The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 27, July 4, 2004, Article 13

FOOD STAMP TOKENS AND SCRIP

  Jørgen Sømod sends this link to a web page featuring
  Food Stamp Tokens of the US Virgin Islands:

  Ron Benice writes: "Regarding food stamp change catalogs:
  My catalog of Alaska Food Stamp Tokens appeared in the
  Token and Medal Society Journal, April 1988.  It listed 284
  plastic or metal tokens and 29 paper change chits from 43
  towns."

  Hal V. Dunn writes: "California and Nevada food stamp tokens
  have been cataloged by Jerry F. Schimmel in Catalogue of
  California Food Stamp Credit Tokens 1939-1979, Including
  Nevada Food Stamp Credit Tokens, layout and typography
  by Duane H. Feisel.  Published in 1998, Mr. Schimmel was
  awarded the Silver Mishler Exonumia Cataloging Award for
  this work.  I am unaware of any additional catalogs on the
  subject covering other states, although Schimmel?s work
  contains a number of periodical references that perhaps touch
  on additional states."

  Duane H. Feisel writes: "With respect to your inquiry in just-out
  The E-Sylum concerning food stamp token catalogs, you may
  be interested in a catalog published a few years back by Jerry
  Schimmel.  I was intimately involved with manuscript
  preparation, formatting, listings, etc., and probably should
  have been accorded co-authorship.  My copy is inscribed by
  Jerry as "To Duane who did all the work."

  "Catalog of California Food Stamp Credit Tokens, 1939 - 1979,
  Including Nevada Food Stamp Credit Tokens," Compiled by
  Jerry F. Schimmel, Layout and Typography by Duane H. Feisel,
  Sponsored and Underwritten by Western States Token Society
  (1998).

  The catalog is 119 pages, 81/2 x 11", soft cover, wire comb
  binding.  I do have a few copies still available from a very limited
  printing of 100 copies.  Price $15 plus shipping.  The catalog is
  profusely illustrated, and the listings are in detail (unlike so many
  "catalogs" that contain only partial information about the actual
  tokens - I call those listings "skeleton" catalogs).

  The catalog is arranged alphabetically by the listing locality, and
  alphabetically by issuer within locality.  Since the catalog was
  published I am not aware of any new discoveries.  Incidentally,
  there is just one page of NV listings accompanied by one page
  of illustrations.  There is a significant amount of information
  presented concerning the tokens and manufacturers, and a
  brief section dealing with types of paper food stamp change
  issues."

  Neil Shafer writes: "With regard to your question about whether
  there has been a catalog effort for food stamp change, I can
  tell you that another individual and I have made some progress
  listing all the various kinds of food stamp change issued from
  1939 through the end of 1978.  The collector working with me
  is Jim Downey, a top-notch numismatist who lives in Sturgeon
  Bay, WI.  He has taken some of the material and is putting it
  all on computer (he's good at it- I'm not!).  Though we have
  not been able to work on the project much during the past
  few months, we do hope to get back to it as soon as
  practicable.

  As to whether any major numismatic institution has collected
  any food stamp change, possibly the American Numismatic
  Association has some since I generally send them an
  assortment of paper items at year's end.  I would not be
  surprised if there was some now in their collection, but I'll tell
  you that there will certainly be some there by January of 2005!
  I have no definite knowledge of any holding at any other
  location.

  I was able to gather some quantity of these pieces during the
  late 1960s and early 1970s.  If anyone would like a few
  examples just send me a self-addressed stamped envelope
  and I'll be delighted to share some with you.  My address:
  P.O. Box 170138, Milwaukee WI 53217  I think you would
  be surprised at the variety- and remember that the stores were
  literally forced to participate or else not accept food stamp
  customers- the main reason I like them so much."

  Jim Downey writes: "I just want to clarify that we are
  cataloguing the paper scrip and not tokens at this time.  The
  3,000 different pieces of scrip were enough for now.  The
  number of tokens far exceeds the scrip.  There are over 250
  different tokens from Puerto Rico alone!  We may get around
  to tokens but want to finish the scrip first."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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