Tourist tokens or medals

December 3, 2022

I have noticed a category dedicated to "Penny Smashers" or elongated coin machines as they are called. Would anyone be interested in a category listing the locations of the distributors of tourist tokens or medals? They are very popular in France (Monnaie de Paris) and Poland (Zlota Polska), but unfortunately the maps on the official sites are far from accurate. In Poland I had to turn back almost two kilometers from the place figuring on the map. I have found the distributor only with the help of a local. In Paris this spring I only managed to find more than half of the machines in the places that I have visited. And there were other token distributors from other producers that you can only locate by chance.

I think the tourist tokens make for great souvenirs of the places I visit and all the friends that started collecting them cannot stop. If there are more geocachers and waymarkers that feel this way, maybe we could help each other by publishing the exact locations, availability, times, prices and so on. What do you think?

2.2k · December 3, 2022

GW Coins

Is this an example?

2.2k · December 3, 2022

GW Coins (only) The number following the country is total different locations

COUNTRIES - 25
POLAND   18
GERMANY   14
PORTUGAL   9
AUSTRIA   22
ARGENTINA   8
COLUMBIA   7
BOSNA I HERCEGOV.   5
PALESTINE   1
ESTONIA   27
HUNGARY   21
ROMANIA   25
BULGARIA   17
LITHUANIA   6
SLOVENIA   1
IRELAND   1
MACEDONIA   1
CZECH REPUBLIC   1
FINLAND   3
KOREA   4
LEBANON   1
JORDAN   2
RUSSIA   2
BELARUS   2
SLOVAKIA   3
SWEDEN   1

Total Locations   202

December 3, 2022

Yes, and a very good example at that. They have a dedicated site, complete with maps and locations. Only 1 - 2 kilometers off, usually . I recently visited Strbske Pleso, in Slovakia, and it took me almost two hours to locate the coin automate. Finally, I found it with the help of three different people - the first one didn't understand me, but gestured for me to stay put, and came back with an English-speaking person; That one understood but had no idea that such things existed, much less where were they located. He left, too, and just when I was losing any hope, he came back with a third guy who didn't speak English but was living there and directed me to the entrance of a little restaurant in front of which I had walked three times. So I guess accurate GPS coordinates plus a word of advice from those who have been there already would help a lot. The image is from GW Coins site.

December 4, 2022

Are these the same or similar to what are in this category?

December 4, 2022

10 hours ago, jonathanatpsu said:

Are these the same or similar to what are in this category?

Not really. The tourist tokens (also called medals or sometimes coins) are coin-like metal disks, 30-40 mm, produced usually by an official mint, but without nominal value. Their design is dedicated to a popular tourist attraction or event. Some of the most elaborate are real miniature artworks. Anyway, they are beautiful souvenirs from the holidays. They do not take a lot of space and will last longer than postcards or brochures. You can usually find coin- or card-operated automates that distribute them somewhere near the tourist attraction, but sometimes these machines are hard to find. The idea was to help others locate them by posting the exact coordinates, opening times, type of medal, and so on. Just like the "Penny Smashers" category, that already has over 3000 entries.

1.5k · December 4, 2022

Your proposed category will focus on the location of the machine which provides the tourist coins, correct? If the category focus is the real-life location of the image on the tourist coin, then the category would be very similar to Tourist Stamps Photos.

December 4, 2022

7 minutes ago, elyob said:

Your proposed category will focus on the location of the machine which provides the tourist coins, correct?

Yes, you are absolutely right.

December 5, 2022

Looks to me that the proposed category is very similar to the elongated coins category (aka Penny Smashers) in the aspect of an automaton creating/selling a touristic token.

T0SHEA told me (not a week ago) that we should strive for inclusion if we have similarities to another category. So you should have a talk to the category leaders / officers first if they are willing to expand their category to accept these touristic tokens also.

December 5, 2022

1 hour ago, FamilieFrohne said:

Looks to me that the proposed category is very similar to the elongated coins category (aka Penny Smashers) in the aspect of an automaton creating/selling a touristic token.

