Hot Take: Slurpees are the best frozen drink ever invented.

Is that a hot take?  I don’t know.  Regardless, I love Slurpees.  

I spent the first 26 or 27 years of my life never having had one.  Sure, growing up I had my share of frozen drinks like Mr. Misty’s from Dairy Queen and ICEEs from the popcorn shop at the mall.  But as an 8 year old, the popular choice was the multi-flavored “suicide” slushees I was lucky enough to land at our little league concession stand after each game.  The 80’s was a weird time.  I mean first of all I’m not sure how a mixture off all 5 different flavors of syrup came to be known as a “suicide”, but that is how all the kids in our town knew the option.  Second, I can’t figure out why nobody’s parents thought anything of it.  They gladly took our dollar bill and served up the tragically named drink, one after another....all evening long.  

For some reason, there were no 7-Elevens in Central Illinois when I was growing up.  In fact, even today the nearest one is 76 miles from me.  Sometime in the mid-2000s I finally had the opportunity to have a legit Slurpee, and it only took one to see what the fuss is all about.  I fell in love.

Besides not having personal experience with 20 years’ worth of pop-culture references,  another side effect of never sampling the frozen nectar of the gods as a child of the 80s was never having laid eyes on what is becoming another oddball obsession: The Slurpee Baseball Disc.  

The Breakdown

Some call them Slurpee Coins. Some call them Slurpee discs.  Either way they’re awesome.  The 1.75” discs featured some of baseball’s biggest names, and were used as a promotional item over the course of eight different seasons from 1983 - 2000.

They debuted in 1983 with a small 12 coin set which contained six Dodgers and six Angels and were distributed in the greater Los Angeles Area.  Each coin had two player images, and the image displayed changed depending on the angle you tilted the coin.  Single image prototypes to what would become the 7-Eleven set have surfaced and are significantly harder to find.  The eight discs are all of Rod Carew, and are numbered “Five of Twelve”, however instead of the 7-Eleven logo on the back, they have logos from a variety of other fast food restaurants.  Check out the checklist at the end of the post for the full list.

In 1984, three regional releases of 24 players were issued.  The first six discs of each set were the same, but the next 18 players in each set were more closely tied to the teams from the “East”, “Central”, or “West” regions the discs were issued in.  60 different players were used on the discs, and each MLB team had at least one player represented.

This 1984 set was actually my first exposure to the 7-Eleven sets.  I love oddballs, and a dealer at a local show had the full 72 disc set for $10.  I picked it up and began my research!

In 1985, the coins and their place in the 7-Eleven promotional lineup continued to develop.  This time around there were five different regional releases, with each region having 16 coins.  The back of the coins from each region had their own color which provided another way to differentiate where the coins originated.  In addition, there was a sixth set which celebrated 14 players from the World Champion Detroit Tigers.  The 1983 and 1984 sets had two images per player, but the 1985 set added a third image.  Three 2.25 inch “test coins” were also produced in 1985, but these are pretty tough to find.

1986 brought yet another twist to the product.  Four regional releases of 16 coins were a happy median between the 1984 and 1985 promotions.  However, in 1986 Dwight Gooden was the only player who got his own coin.  Three different players shared space on the other 15 coins in each set.  The first eight coins in each set were of the same three players, but 9-16 had a variety of different MLB stars.

Things started to get a little “crazy” in 1987.  Once again there were five regional sets, but this year three sets had 16 discs, one had 15 discs, and one had 12.  Some players were found in multiple regions, but no player was present in all five.  Once again, different codes and different color backs helped to differentiate each region.  This was the fifth and final year of the initial Slurpee promotional run.

1991 was the heart of the junk wax era and baseball cards were everywhere.  7-Eleven decided to partner with Score to bring back the popular promotion and released what would be the biggest run of Slurpee discs collectors had seen.  Eight regional sets of 15 discs were created, and the checklists contained a ton of overlap.  

Things got more simple in 1992.  Once again, 7-Eleven partnered with Score, and this time they created a single 26 coin national release. 

