It’s been five years since strap hangers had to fish around in their pockets for tokens to board the T, and while tokens haven’t been accepted at fare gates since then, customers have been able to transfer the $1.25 value of a token to a Charlie Card at fare vending machines.

Riders should start digging through their drawers, because that is about to change.

Customers have until Saturday to turn in their tokens at the majority of vending machines, although they will be able to redeem them at a few select locations until July 20.

“I have no problem with them not accepting them because it’s been more than five years since they were sold,” said T rider Ron Newman. “It would’ve been fine with me if they had stopped accepting them two or three years ago, but I don’t think that they did this in a very good way; they didn’t publicize it.”

Newman has hung onto three tokens with the intention of keeping one as a souvenir and feeding the other two to a vending machine, but like many riders this week, Newman said he was disappointed when they were rejected from all the machines at Davis Square.

T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said that in order to have the hundreds of vending machines ready for the new fare structure on Sunday, technicians have already started making modifications to many of the machines, so some of them no longer accept tokens.

“You may still bring your tokens to the windows at the customer service center at Downtown Crossing through July 20th. Also through July 20th, we will continue to accept tokens via fare vending machines at the following locations: Downtown Crossing, Harvard Square, Riverside, Ruggles, Quincy Center, and Government Center Stations,” Pesaturo said.

For sentimental riders, other options are to hang onto them as a way to remember a simpler – and cheaper – time, sell them, or get crafty.

With word spreading that the tokens will no longer be worth $1.25 come Sunday, collectors are hanging onto them in the hopes to make a little more money.

“I’ll probably give or sell them to people who can make useful objects such as earrings or cuff links from them,” Newman said.

On Newman’s Live Journall page, people commented that they are interested in buying the soon-to-be rare tokens.

Tokens are also up for grab on E-Bay.