Ace tokens

[malj1]

This ACE token, of ACE Coin Equipment Ltd, Ace House. Talbot Green, Mid Glamorgan , CF7 8YY. is thought to be for use in a juke box. image of a clover with ACE across the stalk, consimilar Brass, 20mm. Hayes 7.

This is often mis-described as emanating from a bikers club in London.

Today I saw an explanation by a seller on eBay, one that I thought was worth both saving and sharing here.

Quote:
Original Ace of Clubs Token

Originally manufactured in the 1960s for use in slot machines, the token carries the same logo as the Ace Cafe. I understand that Bikers all over the world collect these tokens and attach them to zip pulls, keyrings etc as a momentum* of this historic cafe  (*sic - he means memento =  keepsake; souvenir)

The Ace Bikers Café History

It opened in 1938 to accommodate traffic on the new North Circular Road. Because the cafe was open 24 hours a day, it started to attract motorcyclists. It became popular with the Ton Up Boys (and girls) in the 1950s and the Rockers in the 1960s.

From the powerful combination of motor bikes and the cafe's rock 'n' roll juke box came the Ace legend of record racing: drop the coin right into the slot, and race to a given point and back before the record ends.

The cafe was rebuilt in 1949 after being destroyed in a World War II air raid. The building is close to the Willesden railway marshalling yard, target of the raid.

Events in the post-war environment made the Ace a success: the emergence of the teenager; increase in traffic; and the British motorcycle industry at its peak. Many young people started to meet at the cafe with their motorcycles and listen to rock'n'roll. Many bands and motorcycle enthusiast groups formed there.

The cafe closed in 1969 and the building became a tyre sales and fitting shop.

Rocker Reunions and refurbishment

Following the success of the Rocker Reunion movement, started by an original 59 Club member Len Paterson the first Ace Cafe Reunion, organised by Mark Wilsmore and held in 1994 attracted as many as 12,000 revivalists, the cafe was reopened in 1997, and completely refurbished in 2001. Rockers and motorcyclists from all over the world go to the Ace to share stories, fix bikes and see the legend. No longer open 24-hours, the cafe now has an extensive calendar of meets for both bikes and cars to cater for everyone. It also puts on live music and DJ's, and is approved for weddings and civil partnerships.

Film and media

The Ace Cafe was immortalised as a location of the 1964 film The Leather Boys, Sidney J. Furie's notable British "kitchen sink" drama.

In the past it has been used for the Channel 5 TV programme Fifth Gear in the seasons 10 to 13 (September 2006 until March 2008), and for ITV programme Used Car Roadshow. It has also featured in the BBC television series By Any Means with Charley Boorman; mentioned as a favorite for Ewan McGregor by his wife in the documentary, Long Way Down; and the 2008 film Freebird.

In Episode 6 of Top Gear (series 3) Jeremy Clarkson interviewed clients about their love of customising the Citroën Saxo.

Awards

The Ace Cafe won Brent Council's "Best Bar None" award for local bars in 2009.

there are a few other sizes of this token along with some further varieties that I shall add later.

[bagerap]

Except for the fact that the juke at the Ace took sixpences.

[malj1]

If the juke boxes were set to use these brass Ace tokens at 19.9mm.; then sixpences may have worked too as they are 19.3mm.

[bagerap]

In my time ('67-68) the juke was a Wurlitzer. Cash only.

[malj1]

From my first post.

This is often mis-described as emanating from a bikers club in London.

I have said for years that they were not used there so I am pleased you can confirm they were not used.

However the design taken from the token was used as part of the logo of the cafe with this displayed each of the facade.

[bagerap]

Only one small problem there, the original Ace didn't have a logo.
This image is taken from the second incarnation (*tourist trap*) which wasn't even built on the same site. It's a fair bet that the Ace token pre dates the second Ace Cafe by quite a few years.

[malj1]

A lot of pictures here from 1938 onwards. See the first section The Ace Cafe – A Potted History

[bagerap]

And not an Ace of Clubs in sight. When I have time, I'll try to trawl the photo archives of the Ealing Gazette, circa 1967. They had a picture of a spotty faced youth on his trusty Ariel Leader outside the Ace.
It was my first decent bike and I ploughed it into the back of a parked Wolsey.

[malj1]

Have you found that Ariel leader yet?

I know the ACE tokens weren't used at the club but I just had to add this link Ace Cafe Revival when I spotted it today.

[Figleaf]

A lot of pictures here from 1938 onwards. See the first section The Ace Cafe – A Potted History

Did you spot the hilarious self-serving quote in the 1961 newspaper: "I think people are turning away from television and looking for some other form of entertainment - and are beginning to find it once again in the theatre" Mr. R. L. Whetton, principal of Burton-on-Trent school of speech and drama.

Basic rule of forecasting: if you have to predict, at least avoid doing it in writing.

Peter

[wcbcoins]

Does anyone have an info on this ACE token? I don't think it has any connection to the famous British Cafe. Its Brass 21mm diameter, 1.7mm thick, and weighs 4.5g

[Figleaf]

Same logo and likely to be an explanation for the token, rather than the cafe. The telephone number is not in London, but in the Cork area (Cork, Coachford, Kinsale, Midleton) today. Before 1995, it was used for Birmingham (now 01210-01219), though.

Peter

[FosseWay]

The company still exists: Welcome - Acecoin.co.uk

The phone number given on the token is definitely Birmingham, nothing to do with Cork. Birmingham had the dialling code 021 from the introduction of automatic trunk dialling until 1995, when the modern format - 0121 xxx xxxx - was introduced.

However, according to the website the HQ is now in Cardiff. I do however notice that the copyright statement at the bottom of each page says 2004. It may be just that no-one's bothered to change it, or it could be that the company is dormant. But someone is clearly still paying the ISP.

[malj1]

None of the ACE tokens have anything to do with the cafe they were only adopted by the bikers much later.

See the first post for the correct answer and also my page here where all the ACE tokens are shown along with various addresses.

[malj1]

 Ace Gaming Ltd are still located at Cardiff so the phone number on the token is from from the earlier time when they were named as Ace Coin Equipment Limited.

Ace Gaming Limited
Unit E1 Southpoint
Foreshore Road
Cardiff

Phone: 02920 453300

Although they don't appear to have been in Birmingham.

Some images shown of the building as it appears from around 2016.  (This page has the © tag 2016)