Switching from Coins to Tokens

[Good Moody]

Good day,
Can you tell me what is involved to provide tokens at my hamilton change machine instead of quarters along with having my vacs and self serve wash controls recognize tokens as well.
Only reason Im considering this is that the public comes to my change machine for the local laundromats daily and its become a PITA replenishing the system via emptying the vacs and washbay vaults frequently.

I appreciate your thoughts!

 

[TMoliver]

There are a few things to consider . First do you want quarter tokens or Dollar value tokens. With generic metal quarter value tokens you will accept any ones with the same metal and diameter, could be a carwash or an arcade token. With the Dollar value tokens you need to look at a more secure metal which will cost anywhere from $0.30 to $0.80 cents each that will depend on quantity purchased, metal and who the mint is. Remember a dollar value token does not cost you a Dollar when you replace it.

If you go with a Dollar value token you might want to go to the 1.073" size. That means the Hamilton hopper will need a different size of dispensing wheel/plate for the Dollar size.

Do you want to accept both tokens and coins, I would just have to get a version is best -2 or more coins types at once( SluggBuster II, SluggBuster III, MA850, QL. If you accept both coins and tokens you can accept the coins your customers have with them and now you talk quarters to the bank and you do not have to buy the.

You will need signage at the changer and in the bays letting everyone know of the change.

Just let us know what you decide.

 

[Good Moody]

There are a few things to consider . First do you want quarter tokens or Dollar value tokens. With generic metal quarter value tokens you will accept any ones with the same metal and diameter, could be a carwash or an arcade token. With the Dollar value tokens you need to look at a more secure metal which will cost anywhere from $0.30 to $0.80 cents each that will depend on quantity purchased, metal and who the mint is. Remember a dollar value token does not cost you a Dollar when you replace it.

If you go with a Dollar value token you might want to go to the 1.073" size. That means the Hamilton hopper will need a different size of dispensing wheel/plate for the Dollar size.

Do you want to accept both tokens and coins, I would just have to get a version is best -2 or more coins types at once( SluggBuster II, SluggBuster III, MA850, QL. If you accept both coins and tokens you can accept the coins your customers have with them and now you talk quarters to the bank and you do not have to buy the.

You will need signage at the changer and in the bays letting everyone know of the change.

Just let us know what you decide.

Thank you for this detail.
Who are you with?
Who is Us?

 

[TMoliver]

I'm just an old car washer who has seen a lot of changes over the last 40+years now but not much really has changed as we are still just selling time. I remember when a vacuum was a dime for 4 minutes and a bay was a dime for 5 minutes for Wash Rinse and maybe wax.

 

[Roz]

We change $1 tokens and accept quarters, $1 tokens, and dollar coins. We made the switch a long time ago, best move for various reasons. Not hard to do although I hear the wait time for tokens may have increased.

Decide on the token size and if you want a custom token (highly recommended as it is a form of marketing)
Get the tokens in hand
Purchase the token or dollar change wheel for the hamilton changer
See if your coin mech can be programmed to accept multiple types of coins. If not you can easily upgrade the coin acceptor as there are a few options (again it depends on your equipment and the electrical voltage currently sent to your existing coin mech).
Put up signs.

We offer a 10% bonus for a $10, and a 20% bonus for a $20 in the changer which people like and appreciate.
You will want to purchase a coin sorter (Klopp) so you do not lose your tokens to the bank - it is OK to lose them to customers since they pay more than the cost of a token.

I would recommend $1 value tokens as it is easily for a customer to hold 20 coins than 80.....Good luck

 

[Good Moody]

We change $1 tokens and accept quarters, $1 tokens, and dollar coins. We made the switch a long time ago, best move for various reasons. Not hard to do although I hear the wait time for tokens may have increased.

Decide on the token size and if you want a custom token (highly recommended as it is a form of marketing)
Get the tokens in hand
Purchase the token or dollar change wheel for the hamilton changer
See if your coin mech can be programmed to accept multiple types of coins. If not you can easily upgrade the coin acceptor as there are a few options (again it depends on your equipment and the electrical voltage currently sent to your existing coin mech).
Put up signs.

We offer a 10% bonus for a $10, and a 20% bonus for a $20 in the changer which people like and appreciate.
You will want to purchase a coin sorter (Klopp) so you do not lose your tokens to the bank - it is OK to lose them to customers since they pay more than the cost of a token.

