USA TENNESSEE coal company scrip 1948
$20.00
USA, TENNESSEE, scrip, 1948, Obverse: TRIMORE COAL CORP. 1oo DEVONIA, TENN., Reverse: ORCO…, T-shaped cutout, brass, 32mm, aXF
1 in stock
Description
What we call scrip, or sometimes script, in the context of American rural industry, are the tokens used in the company stores. Most company stores were ripoff agencies selling overpriced stuff to a captive customer base using tokens that couldn’t be spent anywhere else.
A token is used like a coin but is not a coin. Rather, it stands for a coin without the value of the coin. Maybe its copper, but says its value is the same as a silver coin. Usually tokens were made privately, but sometimes governments got involved.
The word “exonumia” is used to describe all kinds of things that are “like” coins but are not coins. I wrote a blog post on that subject. Basic categories: 1. used like a coin but not issued by a national government, 2. looks like a coin but not made for spending, 3. other things that we are interested in.
