Scrip – Coal Company Tokens

There was a time when there were more than 20,000 company stores using scrip in pace of, or in addition to, cash wages in North America.(*1) It has been estimated that around 75% of all the scrip that was used was used by coal companies in Eastern Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia. People in these … Read more

Private Tokens And The Regulation Of Coins

Private tokens were  first seen in the early 1860s. In 1862, many Americans, especially in the Midwestern and Northern states began responding to the hoarding of gold, silver, and nickel by using private minters. Private tokens were made locally. Since there was no real regulation on the use of other coinage outside that of the … Read more