The history of telephony in Italy undoubtedly dates back to the invention of telephone tokens, which represented a real turning point in communication, being a common element not only in our country, but in many other parts of the world, and played a fundamental role until the advent of mobile phones. In particular, in Italy their history began in 1926 and ended in 2011 with the gradual decommissioning of public telephones.
Here are the telephone tokens: history, characteristics and particular signs
Telephone tokens, small metal coins that have accompanied generations of Italians, have been a key element of public telephony for over 80 years. Their history is intertwined with the development of telephone technology and the social habits of our country. The first telephone tokens made their appearance in Italy, minted by Stipel (Società Interregionale Piedmontese e Lombarda Telefonica) and used at the Milan Trade Fair. They were made of nickel silver or bronze and could only be used inside the Fair.
The golden age is reached with the spread of economic well-being and the increase in demand for telephony, telephone tokens become increasingly widespread; new models are born with different values, such as the 50 lire tokens (introduced in 1959) and 100 lire tokens (from 1980). But with the advent of mobile phones, the use of telephone tokens began to decrease, until 2011 when Telecom Italia, the last telephone company to offer the public telephone service with tokens, announced the gradual dismantling of public telephones: the December 31, 2011, after 85 years of service, telephone tokens officially cease to exist in Italy.
Telephone tokens were made of brass or copper, with a diameter of approximately 22 mm. The value of the token was printed on the obverse, along with the year of issue and the telephone company logo (e.g., SIP, TIM). The reverse could feature drawings or symbols.
To use a token, you had to insert it into the payphone slot. Once entered, you could dial the desired number. The cost of the call was deducted from the value of the token and, if the remaining credit was sufficient, it was possible to make another call.
In Italy, over the years, telephone tokens of different values have been issued, including:
- 50 lire: introduced in 1959, they were the most common tokens.
- 100 lire: introduced in 1980, they had a double value compared to the 50 lire tokens.
- 200 lire: introduced in 1984, they were the most valuable tokens.
- Other values: on some occasions, tokens with special or commemorative values were issued, for example 200 lire for the Jubilee of 2000.
The telephone token: here is its collectible value
With the decommissioning of public telephones, telephone tokens have become collector’s items for many enthusiasts. Their collectible value depends on several factors, including rarity, state of conservation and the particularity of the token. Based on what has been said, a general consideration can be made, therefore:
- from 100 to 500 euros are tokens with common minting errors or limited issues in good condition.
- from 500 to 1,000 euros are tokens with rare minting errors, limited issues in excellent condition or tokens with particular characteristics.
- Over 1,000 euros, however, are extremely rare tokens, with unique minting errors or coming from very specific historical periods.
The most expensive telephone token, which can even reach a very high value, is Stipel 1926 Milan Trade Fairminted on the occasion of the 1926 Milan Trade Fair, and is considered one of the rarest telephone tokens in Italy, starting from a value of over 1,000 euros.
