Ora Mill Store Shelby, N.C. 10 Token

[KennyFLA]

I bought this token at the flea market for $5 because I thought it was pretty cool. I am pretty sure it is uncirculated as I can feel all of the edges from the letters and it has a brand new luster and no scratches or scuffs. The man selling them had several others but I felt like this was the best looking one. I recalled learning about similar tokens at school. From what I remember, during the depression people who would work for a company were paid with these tokens which were only redeemable for goods at the company store. Anyone know anything about the value of one of these tokens? I couldn't really find much about this particular one online.





Thanks for looking.

 

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[KennyFLA]

Sorry I posted the same picture twice. I meant to post this one of the other side.

 

[idahotokens]

Hi, Kenny--

I asked Bob King, the NC token cataloger, about your find and he said there are 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, & 500 denominations known from this business. He said that the $5 denomination is the only one that is less readily available than the rest. He added:

Ora Mill Store is listed from 1940 through 1958 as a general store. The Ora Mill Store was the Company Store for Ora Mill and possibly Dover Mills. Ora Mill Company was listed from 1925 through 1930. Dover Mills was also listed in 1930. The Ora Mill was incorporated on January 2, 1925.

The stockholders were:

• Charles C. Blanton 500 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• J.R. Dover 500 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• Earl A. Hamrick 250 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• E.B. Hamrick 150 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• George Blanton 50 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• F.R. Morgan 50 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• Paul Webb 50 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• J.P. Toms 50 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• Clyde R. Hoey 50 shares @ $100.00 ea.

• J.R. Dover, Jr. 50 shares @ $100.00 ea.

I can add that the Osborne Register Company of Cincinnati made a lot of this type of scrip for businesses that were in fairly remote locations and therefore had company housing, a company store, plus other services for employees so they didn't have to go to the nearest town for stuff. Bottom line is that these retail outlets were there to make profit for the company in addition to the coal, lumber, or textiles produced by the workers. The housing rent was deducted from the pay and employees could get advances on their pay in the form of this scrip, and then use the scrip to buy goods and services for their family. Since their pay was usually low and the prices in the "company store" were high, employees usually ended up "owing their soul to the company store". Of course, that was the intent of the company...

John in the Great 208

 

[KennyFLA]

Wow, thank you for such an in detail response. Its really cool to hear about the actual store and the stock holders. I really appreciate the reply! Without that I would have known little to none about this token.

Thanks again,
Kenny