I know that I had found this in a thread a while ago, but can't find the reference! I remember reading someone saying that there were some "tokens" or medals or something that you could get at certain key Paris sites for something like 2E - same format at each site. I think the poster said that her grandkids really liked them, and that she wish she had known they were at several sites, only discovering them partway through, and that they came from some sort of dispenser.

I thought my kids like collecting those as souveniers... does anyone know what I am talking about
V

Yes, they're all over France. There are machines - like gumball machines - at the major sites. You put in euros and out comes a "coin" with the imprint of the site on it. My kids liked them, too, when they were young. Totally forgot about them by the time they were young teens.

Children adore collecting them.

The last time I took my mother to see the neurologist at the Hôpital Bretonneau, I saw that even they had a token machine.

Perfect! thanks. sounds like I just need to expect one will be there and keep my eyes open, regardless of where we go!

They are sold at major sites and museums. Some by machine, often at gift shops loose. 2.5-3 euros for most. We bought coins at Eiffel Tower, D'Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, sewer (Les Egouts) this past week. Been picking them up for 10+ years throughout europe.

Purists in France buy only the ones issued by the "Monnaie de Paris." Obviously, various copies exist.

thanks for the tip kerouac - consider us aspiring, though flexible purists... so we will keep our eyes peeled for the "Monnaie de Paris" options!

http://www.monnaiedeparis.fr/collectionneurs/lstst.pdf

thanks kerouac - printed the list!

Today I saw a batch of these for sale on Ebay.
Search on:
PARIS FRANCE Famous Sites, 18 Different Elongated Coins

Thanks Travelnut - that was good to see!