate charge for every single frisbee manufactured with the wrong patent label.

Patent Label Law Challenged

[chukers]

Yes that would be a very cool story... I did do some further searching with the links you provided and there are some possibilities but nothing substantial... for example there is a Odie R White that lives about 2 hours away but it looks like his wife's name is Carolyn... so that is a dead end... I could spend a lot of time on something like that unfortunately I don't have time to do that... thanks for all the information it was great to speculate about this token.


Chukers

[Bigcypresshunter]

There are two main types of patents, design and utility.
Design patents are good for 14 years
Utility patents were good for 17 years prior to June 8, 1995

Good patent information Snoopy. It looks like design but if its a utility patent we can add 2 years to my 1938 estimate and bring it to 1940 at most unless illegally made. Still far short of 1958. Most likely old vender stock or an arcade machine rarely used.

[uglymailman]

I found one of those good luck tokens in a house. Had it for yrs. It had a guy's name and service number. Asked a buddy if he had an Uncle by that name and he did. I gave it to him to ask his Uncle if it was his and it was. He had no idea when/where he lost it but it wasn't at that house.
Good find but I might give that Odie White a call. How many can there be in TX.? Might be a family name? Good Luck.

[mick56]

Using Zabasearch for Odie White, there were two listings. Odie Ray White, born Aug 1941, and Odie Floyd White, born Dec 1944. The first guy would have been 17 or 18 in 1958, just about the right age to get the token made with his girlfriends name on it.

[diggummup]

Yes that would be a very cool story... I did do some further searching with the links you provided and there are some possibilities but nothing substantial... for example there is a Odie R White that lives about 2 hours away but it looks like his wife's name is Carolyn... so that is a dead end... I could spend a lot of time on something like that unfortunately I don't have time to do that... thanks for all the information it was great to speculate about this token.


Chukers

Read below and instead of speculating, make a phone call-

Using Zabasearch for Odie White, there were two listings. Odie Ray White, born Aug 1941, and Odie Floyd White, born Dec 1944. The first guy would have been 17 or 18 in 1958, just about the right age to get the token made with his girlfriends name on it.

Probably the same Odie R.White that chukers found. i'd contact him if it were me that found the token. As you said, perfect age for a girlfriend. Just because he married a Carolyn, is no reason why it still couldn't have belonged to him. Definitely NOT a dead end. Worth a phone call at least, maybe even an "honorable mention" on the forum here, if you get it returned to the original owner. Thoughts to ponder...