Coffee machine token: Mariestads Jede-Automater AB

[FosseWay]

I've had the holed token illustrated below for ages and often wondered what the text that has been obliterated by the hole said and whether it would shed any light on the use of the token. Well, now I've found an unmolested example on the web and the penny (or öre) drops.

One side's text reads HOT CUP, which was fairly baffling (even more so when you consider it's in English and not Swedish) but now I've discovered that Jede is a coffee vending machine operator. Which makes HOT CUP entirely understandable (though still in English).

Mariestad is a town in southern Sweden, on the south coast of Lake Vänern. Jede is still based there, though the look of this token suggests it's not in the first flush of youth.

The holed version of the token is brass, 19.3 mm, 2.01 g.

[malj1]

Interesting, they now have a variety of drinks, hot as well as cold, so possibly 'hot' is outdated. I see they are part of the Nestle Group.

Here are a couple of quotes from Jede's site

All started in 1969 when the entrepreneur from Mariestad, Jan Magnusson, got a brilliant idea. Why not develop and sell a small, simple vending machine for workplaces?

Today you can find us in 33 countries, we have 220 employees and the turnover is over 300 MSEK. The head office is situated where it always has been - in Mariestad, Sweden.