The final Slurpee set would come out eight years later, this time produced by Pacific Trading Cards.  The 30 coin set was also a single, national release, and this time there was also an optional album available to help store and display your coins.  This is also the first and only set to have the 7-Eleven logo on both the front and back of the coin.

Checklist

1983

1 Rod Carew
2 Steve Sax
3 Fred Lynn
4 Pedro Guerrero
5 Reggie Jackson
6 Dusty Baker
7 Doug DeCinces
8 Fernando Valenzuela
9 Tommy John
10 Rick Monday
11 Bobby Grich
12 Greg Brock

1983 Prototypes

Burger King

Coca-Cola

Pepsi

General Mills

Wendy’s

Kentucky Fried Chicken

McDonald’s

Kellog’s

Post

1984

East (H)
1 Andre Dawson
2 Robin Yount
3 Dale Murphy
4 Mike Schmidt
5 George Brett
6 Eddie Murray
7 Dave Winfield
8 Tom Seaver
9 Mike Boddicker
10 Wade Boggs
11 Bill Madlock
12 Steve Carlton
13 Dave Stieb
14 Cal Ripken
15 Jim Rice
16 Ron Guidry
17 Darryl Strawberry
18 Tony Pena
19 John Denny
20 Tim Raines
21 Rick Dempsey
22 Rich Gossage
23 Gary Matthews
24 Keith Hernandez

Central (E)
1 Andre Dawson
2 Robin Yount
3 Dale Murphy
4 Mike Schmidt
5 George Brett
6 Eddie Murray
7 Bruce Sutter
8 Cecil Cooper
9 Willie McGee
10 Mike Hargrove
11 Kent Hrbek
12 Carlton Fisk
13 Mario Soto
14 Lonnie Smith
15 Gary Carter
16 Lou Whitaker
17 Ron Kittle
18 Paul Molitor
19 Ozzie Smith
20 Fergie Jenkins
21 Ted Simmons
22 Pete Rose
23 LaMarr Hoyt
24 Dan Quisenberry

West (K)
1 Andre Dawson
2 Robin Yount
3 Dale Murphy
4 Mike Schmidt
5 George Brett
6 Eddie Murray
7 Steve Garvey
8 Rod Carew
9 Fernando Valenzuela
10 Bob Horner
11 Buddy Bell
12 Reggie Jackson
13 Nolan Ryan
14 Pedro Guerrero
15 Atlee Hammaker
16 Fred Lynn
17 Terry Kennedy
18 Dusty Baker
19 Jose Cruz
20 Steve Rogers
21 Rickey Henderson
22 Steve Sax
23 Dickie Thon
24 Matt Young

1985

East (JH)
1 Eddie Murray
2 George Brett
3 Steve Carlton
4 Jim Rice
5 Dave Winfield
6 Mike Boddicker
7 Wade Boggs
8 Dwight Evans
9 Dwight Gooden
10 Keith Hernandez
11 Bill Madlock
12 Don Mattingly
13 Dave Righetti
14 Cal Ripken
15 Juan Samuel
16 Mike Schmidt

Southeast (DT)
1 Dale Murphy
2 Steve Carlton
3 Nolan Ryan
4 Bruce Sutter
5 Dave Winfield
6 Steve Bedrosian
7 Andre Dawson
8 Kirk Gibson
9 Fred Lynn
10 Gary Matthews
11 Phil Niekro
12 Tim Raines
13 Darryl Strawberry
14 Dave Stieb
15 Willie Upshaw
16 Lou Whitaker

Great Lakes (AC)
1 Willie Hernandez
2 George Brett
3 Dave Winfield
4 Eddie Murray
5 Bruce Sutter
6 Harold Baines
7 Bert Blyleven
8 Leon Durham
9 Chet Lemon
10 Pete Rose
11 Ryne Sandberg
12 Tom Seaver
13 Mario Soto
14 Rick Sutcliffe
15 Alan Trammell
16 Robin Yount

