Sun Oil Co. - Antique Car Coin

- 1969 "Antique Car Coin" aluminum token / Sunoco Company
- Minted by the Franklin Mint for the Sun Oil Co. / Series 2
- "1907 Thomas Flyer" /26mm in diameter / uncirculated condition
- In 1969-70, Sunoco would give out these "Antique Car" tokens upon purchases made at their gas stations. - Also provided was a cardboard game board with cut-outs so these could be pressed into the corresponding slots.
*** E. R. Thomas Motor Company was a manufacturer of motorized bicycles, motorized tricycles, motorcycles, and automobiles in Buffalo, New York between 1900 and 1919. The company built automobiles from 1902 to 1919. - A 1907 Model 35 with 4 cylinders and 60 horsepower, dubbed Thomas Flyer, won the 1908 New York to Paris Race, the first and only around-the-world automobile race ever held. The race began in Times Square, New York, on February 12 and covered some 22,000 miles (35,000 km), finishing in Paris on July 30, 1908. Six teams started the race (one Italian, one German, three French (De Dion-Bouton, Motobloc, and Sizaire-Naudin), and the American Flyer). Only three of the cars finished, the Thomas Flyer which won, the German Protos, and the Italian Züst. - In 1912 the Thomas company went into receivership and was purchased by Empire Smelting & Refining Company, and was finally shut down between 1918 and 1919.