Right. You have only to distinguish between creating and selling. It's the difference between cooking something for a loved one and taking her to a high-end restaurant. It's the difference between MacGyver and James Bond. What I'm trying to say is that it's a question of taste. Very few people like both tourist tokens and smashed pennies. And as I have mentioned earlier, the Penny Smashers category has well over 3000 entries already, 3773 to be exact. Nobody would like to sort through them all to find the ones he needs.

I must say I'm disappointed. I have thought that the concept of tourist tokens would be more popular among the members of a site that's travel oriented. As far as I'm concerned, you can close this topic.

PS: Could you explain to me why there are 50 (!) different categories containing the word RESTAURANT? Aren't they very similar in the aspect of someone serving you food and receiving money in exchange?

1.5k · December 5, 2022

Your complaint is understood and familiar. For the past five or six years our response to your final question was like this. “But restaurant categories are no longer accepted in Waymarking, for those obvious reasons.” However, in 2022 Waymarking has accepted a new restaurant category for the first time in years.

Don’t take the lack of replies here as a lack of support. Many of us oldsters are still in shock with the ‘new’ and ‘unofficial’ category review process.

1.5k · December 5, 2022

Try to create a Waymarking group that would manage a Tourist Token category. That might be a better measure of support for your idea.

1.3k · December 5, 2022

1 hour ago, Ashwolf65 said:

Right. You have only to distinguish between creating and selling. It's the difference between cooking something for a loved one and taking her to a high-end restaurant. It's the difference between MacGyver and James Bond. What I'm trying to say is that it's a question of taste. Very few people like both tourist tokens and smashed pennies. And as I have mentioned earlier, the Penny Smashers category has well over 3000 entries already, 3773 to be exact. Nobody would like to sort through them all to find the ones he needs.

I must say I'm disappointed. I have thought that the concept of tourist tokens would be more popular among the members of a site that's travel oriented. As far as I'm concerned, you can close this topic.

PS: Could you explain to me why there are 50 (!) different categories containing the word RESTAURANT? Aren't they very similar in the aspect of someone serving you food and receiving money in exchange?

Methinks you're being a bit hasty here. I, for one, am very much in favour of a new, and separate, category for Tourist Tokens as you envision it.

4 minutes ago, elyob said:

Try to create a Waymarking group that would manage a Tourist Token category. That might be a better measure of support for your idea.

EXACTLY!

2.2k · December 6, 2022

Unless there are other vendors of these tokens it is far too limiting (at this time) and is not global.

Beside, finding a machine sounds dull, rather the locations on the coins at least would be more interesting.

What is next bubble gum dispensing machines? <_<

1.3k · December 8, 2022

On 12/6/2022 at 5:38 AM, T0SHEA said:

Unless there are other vendors of these tokens it is far too limiting (at this time) and is not global.

Beside, finding a machine sounds dull, rather the locations on the coins at least would be more interesting.

What is next bubble gum dispensing machines?

The quote above noted, I'm not sure we should pass the proposal off so glibly.

As it understand the object of the vending machines in question, their objective, beyond making money, is to dispense a souvenir token of a given historical or tourist attractive site.

I see nothing wrong in their objectives. Moreover, I see their place within the tourism industry as beneficial to their locations.

Dispensing markers depicting local historical or tourist sites seems to me quite apart from dispensing bubble gum, Gummy Bears or popcorn.

Given the potential ties to local history and heritage, I simply cannot find within me an objection to the creation of such a category.

Whether or not they'll admit it, a great many Waymarkers, Geocachers and "lay" people tend to be "collectors", especially of tokens, coins, icons and markers of all stripes and types.

Keith

Edited December 8, 2022 by ScroogieII

December 8, 2022

When I was a kid, these money making machinen came, but I never bought any. Later I have specially seen these on France, but elsewhere they have dissappeared. Just had a though; what about bubblegum dispensing machines? First bubblegum was replaced with plastic trash stuff balls. Then people stopped to use coins. That was perhaps the reason there are no longer coin smashing machines or bubblegum dispensing machines. I haven't seen.

