Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
1 Cent - Safeway Stores
| Issuer | Safeway Stores |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Cent |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Printed in black on pale green paper, the face is enclosed within a decorative chain-link border. The denomination "ONE CENT" appears in large bold type at upper centre, flanked by two circular value cartouches each reading "1¢"; the left cartouche bears a "VOID" overprint in red. A light blue underprint bearing the word "ONE" runs diagonally across the centre of the note. Below the denomination line, the legend "FOOD STAMP CREDIT" is set in bold capitals, followed by a redemption clause in smaller type. At the lower portion, the Safeway "S" logo vignettes appear at both corners flanking the bold issuer inscription "SAFEWAY STORES", with a further condition line below; the specimen example illustrated carries two diagonal red "VOID" overprints. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | ONE CENT 1¢ 1¢ FOOD STAMP CREDIT Redeemable Only By Participant of U.S. Govt. Food Stamp Program for Food Items on Authorized List... at any-- SAFEWAY STORES IN COUNTIES PARTICIPATING IN THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Safeway Stores issued scrip across various U.S. regions during the Great Depression as a practical workaround for the chronic small-coin shortage that paralyzed retail commerce in the early 1930s. Federal coin production had not kept pace with demand, and merchants — particularly grocery chains operating high-volume, low-margin transactions — found themselves unable to make correct change. Scrip of this type circulated internally, redeemable only at issuing locations, which also served as an informal customer retention mechanism.
Attribution for individual Safeway scrip pieces is complicated by the chain's decentralized regional structure at the time.