From Cups to Coins- Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven

 

Seven and i Holdings, the parent company of 7-Eleven convenience stores, announced on Wednesday that it will be shuttering 645 underperforming North American locations in fiscal 2026. Some will convert to wholesale fuel formats, but the bottom line is the same- fewer bright orange-and-green signs on the corner, fewer late-night runs, and another reminder that businesses constantly change.

For many of us collectors, the store is a reminder of those childhood days, where we could quench that summer thirst and gain a collectible- all for about four bits. While slurping down one of those icy, syrupy Slurpees was a treat in itself, the real treasure for many summers- and for a couple of falls- was the coin hidden under the false bottom on the cup. Pop it out, and there it was: a colorful 1.75-inch plastic disc featuring your favorite MLB or NFL star. Some years the images even shifted when you tilted them, like tiny 3D magic. 

The company first marketed sports collectibles in the early 1970s, with the plastic Slurpee cups that featured vibrant images of MLB and NFL stars. Cups featuring the likeness of NBA stars, as well as the rare World Hockey Association (WHA) cups would soon follow. Statistics were also featured.

The "disc era" kicked off in earnest in 1983. That's when the collectible coins under the cups became a national (and sometimes regional) phenomenon, focused primarily on baseball. Between the years 1983 and 2000, eight different sets were issued featuring MLB's biggest names. The first set, coming in 1983, was the regional Dodgers/Angels test run in Los Angeles. Broader releases came in 1984 with three 24-player regional sets. The 1985 offering was expanded to five regional sets (16 coins each) and a special 14-coin set celebrating the 1984 World Series Champions, the Detroit Tigers. 

The first NFL discs (a 15-coin set) were available in 1983, followed the next year by two 20-coin regional sets. Nine other gridiron promotions would be offered in the future, but the football discs enjoyed just a two-year run.