One exception: local archiological museum had since 1995 own machine from you could get replica coin from 1600 or so. Something museum has actually found. So there is no written text or image to link that coin to museum if you have it on your hands. Which gives me another story... Some years ago one guy who had magnetic sweeping as hobby has found very well preserved ancient coin and posted images to website. Hobbyist were talking there is it old Latvian or Polish kingdom coin. Then person from same archiological museum I referred, wrote there he was happy to see their tourist coins can be now found under the soil with metal detector!

2.2k · December 8, 2022

As I posted, there are only 25 countries and 202 locations WORLDWIDE.

As the map clearly shows, where is North America?

So far no one has offered additional vendors that offer tourist coins/tokens in other regions of the world.

1912711980_CWCoins.JPG.c1ebb1a9913ec6f817792fadbd0b26e4.JPG

2.2k · December 8, 2022

There are 195 universally recognized countries minus 25 =170 countries not represented in this category.

Okay, look at this: Mold-a-Rama Machines date created: 4/9/2006 Total Records: 123 (approved waymarks)

Here is another one: Rolling Ball Sculpture date created: 1/20/2009 Total Records: 54 (approved waymarks)

There are other categories with less than a 100 approved waymarks.

1.1k · December 8, 2022

You may also think about including Euro Souvenir Note (euronotesouvenir.ie) machines. Just an idea.

December 8, 2022

Here are other examples of tourist coins besides GW:

National Tokens: https://nationaltokens.com/about-us/ - Locations in 40 countries.

Auscoinswest: http://www.auscoinswest.com.au/ - Locations in Australia

Monnaie de Paris: https://www.monnaiedeparis.fr/en/mini-medals-for-places-of-interest - Locations in France and Spain

Hellenic Heritage Coins: http://hellenicheritagecoins.com/ - Locations in Greece

I would assume there are others as well.

I don't think the fact that these may not available in North America should disqualify the idea. There are a lot of categories that are only available in the U.S. and exclude Waymarkers from other parts of the world.

2.2k · December 8, 2022

1 hour ago, jonathanatpsu said:

I don't think the fact that these may not available in North America should disqualify the idea

Really, this is not a Historical site category that is limited to different regions of the world.

This is for vending machines...

1 hour ago, jonathanatpsu said:

Here are other examples of tourist coins besides GW:

Did you also notice none of these are global? Besides, I will note most of these are duplicate locations, just in case you over looked mentioning this information.

Waymark Category Criteria:

Global - The directory has the potential for worldwide appeal, but only if the categories are not too restricted by region. Consider whether people from all over the world will be able to contribute to this category. We can afford to be somewhat flexible with the application of this guideline for truly outstanding categories.

December 8, 2022

Regarding whether this would be considered global, so far we've identified locations in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. That leaves out North America and Africa. However, there may be locations on those continents as well; we just haven't found them yet. Even if it is just the 4 continents, I don't think that is "too restricted by region."

2.2k · December 8, 2022

Giant 24 h Vending Machines

date created:5/22/2006

Total Records: 19 (approved waymarks)

75 TOP Vending Machine Business Ideas

49+ Interesting Vending Machines Around the World Check out #2 Calvin Klein underwear vending machines.

I am sure with some creative thinking, there are at least 25 new category possibilities for vending machines.

1.1k · December 17, 2022

On 12/8/2022 at 6:40 PM, jonathanatpsu said:

Regarding whether this would be considered global, so far we've identified locations in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. That leaves out North America and Africa. However, there may be locations on those continents as well; we just haven't found them yet. Even if it is just the 4 continents, I don't think that is "too restricted by region."

I think I found at least one in the USA: DODGE CITY, KANSAS—SEPTEMBER 2017: Antique wooden slot machine dispensing souvenir tokens displayed at the Boot Hill Museum Stock Photo - Alamy What do you think about it?

I doubt that this was the only one that ever existed. My theory is, that there were not that much of them and that in the end the Penny Smashers were winning the race, but there might be more of them in other museums.

April 12, 2023

I had forgotten about this category idea, but when I was in St. Louis, Missouri this week I happened to see one of these at the Gateway Arch.

April 12, 2023

I've created a new group to develop a new category for this. I've seen many of these over the years and have been submitting them to Penny Smashers, but now I think there's enough push to create a new category here. What do you all think?

