The Green Stamp

The story of this hall

Sperry and Hutchinson began issuing them in 1896, but the Green Stamp's great age was the 1960s, when S&H printed more stamps than the Post Office and the redemption catalog sat beside the Bible in a million living rooms. Ten stamps at the register for every dollar; lick, paste, fill the book; twelve books toward the toaster, forty toward the lamp. It was thrift performed as ritual, the housewife's parallel currency, savings you could taste. Then discounting beat loyalty, the redemption centers closed, and half-filled books went into drawers mid-dream. This hall, like the catalog, is for wanting. The counter is closed; go back.

1896–1980