Southwest (PJ)
1 Nolan Ryan
2 George Brett
3 Dave Winfield
4 Mike Schmidt
5 Bruce Sutter
6 Joaquin Andujar
7 Willie Hernandez
8 Wade Boggs
9 Gary Carter
10 Jose Cruz
11 Kent Hrbek
12 Reggie Jackson
13 Lance Parrish
14 Terry Puhl
15 Dan Quisenberry
16 Ozzie Smith

West (DH)
1 Mike Schmidt
2 Jim Rice
3 Dale Murphy
4 Eddie Murray
5 Dave Winfield
6 Rod Carew
7 Alvin Davis
8 Steve Garvey
9 Rich Gossage
10 Pedro Guerrero
11 Tony Gwynn
12 Rickey Henderson
13 Reggie Jackson
14 Jeff Leonard
15 Alejandro Pena
16 Fernando Valenzuela

Detroit Tigers (World Champions)
1 Sparky Anderson
2 Darrell Evans
3 Kirk Gibson
4 Willie Hernandez
5 Larry Herndon
6 Chet Lemon
7 Aurelio Lopez
8 Jack Morris
9 Lance Parrish
10 Dan Petry
11 Dave Rozema
12 Alan Trammell
13 Lou Whitaker
14 Milt Wilcox

2.25” Test Discs

4 AC Mike Schmidt
5 DH Dave Winfield
5 AC Bruce Sutter

1986

East (yellow front/orange back)
1 Dwight Gooden
2 Wade Boggs, George Brett, Pete Rose
3 Keith Hernandez, Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken
4 Harold Baines, Pedro Guerrero, Dave Parker
5 Dale Murphy, Jim Rice, Mike Schmidt
6 Ron Guidry, Bret Saberhagen, Fernando Valenzuela
7 Goose Gossage, Dan Quisenberry, Bruce Sutter
8 Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver
9 Steve Lyons, Rick Schu, Larry Sheets
10 Jeff Reardon, Dave Righetti, Bob Stanley
11 George Bell, Darryl Strawberry, Dave Winfield
12 Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines, Juan Samuel
13 Andre Dawson, Dwight Evans, Eddie Murray
14 Mike Boddicker, Ron Darling, Dave Stieb
15 Tim Burke, Brian Fisher, Roger McDowell
16 Jesse Barfield, Gary Carter, Fred Lynn

Mideast (blue front/yellow back)
1 Dwight Gooden
2 Wae Boggs, George Brett, Pete Rose
3 Keith Hernandez, Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken
4 Harold Baines, Pedro Guerrero, Dave Parker
5 Dale Murphy, Jim Rice, Mike Schmidt
6 Ron Guidry, Bret Saberhagen, Fernando Valenzuela
7 Goose Gossage, Dan Quisenberry, Bruce Sutter
8 Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver
9 Willie Hernandez, Ryne Sandberg, Robin Yount
10 Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris, Rick Sutcliffe
11 Rollie Fingers, Bob James, Lee Smith
12 Carlton Fisk, Lance Parrish, Tony Pena
13 Shawon Dunston, Ozzie Guillen, Earnie Riles
14 Brett Butler, Chet Lemon, Willie Wilson
15 Tom Brunansky, Cecil Cooper, Darrell Evans
16 Kirk Gibson, Paul Molitor, Greg Walker

Midwest (purple front/yellow back)
1 Dwight Gooden
2 Wade Boggs, George Brett, Pete Rose
3 Keith Hernandez, Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken
4 Harold Baines, Pedro Guerrero, Dave Parker
5 Dale Murphy, Jim Rice, Mike Schmidt
6 Ron Guidry, Bret Saberhagen, Fernando Valenzuela
7 Goose Gossage, Dan Quisenberry, Bruce Sutter
8 Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver
9 Vince Coleman, Glenn Davis, Oddibe McDowell
10 Buddy Bell, Ozzie Smith, Lou Whitaker
11 Mike Scott, Mario Soto, John Tudor
12 Jeff Lahti, Ted Power, Dave Smith
13 Jack Clark, Jose Cruz, Bob Horner
14 Bill Doran, Tommy Herr, Ron Oester
15 Tom Browning, Joe Hesketh, Todd Worrell
16 Willie McGee, Jerry Mumphrey, Pete Rose

