DID YOU KNOW? Funspot Tokens Could Be Used at New Hampshire Tollbooths

The tokens have always been similar in size, which meant that some people chose to use them on either arcade games or the turnpike.

If you have lived in New Hampshire for some time you know that EZ-Pass hasn't always been around.

No, back in the day drivers had to buy tokens and throw them into tollbooth baskets rather than have some fancy computer flash and charge them. You bought a roll of tokens and hoped your aim was as good as your driving.

Of course, some clever folks discovered that the highway tokens could also be used at Funspot Family Fun Center in Laconia, which was named the "World's Largest Arcade" by Guinness in 2008. Also, the arcade tokens could be used at tollbooths.

This was known by the arcade's fans for years because they would find the tokens among Funspot's versions during some game payouts. Neither Funspot nor the New Hampshire Department of Transportation bothered to find a solution.

Using a turnpike token was more expensive if you have a Funspot coupon for their tokens, but actually cheaper compared to the 25 cent cost of a normally-priced token. So it could be a deal depending on how many tokens you planned on using during your gaming session.

Highway tokens were discontinued in 2006 in favor of the E-Z Pass system we now use on New Hampshire roads. You could get a roll of 40 tokens for $5, but prices inflated to as much like $8 for two of them after they were discontinued.

The use of tokens on turnpikes began in 1955 and two types were sold to anyone using the roads. Drivers could buy "a small silver "A" token worth ten cents and a larger, brass "B" token worth 15 cents," according to The Seacoast Online. The 25-cent gold-colored tokens were introduced in 1985.

People love the now-discontinued so much that they have even been transformed and sold as jewelry. You can also find them being sold on Ebay for about a buck each.

The tokens may not have been as efficient as the E-Z Pass, but it must have felt awesome having a stash of "treasure" in the car. Well, they also probably got stuck in-between seats and in tiny crevices of vehicles.

Hey, at least it helped improve the throwing arm of millions of New Hampshire drivers. That is something.