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Tobacco token

Started by Figleaf, February 07, 2011, 09:24:13 PM

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Figleaf

In 2003, Dutch law restricted the sales of tobacco those over 16 only. Cigarettes are sold mainly through vending machines, so a method was necessary to perform an age check before giving access to the machine. The solution found was the age coin: the barkeep would want to see an id before he gave the prospective cigarette buyer a token that would give access to the vending machine. In theory. In practice, many couldn't care less and those eligible would buy cigarettes and sell them on to youngsters. New age check mechanisms are put in place, so the days of the age token are counted.

The tokens are the same on both sides. Note the mintmark and mintmaster mark of the Utrecht mint below. But what are those letters in between? Well, LBT means Landelijke Tabaksdistributeurs Nederland (national tobacco distributors, the Netherlands) while BTVA is the Belgian Tobacco Vending Association. The same token could be used in two countries.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

chrisild

Never seen any of those, but then I would not have needed one when those were issued. :)  That blob in the middle ... is that a ball? Looks as if that part of the token was much higher than the rest.

Over here the cigarette machines in the streets require the use of a Geldkarte (Chipknip type card). Used to be that a driver's license could be used for age verification too, but that does not work any more since the minimum age for driving a car is 17 while you have to be 18 to get cigarettes from a machine. Maybe ID cards work too, dunno. But we sure did not have such tokens. Interesting!

Christian

UK Decimal +

A good proof of age is to show your bus pass to prove that you're over 60  :D

Bill.
Ilford, Essex, near London, England.

People look for problems and complain.   Engineers find solutions but people still complain.

Figleaf

Apparently, the new system will involve a payment card, where part of the electronics store a date check. Do they really think this system cannot be cracked within hours?

BTW, the token is holed. Funny light effect...

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

chrisild

Well, most systems can somehow be cracked. But if this helps to make buying tobacco a little more difficult for teenagers, fine with me. And yes, the visual effect of the central hole is interesting indeed. :)

Christian

malj1

Compare this with the Irish piece, ICMOA which is identical in size and thickness at 20.4mm so no doubt interchangeable; unless there is a spike to detect the hole in the Dutch one.
Malcolm
Have a look at  my tokens and my banknotes.

chrisild

Got a very similar one in Belgium today. I won't mention the place name because the way they give them out does not really work as an age verification system. ;)  Here is more in Dutch and French: http://www.agecoin.be  Mine says "LBT" on either side, by the way. This is just a quick cellphone photo, but you can see that.

Christian

malj1

I now see that Peter shows both tokens in his first post.

The BTVA token has the mintmark on one side only and is noted as Belux Tobacco Vending Association on most sites.

I don't have the LBT version.
Malcolm
Have a look at  my tokens and my banknotes.

malj1

Another, this time from Britain,  that I don't have reads AGE CONTROL

[Image from eBay attached]

Another type has CIGARETTE MACHINE TOKEN  ADULTS ONLY both sides with the PM mintmark for Pobjoy mint on one side only.
Malcolm
Have a look at  my tokens and my banknotes.