A truck system is an arrangement in which employees are paid in commodities or a currency substitute (referred to as scrip). An example would be a company paying with or giving out coupons as a credit or an advance. These coupons could only be used at the company store and the prices there would often be set artificially high. A large profit would be made at the expense of the workers. The practice has been criticized as exploitative and has been outlawed in many parts of the world.
Available here are coupon booklets from the Island Creek Coal Company store that was located in Earlington, Kentucky. The booklets are made by the Southern Coupon Company based in Birmingham, Alabama. The booklets consist of 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, and 1$ coupons that add up to 25$.
We are a bookstore located a few miles away from where the old company store was and were fortunate enough to come across these uncirculated scrip pieces. Supplies are limited. Visit us at PeppersOldBooks.com and email us at books@peppersoldbooks.com if you have any questions. |