COAL SCRIP OR TOOL FOB ?

[JARMAN]

Found at old home site,old farm has been gone over 50 years.found item with some old coal burnt and un-burnt.info,found this far is that coal was discovered in the Jellico, Mt. OF Tenn.and Ky.abought 1892 Kensee mine co.was from the Ky.side of Jellico.

One side has MAIN JELLICO COAL CO. KENSEE,KY. # 85 Stamped twice in the center .R/Side has MT.COAL CO.KENESSE,KY. With #85 stamped one time.Not sure if miss-stamped,at top left of #8 is a small #5 at top in between #85 is a small #4. So could this no.# be 5845 ?Information I have found so far is that coal was discovered in Jellico split by Tenn.and Ky.IN 1892 Kenesee Mine Co. was in Ky. Is this a coal scrip or tag? Has no $ value on it .thanks for any help on info and any value. HH

PS. When first found my heart droped down into my chest,thought I may had found my first slave tag.

 

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[Siegfried Schlagrule]

This is either a tool tag for that coal company or a way of calculating pay for the worker (kind of like a metal time card). Those types of tokens are called pickers checks and usually say what you have done such as one bushel corn, one peck of strawberies, one ton of coal, etc. If you find any printed tin tags in bright colors listing the name of coal companies they are called "scatter tags" When a mine loaded a rail car they would pitch in a handful of those tags which would prove the ownership of the coal so they could get paid. If they are bright tin and list a brand name they are most likely tags from pouches of tobacco. Exanimo, SS

 

[jeff of pa]

TIME TAG. also used by hanging it in the in the SHANTY. in case there was an accident below, they would know who was inside at the time. each miner was given his own number

 

[CWnut]

What you have is a car tag. The number identified the miner and he would attach it to a coal car that he had filled and send it out of the mine. The number let the man outside, who kept count,? ?know who got paid for the load of coal. The fact that it has a company name on it makes it of some value. Not sure how much, but a little research should find out what it's worth.

 

[CWnut]

Here's a link you may be interested in.? Good luck

http://miningartifactsii.homestead.com/checktags.html

 

[FrontierWest]

Charles in Tenn is correct...most common use was for miners, hence miners check.....for use down below, the company knew who was there even when an accident was not reported.

John

 

[JARMAN]

Re: COAL SCRIP OR TOOL FOB ?Thanks Charles

Thanks a ton Charles,your info is on the nail head.Loved the site you gave.I have done some reasearch and found out a lot abought E-TN history.Learned much on Jellico.Have E-M a coal museum in KY.for some info,hope to learn even more.Thanks again,JARMAN -HH

 

[JARMAN]

Re: COAL SCRIP OR TOOL FOB ?JOHN

Your,beside Charles on this one thanks much.Iknow who to call on when it comes to history on coal if i can't find it myself. HH