West (red front/green back)
1 Dwight Gooden
2 Wade Boggs, George Brett, Pete Rose
3 Keith Hernandez, Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken
4 Harold Baines, Pedro Guerrero, Dave Parker
5 Dale Murphy, Jim Rice, Mike Schmidt
6 Ron Guidry, Bret Saberhagen, Fernando Valenzuela
7 Goose Gossage, Dan Quisenberry, Bruce Sutter
8 Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver
9 Reggie Jackson, Dave Kingman, Gorman Thomas
10 Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, Carney Lansford
11 Phil Bradley, Mike Marshall, Graig Nettles
12 Andy Hawkins, Orel Hershiser, Mike Witt
13 Chris Brown, Ivan Calderon, Mariano Duncan
14 Steve Garvey, Bill Madlock, Jim Presley
15 Jay Howell, Donnie Moore, Edwin Nunez
16 Karl Best, Stu Cliburn, Steve Ontiveros

1987

East (CM)
1 Gary Carter
2 Don Baylor
3 Rickey Henderson
4 Lenny Dykstra
5 Wade Boggs
6 Mike Pagliarulo
7 Dwight Gooden
8 Roger Clemens
9 Dave Righetti
10 Keith Hernandez
11 Pat Dodson
12 Don Mattingly
13 Darryl Strawberry
14 Jim Rice
15 Dave Winfield

Mid-Atlantic (MH)
1 Gary Carter
2 Marty Barrett
3 Jody Davis
4 Don Aase
5 Lenny Dykstra
6 Wade Boggs
7 Keith Moreland
8 Mike Boddicker
9 Dwight Gooden
10 Roger Clemens
11 Ryne Sandberg
12 Eddie Murray
13 Keith Hernandez
14 Jim Rice
15 Lee Smith
16 Cal Ripken

Chicago (WS)
1 Harold Baines
2 Jody Davis
3 John Cangelosi
4 Shawon Dunston
5 Dave Cochrane
6 Leon Durham
7 Carlton Fisk
8 Dennis Eckersley
9 Ozzie Guillen
10 Gary Matthews
11 Ron Karkovice
12 Keith Moreland
13 Bobby Thigpen
14 Ryne Sandberg
15 Greg Walker
16 Lee Smith

Detroit (HS)
1 Darnell Coles
2 Darrell Evans
3 Kirk Gibson
4 Willie Hernandez
5 Larry Herndon
6 Chet Lemon
7 Dwight Lowry
8 Jack Morris
9 Dan Petry
10 Frank Tanana
11 Alan Trammell
12 Lou Whitaker

West (AH)
1 Doug DeCinces
2 Mariano Duncan
3 Wally Joyner
4 Pedro Guerrero
5 Kirk McCaskill
6 Orel Hershiser
7 Gary Pettis
8 Mike Marshall
9 Dick Schofield
10 Steve Sax
11 Don Sutton
12 Mike Scioscia
13 Devon White
14 Franklin Stubbs
15 Mike Witt
16 Fernando Valenzuela

1991

Atlantic (HS)
1 Glenn Davis
2 Dwight Evans
3 Leo Gomez
4 Ken Griffey Jr.
5 Rickey Henderson
6 Jose Canseco
7 Dave Justice
8 Ben McDonald
9 Randy Milligan
10 Gregg Olson
11 Kirby Puckett
12 Bill Ripken
13 Cal Ripken
14 Nolan Ryan
15 David Segui

Florida (OG)
1 Barry Bonds
2 George Brett
3 Roger Clemens
4 Glenn Davis
5 Alex Fernandez
6 Cecil Fielder
7 Ken Griffey Jr.
8 Dwight Gooden
9 Dave Justice
10 Barry Larkin
11 Ramon Martinez
12 Jose Offerman
13 Kirby Puckett
14 Nolan Ryan
15 Terry Shumpert

