FAMOUS AMERICANS COIN GAME was a promotional game issued by the Shell Oil Company in 1968. This was a collect-and-win game with instant winners. With each visit to a participating Shell station, customers received a free aluminum game 'coin' showing a portrait of a famous American. The coins could be mounted on a game card and the objective was to try to collect all the coins in any section of the game card, in which case the player won the prize for that section. Some coins were INSTANT WINNER coins. There are twenty-four basic obverse designs in Shell's Famous Americans Coin Game. Orville and Wilber Wright appear together on one coin; Meriwether Lewis and William Clark appear together on another. Therefore, twenty-six different Americans are featured in the game. Collecting the right combination of coins won cash prizes of $1, $5, $50, $500, $1,000 or $5,000. The game coins were struck on aluminum alloy planchets. The planchets are relatively thin, but the alloy used is quite hard which makes the coins sturdy and scratch-resistant compared to standard soft aluminum. The 'coins' (more accurately, 'medallions') are 26mm in diameter with a plain edge. The coins came from Glendinning sealed in white, square, opaque paper packets. Forty-eight different game coins were issued, tallied as follows: Eighteen common coins with the 'Smooth Shell' reverse design; Eighteen common coins with the 'Coarse Shell' reverse design Coin is approx 1" and is in a good, vintage condition with light wear.