April 12, 2023

I've used the machines in several places in the Eastern US & also in Toronto.. (never took a photo of the machines, tho

April 13, 2023

It is true that we see them regularly in the places of visits, it allows to keep a memory

June 21, 2023

Okay, sorry for the delay. I have finally drafted up a proposal. Feel free to ask me questions or give me feedback. I think this would be a great addition to the many categories we already have.

https://www.Waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=dd76e323-0bd4-441c-a18a-513ba059dfca&gid=6&exp=True

June 23, 2023

I think the proposal looks good. I did notice that the first link for the examples of acceptable machines will not open for me.

1.1k · June 23, 2023

On 12/8/2022 at 2:42 PM, PISA-caching said:

You may also think about including Euro Souvenir Note (euronotesouvenir.ie) machines. Just an idea.

Like I already mentioned in December, I think that machines, that are selling Souvenir Euro bills should be included also. I found these machines several times and in some places the bills are also sold in tourist shops, but I would include just the machines as described in the category description. The (unfortunately German only) website https://www.0-euro-scheine.de/liste?pagelength=-1 shows a lot of these bills. Not all of them refer to locations, but to persons, events etc. and not all of them will be sold in machines, but it will give you an idea of how widespread these bills are. Interestingly, there is also a 0 Euro bill for the Pyramids in Egypt, one for Bahrain, one for Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and many other locations that our far outside the Euro zone.

Edited June 23, 2023 by PISA-caching

June 23, 2023

4 hours ago, PISA-caching said:

Like I already mentioned in December, I think that machines, that are selling Souvenir Euro bills should be included also. I found these machines several times and in some places the bills are also sold in tourist shops, but I would include just the machines as described in the category description. The (unfortunately German only) website https://www.0-euro-scheine.de/liste?pagelength=-1 shows a lot of these bills. Not all of them refer to locations, but to persons, events etc. and not all of them will be sold in machines, but it will give you an idea of how widespread these bills are. Interestingly, there is also a 0 Euro bill for the Pyramids in Egypt, one for Bahrain, one for Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and many other locations that our far outside the Euro zone.

Okay, I've added that to the category since it would be a good addition to have. I've also edited the category name, slightly. Let me know if you think anything should be edited, or refined. Thanks!

June 23, 2023

5 hours ago, jonathanatpsu said:

I think the proposal looks good. I did notice that the first link for the examples of acceptable machines will not open for me.

Thanks! The first link is one of my waymarks that was declined in Penny Smashers. If this category gets approved, I'll resubmit it to this category and the link should be valid.

June 24, 2023

I will leave the proposal as is until Sunday night. After that, I'll call an officer vote before I submit this to peer review.

9.3k · June 25, 2023

Reads OK.

On a personal note, I'd rather see photos as examples than just a clickable "Visit Link"

June 25, 2023

It is a very clear description. I like that you didn't include stringent conditions, like a minimum of 3 photos or a personal 3 line sentence

June 25, 2023

24 minutes ago, Becktracker said:

It is a very clear description. I like that you didn't include stringent conditions, like a minimum of 3 photos or a personal 3 line sentence

Thanks. I wanted to mirror the existing Penny Smasher category requirements as close as I could. No need to reinvent the wheel if I don't have to.

June 25, 2023

"2. Mark the GPS coordinates of the machine using the main, public entrance of the building. In the long description, you must guide visitors how to find the machine from the main entrance."

What about; should there be also is the access to this machine free or do you have to buy first some ticket to attraction / museum, etc??

June 25, 2023

41 minutes ago, Smurffaaja said:

"2. Mark the GPS coordinates of the machine using the main, public entrance of the building. In the long description, you must guide visitors how to find the machine from the main entrance."

What about; should there be also is the access to this machine free or do you have to buy first some ticket to attraction / museum, etc??

I think we would accept machines that require a paid ticket as well. For example, Disneyland has several thousands of waymarks already. I don't see a problem accepting machines that require a paid ticket.

June 26, 2023

6 hours ago, bluesnote said:

I think we would accept machines that require a paid ticket as well. For example, Disneyland has several thousands of waymarks already. I don't see a problem accepting machines that require a paid ticket.

I agree. Perhaps it should be required to say whether or not there is an admission fee to access the machine.

