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One Cent Boise, Idaho
| Issuer | Retail Merchants Bureau, Boise, Idaho |
|---|---|
| Year | 1943 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Dollar (1785-date) |
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| Obverse description | Central vignette of a large letter V flanked by four stars, with a Minuteman figure at centre. Letterpress inscriptions identify the issuer and redemption terms arranged around the central design. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Value ONE CENT BOISE IDAHO REDEEMABLE BEFORE JUNE 1ST 1943 RETAIL MERCHANTS BUREAU BEACON LITHO CO |
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| Comments |
A wartime necessity. The 1943 coin shortage — driven by the shift to zinc-coated steel cents and the general disruption of metal supply chains for the war effort — left retailers across the United States scrambling for small change. Local scrip like this filled the gap where federal coinage couldn't reach. The Retail Merchants Bureau solution was printed locally by Beacon Litho Co., keeping production entirely within Boise rather than sourcing from an out-of-state specialty printer.
The square format was not accidental — it helped distinguish the scrip physically from federal currency by touch alone, reducing confusion at the point of sale.