ADDITIONAL LABOR EXCHANGE NOTES
The E-Sylum (1/20/2013)
Book Content
Labor Exchange branch #1, Kansas City, MO 1898
Steve Whitfield forwarded the above image of a note from branch #1 of G. B. Bernadi's Labor Exchange system. He writes:
I first saw the note 25 years ago, but I wasn't interested at the time. The note ended up in the Schingothe holdings and was auctioned in the Schingothe 6th sale. It was lotted in a small group of Missouri Scrip. By then I had done a lot of research on G. B. Bernadi and his Labor Exchange System. So, I bid on the note and was lucky to win because it's on the first Branch of more than 300 Branches in 35 states as currently known. More Branches are still turning up. I am waiting for the one on Canada.
I added a Labor Exchange note to my collection this week. It's from branch #183, Marshall, MO. I was interested in it because it's from Missouri, the home state of the labor exchange movement. But I was happily surprised when it arrived, for it turned out to be a type I didn't have. Although the design is SIMILAR to another type, the SIZE is also different - it's larger. Below is an image I scanned of it together with one from Branch #156 (Denver, CO). The Denver note measures 5 1/4" x 2 1/4". (It's from the Stack's John Ford sale 20, lot 3086). My new note is from Branch #183 and measures 6 1/4" by 2 3/4".
And here's something I'd even forgotten I had. It's not a Labor Exchange note, but a piece of related ephemera - the Labor Exchange Association Obligation of Members, a document to be filled in and signed by new members and witnessed.
This certificate isn't filled out, but it has handwriting on the back with instructions for the recipient, who apparently thought better of the whole idea. Luckily, thanks to their decision, this item survived.
To read an earlier E-Sylum article, see: MORE ON LABOR EXCHANGE NOTES (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n52a12.html)