Copper token found today

[Ken Reckart]

Can anybody ID this token; Year maybe 1926; Made of copper; 3/4" wide. and value

 

[Mackaydon]

"IN THE EARLY 1920'S, OLIVER A. WILLIAMS OPERATED SLOT MACHINE AND OTHER GAMBLING MACHINES IN INDIANA. HE BEGAN PUTTING HIS NAME ON THE EXISTING MACHINES, AND IT WAS THEN HE STARTED THE SILVER KING NOVELTY COMPANY."
Source: http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/5-CENT-SILVER-KING-SLOT-MACHINE-/270678880063
Also: " Apparently, a local business would buy an arcade type game for their customers to play while in their store and this was one of the tokens that were used."
Source: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=126902.0

 

[Kenosha Kid]

Trade Stimulation token. Silver King made slot, gumball, hunting-type and other machines from the 1920s into th 1950s.

http://www.arcade-museum.com/manuf_detail.php?manuf_id=1028&orig_game_id=5950

Here's one (same as yours), on ebay :

http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Trade-Token...=330449073282&ps=63&clkid=7201199993771037418

 

[ivan salis]

in order to get around "gambling" laws -- tokens were bought and used to operate these "slots"-- thus "money" was not being used directly in the machines --most of the types of tokens used by the makers of these types of machines had them marked in some way --no cash or trade value --or "for amusement only" or such --thus legally non monitizing the tokens * ( they legally had no value--thus you were not gambling) of course when the law was not round the tokens were "redeemed" for real cash

some machines that took in a nickle - gave out a cheap stick of gum / gumball with each play --thus it was "offically" a candy selling machine aka as a "trade stimulator" * with "fun game" bonus play along with the gum --that if you won had a game token pay out .

 

[Kenosha Kid]

I think it was a pretty good idea (of these 'lease my equipment' tokens) to drum up additional business while circumventing any gambling laws. It's another form of advertising back then.

This is from the Feb. 1922 Popular Mechanics magazine, clearly stating the machine is "making $10 to $20 day profits for many store owners" and the "machine's profits pay the rent". Not bad for the 1920s. To go with what Ivan stated, note the machine is said to be a "new gum vending machine" with no mention of being a slot (gambling) machine.

http://books.google.com/books?id=j9...K#v=onepage&q=silver king novelty co.&f=false

 

[Ken Reckart]

"IN THE EARLY 1920'S, OLIVER A. WILLIAMS OPERATED SLOT MACHINE AND OTHER GAMBLING MACHINES IN INDIANA. HE BEGAN PUTTING HIS NAME ON THE EXISTING MACHINES, AND IT WAS THEN HE STARTED THE SILVER KING NOVELTY COMPANY."
Source: http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/5-CENT-SILVER-KING-SLOT-MACHINE-/270678880063
Also: " Apparently, a local business would buy an arcade type game for their customers to play while in their store and this was one of the tokens that were used."
Source: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=126902.0

Thanks for the great information on this trade token; you guys are great when it comes to IDing trade tokens.