June 26, 2023

2 hours ago, jonathanatpsu said:

I agree. Perhaps it should be required to say whether or not there is an admission fee to access the machine.

I'll add this to the variable section.

June 30, 2023

Category has been submitted to peer review. Please vote and voice your comments (or concerns) here. Thank you!

July 1, 2023

It seems that most people voting have no clue what the difference is between a "penny smasher" and "medallion machine". Let me define the differences in my own words: A penny smasher is a machine that, well, smashes a penny within the machine using a unique design, typically artistic and related to a tourism place of interest. A "medallion machine" dispenses prefabricated artistic medallions that can be purchased, usually at a higher dollar amount than that of a penny smasher.

The #1 concern of voters is that these are penny smashers. Let me tell you...they are not. The examples I provided were mistakenly approved, well before this category (or forum discussion) was created. These types of submissions have not been accepted into Penny Smashers for quite some time, hence why one of the links is inactive. That inactive link is a denied waymark I tried to submit to that category. It will become live when I move that waymark over to this new category. The only "other examples" I can show are waymarks that shouldn't have been published into the existing Penny Smashers category

When/if this category passes peer review, these waymarks that were mistakenly published in Penny Smashers will be denied so I can move them over to the category.

I hope people will see that these two categories are indeed different, and I am trying my best to persuade others of that too despite, in my eyes, it's very clear. Again, if there are any issues, comments, or concerns please discuss it here. Thank you.

Edited July 1, 2023 by bluesnote

11.7k · July 1, 2023

20 minutes ago, bluesnote said:

These types of submissions have not been accepted into Penny Smashers for quite some time, hence why one of the links is inactive.

20 minutes ago, bluesnote said:

When/if this category passes peer review, these waymarks that were mistakenly published in Penny Smashers will be denied so I can move them over to the category.

Are these mistakenly approved waymarks your waymarks or someone else's?

July 1, 2023

2 minutes ago, Max and 99 said:

Are these mistakenly approved waymarks your waymarks or someone else's?

These are my waymarks that were submitted to penny smashers, mistakenly approved some time ago. I submitted a newer one a few months ago, but it was denied. This denied one is the broken link in the examples.

11.7k · July 1, 2023

Just a suggestion: it seems from the comments that it may help your category's chances if those accidently approved waymarks were not in Penny Smashers. Hint Hint.

Also from those waymark photos I have no idea which design is being made by them. It would really help to require a photo of the design.

July 1, 2023

31 minutes ago, Max and 99 said:

Just a suggestion: it seems from the comments that it may help your category's chances if those accidently approved waymarks were not in Penny Smashers. Hint Hint.

Also from those waymark photos I have no idea which design is being made by them. It would really help to require a photo of the design.

When voting is over, I'll make those changes regardless if the category passes or not. That is something I didn't consider when I initially wrote up the category, so I appreciate the suggestion!

July 2, 2023

Good evening, I think this category is a good idea because coin dispensers have nothing to do with the "Penny smasher" category. Besides, I don't understand how some distributors are validated in this category...
So a category for them alone would be good, there are many in France (I don't travel), but surely also in the world.
On the other hand, I agree with the remark in the votes on the problem of the location. Indeed, they are machines that sometimes move from one year to the next (just like penny smashers sometimes).

9.3k · July 3, 2023

20 hours ago, GwenanDu said:

Indeed, they are machines that sometimes move from one year to the next.

I see the photos as:

1. The machine. (Default picture?)

2. Main Entrance of the attraction.

3. Entrance of the shop. (I would think 'most' of these machines would be in or near to the shop of the attraction - if it's a large attraction)

4. General area of the machine, with the machine in?

Get moved at sometime in the future? There is an edit facility, any Waymarker finding the machine has moved can mention in their Visit log, add an edit, or let the Waymark owner know.

July 3, 2023

I asked from several vendors do they have any on Finland, because those what were listed on websites are not really updated. Some has gone years ago.

For my suprise; some even replied on first business day. What I learned, not every tourist coins are available from automats. Still those are listed on websites. Before travelling +800 km journey to one and only true machine which has stock of tourist coins, I better phone to location is it still really there. 😀

Tourist tokens or medals

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