I would recommend $1 value tokens as it is easily for a customer to hold 20 coins than 80.....Good luck

Thank you for all the detail Roz, Much appreciated!

 

[edredtop]

Good day,
Can you tell me what is involved to provide tokens at my hamilton change machine instead of quarters along with having my vacs and self serve wash controls recognize tokens as well.
Only reason Im considering this is that the public comes to my change machine for the local laundromats daily and its become a PITA replenishing the system via emptying the vacs and washbay vaults frequently.

I appreciate your thoughts!

Everything TMoliver said was spot on.
Don't let this part of what he said pass you by: "Remember a dollar value token does not cost you a Dollar when you replace it."
Realizing that will help in your decision making if you have to replace equipment (such as your acceptors).

Some things to also consider:

* If you choose a larger token, make sure it fits in the faceplate slot and works with your acceptors (you can ask for sample tokens to test before committing to a full order)

* Having an acceptor that takes multiple coin variations is extremely helpful as it gives you the ability to take dollar coins, tokens, quarters AND if you ever have to phase out one token to change to another for whatever reason (for example, a $1 token for a $5 token in the near future), you have that option because you can take both until you've recovered all (or most) of the tokens you are pulling out of service.
If you have a two-hopper changer, or a dual dispensing wheel that will dispense quarters and tokens together, you can "salt" your quarters with 25 cent tokens (MEP did this), and it can be a deterrent because it forces a transaction with the tokens or a walkaway profit if not used. I would avoid this configuration at this point because I think quarters will not be on the menu for car washes much longer.
Listen to TMoliver's wisdom here too: " I remember when a vacuum was a dime for 4 minutes and a bay was a dime for 5 minutes"
Would you even consider taking a dime today?

*Using a dollar token reduces the mass (weight and volume) that you have to handle each week. Trust me, as you get older, it matters. It will also increase your hopper capacity by 3X.

*If you have a particular piece of equipment that keeps getting vandalized, you can make it tokens only.

There are many quality mints to purchase from, I can attest to the CTX security token from Van Brook.
It has worked flawlessly for 19 years at my locations.

 

[Bill Capron]

I recommend tokens with dollar value and the same size as dollar coins. I have Slugbuster III’s and take dollar tokens, dollar coins and quarters. It’s surprising how many of my customers have quarters in their pockets.
My reasoning for dollar tokens is with a two dollar start up about the time the sixth quarter goes in the customer is thinking “ this costs a lot!” With dollar tokens it’s two and going!

 

[edredtop]

I recommend tokens with dollar value and the same size as dollar coins. I have Slugbuster III’s and take dollar tokens, dollar coins and quarters. It’s surprising how many of my customers have quarters in their pockets.
My reasoning for dollar tokens is with a two dollar start up about the time the sixth quarter goes in the customer is thinking “ this costs a lot!” With dollar tokens it’s two and going!

100%.
.. and with $5 start up prices and higher, 20+ quarters is getting as ridiculous as taking 10 dimes when we hit a dollar to start.

 

[Randy]

There has been some pretty good information posted here.We have been on tokens since about 1992. You want to go to all of your competitors that use tokens within about 25 miles. Order samples of the token that you think you want to use, I'd suggest a high security 1.073 token, it has a nice feel in your hand. We use a 11/8" nickel plated copper token. A good quality Tokens are expensive so be prepared to spend some serious money up front. One of the problems we have found lately when reordering tokens is the material maybe slightly different or have a slightly different electronic ring so your coin acceptor will reject the token, it may look the same but it could be different. We had 15K tokens last year we had to dump because they wouldn't work. We no longer offer bonus tokens, we stopped that practice years ago. We felt that it was really doing much good giving away tokens. Our shrinkage is around 10K - 15K tokens a year, that's a pretty good return. I have some bill changer customers who dispense a high value token from there bill changer, one has a $2.50 token and another has a $5 token. Hamilton makes 5 different size Hopper wheels for there hoppers, you want to size the Hopper wheel to your token. Let me know the size of token you planning on using and I can tell you what size hopper wheel you'll need.

