THE
ULTIMATE
AND
SHOWBIZ
PIZZA PLACE
TOKEN & TICKET GUIDE
SPP Types 1, 2, and 3 Tokens
OVERVIEW
The Showbiz Pizza Place tokens are not nearly as varied as the Chuck E. Cheese tokens, but they do exist in three distinct types.
Type 1 says "Pizza Show Biz" in reference to Bob Brock's company that was to be used to develop Pizza Time Theatre locations. Before the tokens could be used, Brock separated from CEC and created Showbiz Pizza Place. These tokens were used in the first SPP location.
Type 2 says "Showbiz Pizza Place" and is the standard SPP token used in all U.S. locations until SPP was rebranded as CEC.
Type 3 says "Showbiz Pizza Fiesta" and was used in the SPP in Juarez, Mexico.
Although SPP absorbed Chuck E. Cheese's, it was decided to remodel all SPP locations into Chuck E. Cheese's restaurants. By 1994 there were no SPP locations left, and therefore no more SPP tokens being produced. One exception may be a SPP location in Dubai that may have produced tokens well after 1994. No SPP tokens include a date or specific location.
It is unclear at this time whether or not the earliest SPP nickel plated tokens (S01N and S08N) are standard issue or proofs similar to the CEC type 1 proofs.
OBVERSE DESIGN
The earliest SPP tokens (Type 1) say "Pizza Show Biz" in an incuse design. All later tokens say "Showbiz Pizza Place." All tokens have the motto "Come For The Pizza Stay For the Fun."
REVERSE DESIGN
The earliest SPP tokens (S01 and S08) say "Play 25¢ Value", while all later tokens have the same motto as the obverse, along with the motto "For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place Only" and "Play Value." There are three varieties of reverse for these tokens. Some use a small font for the "For Use in Showbiz" motto. These tokens have beveled edges with thicker lettering and devices on both sides of the token. Other tokens use a taller, skinnier font, and have squared edges. Some reverses say "Show Biz" instead of "Showbiz."
METAL COMPOSITION
Different compositions were used including brass, copper plated brass or zinc, nickel plated brass or zinc, and anodized (in a variety of colors) zinc or nickel plated zinc. The nickel plated, copper plated, and anodized tokens were deliberately ordered to be used as control tokens.
Some SPP tokens can be found spray-painted by individual restaurants for use as control tokens. These tokens are considered altered, and are discussed on the SPP Nonstandard Issue page.
TOKEN DIAMETERS
SPP tokens exist in .800, .880, .900, .915 and .984 diameters. While most sizes are consistent, the .900 tokens can measure anywhere from .895 to .901.
DIE ALIGNMENT
All SPP tokens with the "small letters" were struck in coin orientation. The rest were struck with medal orientation.
ODDBALLS
Type 3 forgoes the standard SPP designs altogether. They feature a picture of a bear (Billy Bob?) and say "Showbiz Pizza Fiesta" on the obverse, and "Venga Por El Show Regrese Por La Pizza" on the reverse. These were produced for use in the Juarez, Mexico location.
There exists a SPP token with the the "No Cash Value" reverse. It was made by the Roger Williams Mint in a bid to obtain the SPP token contract, but was never put into regular production. It is listed on the SPP Experimental Tokens page.
SHOWBIZ PIZZA PLACE RARITIES
Extremely Rare
-
nickel plated "Pizza Show Biz" token – S01N
-
nickel plated "Showbiz Pizza Place" with "Play 25¢ Value" reverse token – S08N
-
.900 "Showbiz Pizza Fiesta" token – S14N
-
.984 "Showbiz Pizza Fiesta" with "Sin Valor" around edge – S16N
Rare
-
.984 "Showbiz Pizza Fiesta" with "Sin Valor" under head – S15N
-
all non-pink anodized tokens – S09aZ[Black, Light Blue, Blue, Dark Blue, and Olive], S13aN[Red], and S17aZ[Blue]
-
copper plated <OC> token – S10C
-
0.915 token – S07B
-
Dubai token – S12B
Scarce
-
.800, .880, and .900 tokens, – S02, S03, S04, S05, S06
SPP Types 1, 2, and 3 Tokens
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S01B, S01N
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Pizza Show Biz
Obverse Text: Pizza Show Biz, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Play 25¢ Value
Variety: N/A
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S02B, S02N, S02aN[Pink]
Diameter: 0.800 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Large Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S03B, S03N, S03aN[Pink]
Diameter: 0.880 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Large Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S04B, S04N
Diameter: 0.880 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Small Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S05B, S05N, S05aN[Pink]
Diameter: 0.900 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Fun,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Pizza
Reverse Text: Come For The Fun, Stay For The Pizza,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Large Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S06B, S06N
Diameter: 0.900 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Fun,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Pizza
Reverse Text: Come For The Fun, Stay For The Pizza,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Small Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S07B
Diameter: 0.915 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Large Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S08B, S08N
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Play 25¢ Value
Variety: N/A
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S09B, S09N, S09aZ[Pink, Black,
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: Light Blue, Blue, Dark Blue,
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: Olive]
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Large Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S17B, S17aZ[Blue]
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Large Letters, Large Denticles, Small Logo
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S10B, S10N, S10aZ[Pink]
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only, OC mintmark
Variety: Large Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S11B, S11C, S11N
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Small Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S12B
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Showbiz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Small Letters, Rough, thick devices and lettering,
Variety: (this is the Dubai Showbiz token)
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S13B, S13N, S13aN[Red]
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun
Reverse Text: Come For The Pizza, Stay For The Fun,
Reverse Text: Play Value, For Use In Show Biz Pizza Place
Reverse Text: Only
Variety: Large Letters
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S18B
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Place
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Place, Come For The Pizza,
Obverse Text: Stay For The Fun, RWM mintmark
Reverse Text: No Cash Value
Variety:
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S14N
Diameter: 0.900 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta, Unicamente Para
Obverse Text: Juegos, Sin Valor
Reverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta, Venga Por El Show,
Reverse Text: Regrese Por La Pizza
Variety: N/A
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S15N
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta, Unicamente Para
Obverse Text: Juegos, Sin Valor
Reverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta, Venga Por El Show,
Reverse Text: Regrese Por La Pizza
Variety: Sin Valor around edge
Date: - - - - | Catalog #s: S16N
Diameter: 0.984 | Name: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta
Obverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta, Unicamente Para
Obverse Text: Juegos, Sin Valor
Reverse Text: Showbiz Pizza Fiesta, Venga Por El Show,
Reverse Text: Regrese Por La Pizza
Variety: Sin Valor under head
