Soda tokens

[dmaze]

Out of all of the inventions to come out of the United States Treasury, I hadn't realized the value of the soda token until recently. In New York buying an LIRR ticket with a $10 bill, the machine gave me back these yellowish coins a little larger than a quarter. "Great," I said, "what do I do with these, trade them one-for-two for $2 bills?"

But then I discovered their true purpose. Rather than futzing with the bill reader on the soda machine at work (only slightly less irritating than the T's Charlie Ticket fare gates), I can put one of these magic soda tokens into the machine, and get a cold can of Coke and a quarter out! Much easier than trying to pick out four dimes, two nickels, and a quarter from the loose change in my pocket, particularly since the soda token is the largest coin I have.

Comments

[dcltdw]

They'd be a crapton more useful if we also had $2 coins. Grrr. :)

[fredrickegerman.livejournal.com]

They still haven't figured out that making them giant doesn't actually make them easy to carry around. Maybe they should go with "thick". Or "funny shaped".

[gnibbles.livejournal.com]

I think "funny shaped" might lead to tears....

[frolain.livejournal.com]

I'm impressed that you found a soda machine that would take them. I think most still won't.

[danj17.livejournal.com]

i've been using soda tokens today -- even the overpriced vending machines here will give change for a twoney... :-)

[bamboocity.livejournal.com]

Some soda tokens have a single soda machine life cycle. Matt says that if you give the ones at Harvard a $5 bill they give you a soda, a quarter, and 4 tokens for future sodas.