Abstract: Packets of redemption coupons are distributed from a dispensing cabinet installed in a store selling at least some of the products for coupons in the packet. A packet is dispensed in response to a depositor inserting a coin into a coin receptacle of the cabinet and a depositor inserting a coupon card into a coupon card receptacle of the cabinet. The coupon card includes a magnetic strip having magnetic indicia representing the last time the coupon card was inserted into a coupon card receptacle. While the card is in the receptacle, magnetic indicia representing the time when the card is in the receptacle are written onto the magnetic strip. In response to a mechanism in the cabinet determining whether the coin value in the receptacle is correct and whether the indicia on the card indicates that the card was last used more than a predetermined time ago, i.e., that the card indicia are correct, a dispensing mechanism of the cabinet dispenses one of the packets.