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I bet a lot of us are getting rather nostalgic now with this talk of
Green Shield stamps? A Google search brought up this amusing memory
from a 1970s childhood...
"...reminded me of Green Shield Stamps. Who can remember these ? Given
away at filling stations, corner shops and supermarkets. Collect enough
of them and be able to face licking them to stick them into collectors
books and you could claim valuable prizes from your local Green Shield
shop or catalogue.
Back in the 70s they had a brilliant idea to make fruit machines that
paid out larger winnings in stamps and living in a seaside town meant I
had plenty of access to them. One day, whilst in a local arcade,
chucking our pennies into the electro-mechanical forerunners of
videogames we discovered that two of the fruit machines had gone haywire
and were paying out jackpots every couple of turns and lesser prizes
every other turn so with a pocketful of 2ps we started playing them. The
lesser prizes meant we roughly doubled our money and the jackpot was 500
stamps, enough to fill a collector book.
Thus, unnoticed by the old lady in the change cubicle we must have
played for best part of two hours, scooping the stamps into our school
bags until finally the machines ran out of stamps. Next day after school
we went back to discover that the machines had been refilled and once
again we played for a good couple of hours filling our bags with stamps.
Unluckily by the third day it had been discovered that the machines were
up the creek and they had 'Out of Use' notices on them. However, by that
time my mates and I had enough stamps to get some serious prizes.
The only downside was licking them all to stick in the collector books
that we got parents to get as many as they could from the local Green
Shield shop in town. The fuzzy tongue was worth it though as one wet
Saturday I was taken into town to redeem my stamps and I wandered into
the shop, peered over the counter and counted off my spoils. It was like
a gangster film but instead bundles of dollars and evil drug dealers it
was an eight year old and bundles of stamp books. Christmas came early
that year as I announced to the woman behind the counter, "I'll have an
Action Man tank, Mousetrap, three packets of Airfix soldiers, a
Spirograph, a box of Lego, a new football, a Hurricane model kit and the
biggest packet of felt pens you've got please!" ."
Talking of obtaining something free by saving-up coupons, I recently
accessioned an item that was originally acquired in this way. The item
is a combined cigarette holder and lighter, in the shape of a miners
lamp. Back in the late '60s, the donor had saved-up coupons from
Kensitas cigarettes, and chose this item because of his pride in the
family's mining associations.
As you may know, I'm rather fond of eBay, so here's an example of
Kensitas cigarette packaging of around the time that the oh-so-desirable
miners lamp smoking accessory was offered (the photo actually shows
coupons still inside the box).
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Kensitas-Filter-Tip-3-Cigarette-Packet-With-Conten
ts_W0QQitemZ140097825782QQihZ004QQcategoryZ73563QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQ
QcmdZViewItem
(There are lots of Green Shield stamp books listed on eBay, but no
catalogues at present)
P.S. I'm putting-on a display of smoking paraphernalia past and present,
to coincide with the Smoking Ban in England on 1st July, so if you're
dying to see the above mentioned miners lamp lighter and other delights,
you know where to come - South Shields Museum & Art Gallery! ;-) (Note -
we're being ultra careful to make sure that smoking is not 'promoted' in
the display!)
Adam G. Bell
Assistant Keeper, Social History
Tyne & Wear Museums
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery
Ocean Road
South Shields
Tyne & Wear
NE33 2JA
Tel: 0191 456 8740
Fax: 0191 456 7850
Email : [log in to unmask]
Leader of the North East Regional Museums Hub
Our mission is to help people determine their place in the world and
define their identities, so enhancing their self-respect and their
respect for others.
Find out more at: www.twmuseums.org.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Social History Curators Group email list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Briony Hudson
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 3:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [SHCG-LIST] Green shield stamps
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I've just been reliably informed that Wandsworth Museum have one in the
collection.
Briony
________________________________
From: Social History Curators Group email list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steph Mastoris
Sent: 14 June 2007 15:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [SHCG-LIST] Green shield stamps
Dear Sally,
It may be worth trying York Castle Museum. I remember a good collection
of larger shopping catalogues there back in the 1980s
Best wishes,
Steph
________________________________
From: Social History Curators Group email list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brooks, Sally
Sent: 14 June 2007 15:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [SHCG-LIST] Green shield stamps
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your message will be sent to all the people on the list, not just the
author of this message. ---------------
Good afternoon
I have an enquiry from somebody trying to find an early 1970s Green
Shield Stamp catalogue. He was referred to us from the V&A. We haven't
got one, and I can't see anything on the British Library catalogue.
Does anyone out there have one in their collection I can refer him on
to?
thanks
Sally
Sally Brooks
Librarian
Museum of London
150 London Wall
London. EC2Y 5HN
Tel: 020 7814 5588
Fax: 0870 444 3853
Email: [log in to unmask]
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