Jim Delligatti probably wasn’t thinking about blockchain or global exchange rates when he first slapped two beef patties between three buns in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. It was 1967. The world was messy, but the burger was simple. Fast forward to 2018, and McDonald’s decided to turn that burger into literal money. Well, "MacCoins" to be exact. To celebrate 50 years of Big Mac coin history—dating back to that 1968 national rollout—the Golden Arches minted over 6.2 million physical brass tokens.
People went nuts.
It wasn't just a plastic toy or a cheap coupon. These things had weight. They felt like real currency because, in a way, they were. If you held one, you could walk into a McDonald's in over 50 participating countries and trade it for a sandwich. It was a tangible, edible gold standard.
The weird logic of the Big Mac Index
You can’t really talk about the MacCoin without talking about The Economist. Back in 1986, they started the "Big Mac Index." It was half-joke, half-genius. The idea was "burgernomics." Since a Big Mac is basically the same everywhere—the same sesame seeds, the same dehydrated onions, the same special sauce—it’s the perfect tool to see if currencies are valued correctly.
If a Big Mac costs $5 in the US but only $3 in another country when you convert the currency, that currency is undervalued. Simple. When the 50th anniversary rolled around, McDonald’s leaned into this. They created five different designs for the coins, each representing a decade of the burger's life.
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The 70s coin featured flower power. The 80s had pop art. The 90s went bold and abstract. The 2000s focused on the tech boom, and the 2010s celebrated the era of communication. It was a massive logistical undertaking. Moving 6 million brass coins across borders isn't easy. You've got customs, security, and the sheer weight of the metal.
Why collectors still care years later
Check eBay. Seriously, go look. You'll see these coins listed for anywhere from ten bucks to several hundred for a "pristine" full set. Why? Because they represent a moment where a massive corporation actually did something physical and limited. Most "rewards" now are just pixels on an app. You click a button, you get a QR code, you eat, the code vanishes. Boring.
The 50 years of Big Mac coin promotion felt different because you could lose it. You could find it in a drawer ten years later. It has "intrinsic" value because it was backed by a physical commodity: 563 calories of beef and bread.
Some people actually tried to "arbitrage" the coins. Since one coin equaled one Big Mac regardless of the local price, a coin collected in a country where the burger was cheap (like Egypt or Ukraine at the time) was technically worth more if used in a place where the burger was expensive, like Switzerland or Norway. It was a loophole in the most delicious way possible.
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The design details nobody noticed
Look closely at the brass. The inscriptions aren't just random. They are translated into seven languages: Arabic, English, French, Indonesian, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish. It was a nod to the fact that the Big Mac is a universal language.
- The 1968-1978 coin highlights the burger's birth.
- The 1988-1998 coin is all about the "two all-beef patties" jingle that defined a generation.
- The edges are reeded, just like a real quarter or dime, to prevent counterfeiting—though honestly, the cost of faking a brass MacCoin would probably be higher than just buying a burger.
Wait, did it actually work as a marketing stunt? Massive. It wasn't just about selling more burgers that week. It was about "brand equity." It reminded people that McDonald's has been a constant in a changing world. Through the Cold War, the rise of the internet, and the shift toward healthy eating, the Big Mac stayed exactly the same.
The scarcity factor
They didn't make enough for everyone. That was the point. By tying the coins to the purchase of a Big Mac, they created an immediate feedback loop. You buy, you get. But once the store ran out, they were gone forever. McDonald’s didn't do a second minting. They understood that for something to be a "collectible," it has to actually be scarce.
Compare this to modern NFT drops or digital-only rewards. Those feel flimsy. A brass coin has "heft." It makes a clinking sound on a table. That tactile experience is something we're losing in the digital age, which is why the 50 years of Big Mac coin campaign remains a case study in business schools. It proved that "old school" physical media still has a hold on the human brain.
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What this means for the future of "Branded Currency"
We’re seeing more of this now. Starbucks Stars, airline miles, even Reddit Gold. But McDonald's was the first to do it with a physical token on such a global scale. They bypassed the banking system. For a few months in 2018, the "Mac" was arguably as stable as the Euro.
If you're looking to start a collection or just want to understand why your cousin is hoarding brass tokens in a shoebox, you have to look at the historical context. The Big Mac survived the "Super Size Me" era. It survived the "pink slime" rumors (which were largely debunked/addressed). It survived the rise of gourmet burger chains like Shake Shack and Five Guys.
The coin was a victory lap.
Actionable steps for collectors and enthusiasts
If you're holding onto these or thinking about buying some, here is the reality of the market right now:
- Check the luster. Like any coin, "uncirculated" is the goal. If it's been handled a lot, the oils from skin will tarnish the brass. Keep them in airtight flips if you’re serious.
- Complete the set. Individual coins are common. A full 5-coin set in the original packaging is where the real value lies for future resale.
- Verify the source. There are "tribute" coins out there that aren't the official 2018 minting. The real ones have specific weight and the seven-language engraving.
- Don't try to spend them. The "official" redemption period ended years ago. While some chill manager might give you a burger for the novelty, they aren't legally obligated to honor them anymore.
The 50 years of Big Mac coin wasn't just a birthday party for a sandwich. It was a reminder that some things—even a mass-produced burger—can become icons of culture. It's about nostalgia you can hold in your hand. Whether they'll ever do it again for the 60th or 75th anniversary is anyone's guess, but for now, those 6 million pieces of brass are a weird, wonderful footnote in economic history.
Keep an eye on auction trends for the "70s flower power" variant; it's currently showing the highest growth in collector interest due to the crossover with 1970s memorabilia hunters. Store your coins in a cool, dry place and avoid cleaning them with harsh chemicals, as this strips the original mint luster and kills the value for serious numismatists.