Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company Token, One Stick Powder
Entry/Object ID
KK.0155
Description
octagonal explosive control tokens
Collection
Company Scrip + Tokens
Acquisition
Source (if not Accessioned)
Kenny King
Mintage
Manufacture Method
Struck
Notes
unknown mint or issuer
Coin Details
Obverse
Transcription
The / Cleveland Cliffs / Iron Co. / Ethel, W. Va.
Reverse
Transcription
Good For / One / Stick Powder.
Currency
Merchant Token
Dimensions
Diameter
25 mm
Dimension Notes
octagonal
Composition
Material
Aluminum
Location
Location
* Untyped Location
Exhibition, encased
Category
Exhibit
Valuations
Valuation Type
David E. Schenkman Exploder Token Valuation Scale
Formal Appraisal
I
Relationships
Related Places
Place
* Untyped Place
Ethel Hollow
Provenance
Provenance Detail
Archaeological Find
Notes
Found in Big Dark Hollow on Ethel Hollow. The left hand fork is Big Dark and the right hand fork is Little Dark. Found near a Columbia Gas company house that has now been demolished. Five total scrip pieces were found at this spot. A few were traded to Jay Chatman for a few postcard.
Exhibition
Life in the Coal Camps
Interpretative Labels
Label Type
Cultural/Historical Context
Label
Company Scrip
In most coal operations, miners were not paid in US dollars, but rather in
company money, called scrip. Usually scrip was only redeemable at the
company store, preventing miners from spending money outside the company
town. Although illegal in the state of West Virginia, most coal companies
continued to use scrip to pay their miners until the 1950s.
collection of Kenneth King
Research Notes
Research Type
Curator
Person
Shaun Slifer
Date
Dec 25, 2020
Notes
Although according to Dodrill the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company operated from 1917 to 1930, the firm was incorporated in West Virginia on 9 May 1891. The general office was in Cleveland, Ohio.
(from David E. Schenkman, Explosive Control Tokens, 1989)
