Those of you who are interested in collecting USDA Food Coupons (food stamps), there will be an educational program covering these items at CPMX on Saturday March 10 at 2:00.
bump... It's nearly time. lettow: Please give us a show report or whatever else you might want to share when you get back from presenting. I'd love to hear or see more about what you present. Have a good time!
I remember using food stamps and finding lots of covers. I still have them but they are in the attic. When I finally kick the bucket they will(My children) have to go through lots of my stuff. I still have some coupons. I don't have any star coupons, I sold them long ago unless I missed one or two.
It wasn't a class it was a "bull session". But it was informative. Since then I have collected a few and got some covers too Now I find myself wanting to see yours at the CPMX.
I had not seen this before and am curious as to why it was made. If it was a prototype from BCA for bidding on a contract then I like it very much. If it was a salesman's sample that was part of their marketing materials, I like it a little less but still like it. If it is a complete fantasy that they produced for sale to the public then it irritates me as all fantasy notes that mimic actual notes do.
It's the real deal--a prototype that was never issued. It was discovered during the break down of an ABNCo plant when the company dissolved and was donated to the Smithsonian.
Then I love it even more. I talked with Neil Shafer and Peter Huntoon about the material that was donated to the Smithsonian. Thankfully, someone stepped in as it was all slated to be destroyed.
Huntoon showed the $20 coupon in his article in the May-June 2011 issue of Paper Money. The BCA designed the denomination in 1993, but never put it into mainstream production owing to the also recently-approved EBT cards.
Yes, this comes courtesy of Peter. He was the one who rescued and donated it. I've been corresponding with him recently and his stories about what came out of the ABNCo vaults is jaw dropping. This particular coupon is confusing to me, though. BCA was (I thought) set up as a separate competitor to ABN. So why weren't their products stored elsewhere?
CORRECTION: Peter Huntoon corrected the info he gave me earlier -- "The BCA materials that the Smithsonian got came from the USDA, not ABNC. Included was the die for the $20, a couple of partial sheets of $5s and a few $7 booklets with two $1s and a $5 (see below). Everything else had been destroyed." None of the BCA food coupons were ever issued.
