QUERY: INGLE SYSTEM SCRIP LEDGERS AND VIRGINIA TOKEN BOOKS

I was recently introduced to The E-Sylum from my long-time numismatic mentor, Gene Brandenburg, and I have spent many hours reading back issues. I have to say that I am kicking myself for not subscribing earlier as this is one of the best sources for all things coin-related I have encountered. It is a joy to read and I thank you for making The E-Sylum available.

If you permit my indulgence from a brand new subscriber, I have two queries I would like to send your way that have crossed my path in the course of my research on Virginia numismatics and exonumia that perhaps either yourself or someone on the list would be able to answer.

The first concerns the ledgers and account books for the Ingle System scrip makers. I have recently completed a checklist on Ingle System scrip from Virginia and have used only secondary sources to complie it. I have seen the photos of two pages from the ledgers in Stuart Brown's excellent book, Scrip: Trade Tokens Issued by United States Coal Mining Companies & Company Stores, and I also consult Richard's Token Database, Tony Chibbaro's mavericks database, in addition to Wagaman's 1987 book on them. All these sources make direct reference to the ledgers but I have not seen where the original ledgers themselves are available. I hear them variously referred to as the account books, the shipping books, and just plain old "ledgers" or "records".

So, does anyone know anything about the ledgers themselves, what do the Ingle records comprise, and where the Ingle ledgers are located? Have they been published in any capacity, and, if not, are there any plans to make them available to researchers? I would also love to know what time period they span - do they encompass both Ingle System and Ingle-Schierloh? As you can tell, I am most curious about these ledgers and would like to ensure the accuracy of my checklist.

The second query is about a line in the latest VNA Newsletter that mentions a forthcoming update to the Virginia Tokens book. Does anyone know who is heading that project up? I know I have several trade tokens and related material that may be of interest to the authors that I have uncovered during my research into the local paper money and tokens from the Northern Blue Ridge and would be more than happy to share what I have found should they require.

Dave Schenkman writes:

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