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1 Cent - Food Stamp Scrip Joe's Royal Blue
| Issuer | Joe's Royal Blue (Chicago, Illinois) |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Vouchers |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | To be Used as Credit Only at 1 JOE'S ROYAL BLUE 744 W. Fullerton IL 2-399 OFFICIAL FOOD COUPON ONE CENT 1 ONE CENT 1 |
| Reverse description | Plain yellow paper reverse with an overall geometric lattice underprint in a slightly deeper yellow tone. No printed text or vignette; a handwritten pencil notation 'Chicago ph 2' appears in the upper portion, added by a collector. |
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| Comments |
Depression-era food stamp scrip issued by individual grocers was a direct response to the collapse of consumer credit and cash liquidity in urban neighborhoods. Chicago's corner stores — and Joe's Royal Blue was almost certainly one of the Royal Blue chain affiliates or independents operating under that banner on the South or West Side — issued fractional scrip to keep regular customers cycling through the store rather than defaulting entirely on tab-based credit arrangements.
The 1-cent denomination is the smallest practical unit, used primarily to make change on scrip transactions rather than as a primary spending instrument. These pieces were printed locally, often by small commercial job shops, and were never intended to outlast the immediate crisis.