Old Parking Meter Token?, How Old?

[I_Dig_NYC]

I found this in the dirt on the edge of an asphalt park path, near some benches. It rang up as a penny. So I guess it's copper. The eagle design on back is similar to what they used on coins in the 1800's and before. It's close in size to a quarter. It's obvious what it is but can anyone tell how old it is or where I can look up some info on it. Now I know we have used Quarters in parking meters and before that it was dimes. I can't remember when we used tokens, so it's either over 40 years old or from another city.

 

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[Mackaydon]

Here's another one like yours but, unfortunately, no text to explain more.

http://oferta.deremate.com.ar/id=16611185_token-coin-meter-usa

 

[Mackaydon]

And another...hope you can read French.
http://cgi.ebay.fr/JETON-COIN-METER-TOKEN-avec-AIGLE_W0QQitemZ250201751705QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Mackaydon]

Here's a baseline date for you:

"Although it is sometimes disputed, Carl C. Magee, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is generally credited with originating the parking meter. He filed for a patent for a "coin controlled parking meter" May 13, 1935. The patent, #2,118,318, was issued May 24, 1938. He installed the world's first parking meter in Oklahoma City, on July 16, 1935."

Source: http://www.ionet.net/~luttrell/history.html

 

[I_Dig_NYC]

Thanks Mackaydon,
You did a lot better than I did. At least you found a couple of photos and some history. I searched every where and could not find anything. Too bad the Ebay links are in foreign languages. I may have to email them in english and hope they understand my question about the date. I could make out the word "bropnze" in the ads description, but no date. It's gotta be old. I found it in New York City and we've been using coins for meters here since before I was born. Maybe there's some kind of a group or club for odd token collectors somewhere I could find.
Thanks for the help.
Harry

 

[Mackaydon]

Harry:
Here's some more history about parking meters and how they came about: Enjoy.

"In 1933, the merchants of Oklahoma City were trying to develop a way to increase traffic turnover in front of their stores. Cars would park in a slot and remain there for lengthy periods of time. Business was feeling the effects of low traffic, so the merchants asked the local newspaper editor, Carl C. MaGee, to help them. He sponsored a contest at the University of Oklahoma for engineering students to develop a timing device that would allocate set amounts of time for parking. A grand price of $500 would be awarded to the student who could develop a working model. This first parking meter was called the Black Maria. After the contest, Carl MaGee developed and patented his own design (see original patent #2,118,318), and with a partner started the Magee-Hale Park-O-Meter Company. Their first production run of parking meters was installed on one side of the street in downtown Oklahoma City on July 16, 1935. Business was so affected by the parking meters after only three days, the merchants on the other side of the street demanded that parking meters be installed in front of their businesses as well. The birth of the parking meter and 'POM' had occurred."
Don........
Source: http://www.pom.com/

 

[dwatson4]

I found one today just like that one rang up as penny on the edge of a park near the road. Columbia SC

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

The face is that of a general use token that can be used for many different applications and still made today.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I found one on the beach that has parking meters. My guess is 1950's era.

 

[idahotokens]

This token is not necessarily for a parking meter - they were commonly used for laundry machines. Google "coin meter"
John in ID

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

This token is not necessarily for a parking meter - they were commonly used for laundry machines. Google "coin meter"
John in ID

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=301354.0

Yes, I would say that these general use tokens date from 1950 and are still used today; so they are considered modern; value 25cents.

 

[Monty]

I agree on the general use token. I knew about the parking meters being invented in OK City and I live near Tulsa and we weren't far behind. But the meters here never used tokens, just US coins. I found one very similar when they tore down an old building in downtown Tulsa and found out it was for the meter in the old trolly line that ran downtown back in the 1920s. They are also used on bus routes and being found beside a bench it may have been a bus stop at one time?Monty