Mideast (WS)
1 George Brett
2 Andre Dawson
3 Cecil Fielder
4 Carlton Fisk
5 Travis Fryman
6 Mark Grace
7 Ken Griffey Jr.
8 Ozzie Guillen
9 Alex Fernandez
10 Ray Lankford
11 Ryne Sandberg
12 Ozzie Smith
13 Bobby Thigpen
14 Frank Thomas
15 Alan Trammell

Northern California (HG)
1 John Burkett
2 Jose Canseco
3 Will Clark
4 Steve Decker
5 Dennis Eckersley
6 Ken Griffey Jr.
7 Rickey Henderson
8 Nolan Ryan
9 Mark McGwire
10 Kevin Mitchell
11 Terry Steinbach
12 Dave Stewart
13 Todd Van Poppel
14 Bob Welch
15 Matt Williams

Northeast (RL)
1 Wade Boggs
2 Barry Bonds
3 Roger Clemens
4 Len Dykstra
5 Dwight Gooden
6 Ken Griffey Jr.
7 Rickey Henderson
8 Gregg Jefferies
9 Roberto Kelly
10 Kevin Maas
11 Don Mattingly
12 Mickey Morandini
13 Dale Murphy
14 Darryl Strawberry
15 Frank Viola

Northwest (SM)
1 George Brett
2 Jose Canseco
3 Alvin Davis
4 Ken Griffey Jr., Ken Griffey Sr.
5 Ken Griffey Jr.
6 Erik Hanson
7 Rickey Henderson
8 Ryne Sandberg
9 Randy Johnson
10 Dave Justice
11 Edgar Martinez
12 Tino Martinez
13 Harold Reynolds
14 Nolan Ryan
15 Mike Schooler

Southern California (PJ)
1 Jim Abbott
2 Jose Canseco
3 Ken Griffey Jr.
4 Tony Gwynn
5 Orel Hershiser
6 Eric Davis
7 Wally Joyner
8 Ramon Martinez
9 Fred McGriff
10 Eddie Murray
11 Jose Offerman
12 Nolan Ryan
13 Benito Santiago
14 Darryl Strawberry
15 Fernando Valenzuela

Texas (BJ)
1 Craig Biggio
2 Barry Bonds
3 Jose Canseco
4 Roger Clemens
5 Glenn Davis
6 Julio Franco
7 Juan Gonzalez
8 Ken Griffey Jr.
9 Mike Scott
10 Rafael Palmeiro
11 Nolan Ryan
12 Ryne Sandberg
13 Ruben Sierra
14 Todd Van Poppel
15 Bobby Witt

1992

1 Dwight Gooden
2 Don Mattingly
3 Roger Clemens
4 Ivan Calderon
5 Roberto Alomar
6 Sandy Alomar Jr.
7 Andy Van Slyke
8 Lenny Dykstra
9 Cal Ripken
10 Dave Justice
11 Nolan Ryan
12 Craig Biggio
13 Barry Larkin
14 Ozzie Smith
15 Ryne Sandberg
16 Frank Thomas
17 Robin Yount
18 Kirby Puckett
19 Cecil Fielder
20 Will Clark
21 Jose Canseco
22 Jim Abbott
23 Tony Gwynn
24 Darryl Strawberry
25 George Brett
26 Ken Griffey Jr.

2000

1 Tim Salmon
2 Erubiel Durazo
3 Chipper Jones
4 Cal Ripken
5 Nomar Garciaparra
6 Mark Grace
7 Frank Thomas
8 Sean Casey
9 Manny Ramirez
10 Larry Walker
11 Dean Palmer
12 Alex Gonzalez
13 Jeff Bagwell
14 Carlos Beltran
15 Gary Sheffield
16 Jeromy Burnitz
17 Corey Koskie
18 Vladimir Guerrero
19 Mike Piazza
20 Roger Clemens
21 Ben Grieve
22 Scott Rolen
23 Jason Kendall
24 Mark McGwire
25 Tony Gwynn
26 Jeff Kent
27 Jay Buhner
28 Jose Canseco
29 Ivan Rodriguez
30 Carlos Delgado