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The Chip Board Archive 18

Franklin Mint tokens

It's my understanding that all the gaming tokens made by FM were delivered to real casinos. In the case of 50c and $5 tokens, some were never put into play. FM offered sets to subscribers in the years 65 through 69. No more were made until 79 but I know of no FM sets containing these later years. There were also tokens made most years up to 84 (I think), but again only for casinos, not for collectors in sets.

Lots of these sets were broken up, particularly the 67 sets which had sterling silver $5 tokens. Many of these were melted, either in the 70's or recently when silver shot up to $20 an ounce. Consequently, there are many Nevada FM tokens available in uncirculated condition for collectors today. These sets were made up in cardboard holders with a diecut hole for each token. After 30 years, the chemicals in the cardboard have begun to discolor or corrode the token edges, and you are well advised to remove them to individual holders, as the collector did for the lot you show.

There are quite a number of tokens made in metals different from those used in the casinos. I don't know of anyone who has cataloged these. Some were available in single plastic holders for presentation.

The two sets made for "international casinos" may or may not have been used in the casinos. They were all of approximately US$25 in value, which was quite a sum to put into a machine in the 70's. However, the promo literature said each casino had agreed to accept them at face value, which was in the currency of the country concerned. There was a US token in each of the international sets. All were sterling silver. I have a feeling these were used for presentation purposes, or on table games, not in slot machines, as many are odd shaped.

FM also made a few dollar (and one $5) tokens for Caribbean and South/Central American casinos. None of these was in collector sets, to my knowledge.

Messages In This Thread

11 pages of tokens. Help requested
FM did make live tokens also.
Is this one special? Honest John's
or this Horse Shu?
Which Commercial is this?
Franklin Mint tokens
Don, as always...
Re: Franklin Mint tokens
John, I think I got a pretty good idea of "retail"
A great web site devoted to tokens!

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