1990's I have a few. The place does not exist anymore due to a cleanup of such establishments in the Times square area. All have been eliminated.
They are still in use at other adult venues, for both female and male shows. When the price goes up they just charge more per token and don't have to go thru the expense of changing the coin mech. whether it is video, or the live shows in a private booth behind the plexi. the generic ones of the zodiac are most popular, because some people like to have their sign as a pocket piece. The other popular one is the heads I win and tails you lose. even with parts of the tokens blocked out somebody complains and admin takes them down. But with a little imagination you can conjer up an image. As a foot note in part of my mis spent youth I installed alarms in assorted items boats, planes, vending machines adult book store peep show booths. In the metro area of Detroit, and because I looked 14 years old some of the ladies would cure their boredoom by doing things trying to make me blush!
Ah, Times Square. I have vague memories of my one and only trip into NYC. I was probably 8 or 9. I remember us walking through Times Square, and my father laughing while my mother grabbed me and turned me away from an open door. I was pretty sure it had something to do with "naked women", but I was pretty fuzzy on the concepts around that, and I didn't actually see what was happening. I remember a lot of dirt, and not much greenery. Apparently a child drowned in the hotel pool while we were staying there. My takeaway from the experience: stay away from big cities...
I was born and raised in NYC.. 50 years I experienced and endured it all. Times Square? I went there in the smutty years to buy illegal martial art weapons I survived but it wasn't easy.
You're awesome man! I'm not joking, I'm not busting your chops. I think you're awesome. My friends and i went into the smutty areas of Times Square, FOR the smut! Couldn't find any in the surrounding areas as easily. I remember being about 16, taking mass transit in (we used to sneak in, our parents would have killed us if they knew) walking about 6 blocks, and being on a new planet. If i grew up in the city, I'd either be in jail, or dead. Thank goodness for the suburbs (in my case, lol). Glad you survived, my friend. CT wouldn't be the same without you.
Thanks buddy.. My dad was very serious in my survival. He signed me up for Karate lessons in the mid 1980's and taught me how to think and act smart in the streets. He explained how everyone was out there just for the hustle.. Trust no one! is what he told me.
I have a crazy memory of witnessing two Hasidic Jews coming out of one of the Times Square peep show theaters. Everyone went into those places!
Guilty as charged. As a 16 year old kid, you go in thinking, this is going to be the coolest thing ever! But you walk out feeling so bad. I kept thinking if MY mom was doing something like that (because this woman was clearly a mother, possibly a great grandmother) or MY sister... at least i thought that, at any rate. I never went back to one of those after my first time. No need. Had seen enough.
You're very lucky you had a dad in your life, back then. I remember single parent homes, in my area, were like a pandemic. It was all moms, no dads. He sounds like a great man. I believe we're about the same age, so we may have crossed paths in the city hundreds of times, and never known it, lol! Glad we didn't mix it up cuz it sounds like you would have kicked my butt! Karate lessons and martial arts weapons? I'm running the other way! Glad we're both still here though, and in decent shape. You're teaching, and I'm learning! Have a great Sunday. Try to work in a little fishing or detecting!
Maybe they owned the building. And you know I'm not joking when i say that, lol. They weren't there for the show, they were there for the rent!
@Jeffjay Sorry that we hijacked your thread It is an interesting item. When I get home I will search for the ones that I have and post a picture
My apologies as well, @Jeffjay. Great token! Some great, and not so great, memories of being a kid in a city that was literally a playground/death trap, for so many years! Thanks!
Apparently, Show World Center opened in 1977 and occupied the first four stories of a twelve-story building, and had 22,000 square feet of retail space!
No problem. You as a New York guy answered my question as to the era of these tokens. You said 1990s and I was thinking 60s/70s.