Re: the questions and comments on the aluminum good luck tokens (with
the star center or the penny frame) and the "squashed pennies"  (called
in the hobby: 'elongated cents').

 There is a great body of literature available to active collectors of
this stuff.  Most of the items mentioned I also remember, and I cut a
few of the star tokens in the coin operated machines at fairs and
resorts; certainly in the fifties and sixties, and maybe as late as the
seventies. Any entertainment "Arcade" of coin operated machines (before
that came to mean computer video machines replacing the pin ball and
other machines) would likely have one of the aluminum token stamping
machines available for the aluminum "rounds".  I am sure the price
varied over time, but I remember the quarter slots in the speckled green
painted and chrome trimmed chest high console machines..and the 25c
labels.       

   There is a US  publication called _Numismatic News_ ;available in
most larger news stands or by subscription, which usually has classified
ads for assorted books and pamphlets (as well as specialized dealers)
collectively holding a lot of knowledge in the various 'exonumia' or
non-monetary or non-coin collecting areas.  Contact possibilities with
hobby specialists with much specific knowledge abound. It would be a
good start point, and  can provide dating information right down to
specific manufacturers, machine models, patterns, dies, and variations.
It is also an inexpensive source :-)    

Slàinte mhath;
Rex H. McTyeire
Bucharest, Romania