 

[Austin603]

There has been some pretty good information posted here.We have been on tokens since about 1992. You want to go to all of your competitors that use tokens within about 25 miles. Order samples of the token that you think you want to use, I'd suggest a high security 1.073 token, it has a nice feel in your hand. We use a 11/8" nickel plated copper token. A good quality Tokens are expensive so be prepared to spend some serious money up front. One of the problems we have found lately when reordering tokens is the material maybe slightly different or have a slightly different electronic ring so your coin acceptor will reject the token, it may look the same but it could be different. We had 15K tokens last year we had to dump because they wouldn't work. We no longer offer bonus tokens, we stopped that practice years ago. We felt that it was really doing much good giving away tokens. Our shrinkage is around 10K - 15K tokens a year, that's a pretty good return. I have some bill changer customers who dispense a high value token from there bill changer, one has a $2.50 token and another has a $5 token. Hamilton makes 5 different size Hopper wheels for there hoppers, you want to size the Hopper wheel to your token. Let me know the size of token you planning on using and I can tell you what size hopper wheel you'll need.

There has been some pretty good information posted here.We have been on tokens since about 1992. You want to go to all of your competitors that use tokens within about 25 miles. Order samples of the token that you think you want to use, I'd suggest a high security 1.073 token, it has a nice feel in your hand. We use a 11/8" nickel plated copper token. A good quality Tokens are expensive so be prepared to spend some serious money up front. One of the problems we have found lately when reordering tokens is the material maybe slightly different or have a slightly different electronic ring so your coin acceptor will reject the token, it may look the same but it could be different. We had 15K tokens last year we had to dump because they wouldn't work. We no longer offer bonus tokens, we stopped that practice years ago. We felt that it was really doing much good giving away tokens. Our shrinkage is around 10K - 15K tokens a year, that's a pretty good return. I have some bill changer customers who dispense a high value token from there bill changer, one has a $2.50 token and another has a $5 token. Hamilton makes 5 different size Hopper wheels for there hoppers, you want to size the Hopper wheel to your token. Let me know the size of token you planning on using and I can tell you what size hopper wheel you'll need.

Hi Randy! What size wheel for the 1.073 tokens? I’m between that size and the one smaller than a quarter. Thoughts on this? Thanks!

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I used the Van Brook CTX-812 and was well pleased. It is 1.074 and uses the dollar wheel, which was very handy for me, because I also dispensed dollars. I only needed one spare hopper to cover all of my changers and ACWs.

 

[Randy]

Hi Randy! What size wheel for the 1.073 tokens? I’m between that size and the one smaller than a quarter. Thoughts on this? Thanks!

You want to use a 11-0016A Golden dollar wheel with a 1.073 token.

 

[Austin603]

Thanks for the response guys! I’m newer to the forum. So much good material here!

 

[jack954]

made the switch to 1.073 $1 tokens 2 years ago and my only regret was not doing it 20 years ago.

 

[Good Moody]

made the switch to 1.073 $1 tokens 2 years ago and my only regret was not doing it 20 years ago.

Wow, really, Why?

 

[jack954]

-laundry people and businesses stopped using me to supply them with quarters
-many tokens never come back. i pay .34 and sell for $1
-i make more $. my vacs are 1.50 but if you don’t bring your own quarters , you have to use 2 1$ tokens. when adding more time in the bays, they are adding a dollar at a time instead of $.25 in time.
-no one has tried to drill out my locks since adding these stickers

 

[Waxman]

I have been vending 1 1/8" tokens since 2006. I have custom ones for my wash. My bays accept quarters and cc also.

Imo it's a great setup.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

I made the switch about 8 months ago & it was the best thing I’ve done since I got my wash (little over 1.5 year ago). I had to change the acceptors in my bay so I could accept tokens & quarters. For cost I just changed the mechanical acceptors in my vacs & vending so they’re only tokens. I have decals saying that but still get a lot of people trying to use quarters, that’s the only downside but the positive outweighs it. The fact I’m not the town change machine alone was worth it. I just use generic tokens from kleen rite & I do get a few imposters but not enough to buy my own tokens.

 

[Waxman]

I made the switch about 8 months ago & it was the best thing I’ve done since I got my wash (little over 1.5 year ago). I had to change the acceptors in my bay so I could accept tokens & quarters. For cost I just changed the mechanical acceptors in my vacs & vending so they’re only tokens. I have decals saying that but still get a lot of people trying to use quarters, that’s the only downside but the positive outweighs it. The fact I’m not the town change machine alone was worth it. I just use generic tokens from kleen rite & I do get a few imposters but not enough to buy my own tokens.

I think you should accept quarters also at your vacs. I do and it's very convenient for the customer.