Front and back of Coal Mine Scrip(t). Used to pay workers instead of U.S. currency. It is often thought that paying workers this way was oppresive and constituted a monopoly.





The black on the scrip is no doubt coal dust from the dirty hands of miners.

[slowpez]

The whole coal mining situation was pretty oppressive. Not only did they owe their soul to the company store, they ended up with lung and back problems to show for all their years underground (if they lived that is.)

[Racer X 69]

Is it minted in silver?

[Michael Piziak]

Is it minted in silver?

I dunno what it is minted in, but I highly doubt any precious metals are in the scrip.

---------- Post added 02-19-14 at 10:01 AM ----------

The whole coal mining situation was pretty oppressive. Not only did they owe their soul to the company store, they ended up with lung and back problems to show for all their years underground (if they lived that is.)

All of what you say is true.

[Kerrowdown]

Interesting, do the two holes have any significance?

[TonyTurley]

Interesting. The ruins of an old company store are nearby. Might have to check that out.

Tony

[Michael Piziak]

Interesting, do the two holes have any significance?

Yes they do, it's number 11. I have a jar full of them and all of them have numbers stamped into them; except one that has the letter K.

---------- Post added 02-19-14 at 11:16 AM ----------

Interesting. The ruins of an old company store are nearby. Might have to check that out.

Tony

People collect and sale the script now. My uncle took me out once and we found some with a metal detector - that was many a year ago.

[Kerrowdown]

Yes they do, it's number 11

So does that apply to value, or mine the originate from, the only shop you can exchange them in?

Sorry for all these questions, just I've never come across such things before.

[Michael Piziak]

So does that apply to value, or mine the originate from, the only shop you can exchange them in?

Sorry for all these questions, just I've never come across such things before.

I think the hollow number stamped in applies to value. The mine is on the scrip - this one is Stanaford Mine. Stanaford is a location in WV. Yes, you could only exchange the scrip at the company store where the mine was located. I'm told that the scrip was given to the workers in advance and by pay day they often had spent all their scrip and actually owed the company.

This article explains it better than I can: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kyperry3/Scripts_by_Freddie.html

[monoloco]

"St. Peter don't ya call me 'cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store"

[Michael Piziak]

"St. Peter don't ya call me 'cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store"

You Tube

You Tube

[j2photos]

Very cool piece, some of your posts have made me ask my grandfather many questions. He grew up in Beckley WV and worked in a coal mine to pay his way through school, We had an hour long talk the other night about his life back then. I always love listening to my grandfather tell stories, so thank you for posting these things to inspire me to ask.

[Kerrowdown]

This article explains it better

Thanks for the update, the link and the tune.

[ausmoose]

Interesting macro shots - nice detail - well done.

[Michael Piziak]

Very cool piece, some of your posts have made me ask my grandfather many questions. He grew up in Beckley WV and worked in a coal mine to pay his way through school, We had an hour long talk the other night about his life back then. I always love listening to my grandfather tell stories, so thank you for posting these things to inspire me to ask.

Cool. My grandfathers and father worked in the Coal Mines also. My grandfather Piziak could barely walk because of the pain in his knees and my father's back is a mess. We live in Beckley, WV.