Is this a token or a strange key thing ?

[RelicDude]

I found this round object in a river bank about a week ago. At first I thought it was a coin but it's not. It has a letter b on it but it has these grooves that when you look at it on edge it reminds me of a key. The object is aluminum. I'm curious to know if it's old and what heck is it. Thanks in advance.

 

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[idahotokens]

The grooves on that token are designed to match with ridges in an acceptor device so that coins cannot be used in the machine the device controls. Typically these were used in laundries, although other "coin operated" machines used them as well. Pay telephones (remember them?) used similarly-grooved tokens in Europe and other areas, but they were usually brass.

The thinking behind using these tokens rather than just coins is that the owner of the business could let employees empty the "coin boxes" without being concerned that the employee would pocket some of the coins. The tokens themselves would be sold either by a trusted employee or by a vending machine that would be serviced by a trusted employee.

Figuring out which business used these is going to be tough. The B is the only real clue, but that isn't a lot to go on.
John in the Great 208

 

[RelicDude]

Wow thanks a lot for the info that's really interesting any idea of age possibly

 

[mcogan / L.I. Mongo Mike]

Golf ball machine at a driving range.

 

[WhiteTornado]

Golf ball machine at a driving range.

Agreed. Looks just like ones I have gotten from the ball machines at a local driving range.

 

[Muddyhandz]

I found the exact same token with a similar stamp from a telephone company.

 

[cudamark]

Yup, vending token. I first remember seeing that type in the 80's. In that condition, virtually worthless.

 

[RelicDude]

Thanks everyone deffinantly nailed it