Nostalgia is something we all seek out on occasion. Whether it's thrifting or trawling through American flea markets for collectibles, we all enjoy a spot of nostalgia. One big nostalgia trigger is books of stamps, and specifically, the green stamp catalog called S&H Green Stamps. These stamp saver books were distributed at gas stations, grocery stores, and department stores everywhere. What happened to them?
What Are S&H Green Stamps?
These little stamps are now considered vintage. The Sperry & Hutchinson Company stamp books were quite popular around the mid 1900s. When they sprung up in the 1930s, shoppers at department stores would get the stamps as a reward. They were the first trading stamps in the US.
The more you collected, the more you could fill your booklet with, after which you could redeem it for a reward at S&H retailers. This was a bit like a loyalty program, but with stamps instead of signing up with an email or punchcard.
"By the 1960s, collecting stamps was so popular that S&H claimed it issued three times more stamps than the U.S. Postal Service and its reward catalog was the largest publication in the country," according to Alabama.com.
S&H Green Stamps Now
Today, stamps aren't needed because everything is digital. You might not even go to a supermarket very often, and get many items delivered through Amazon.
In keeping up with the times, S&H has also gone digital. They don't have any of the redemption centers remaining, but you can browse the rewards catalog online still.
Gone are the days of showing off filled books. If you happen to find any old green stamps still lying around, save these vintage stamps for the future. Like Pokemon cards or baseball cards, these collector items could be worth a lot of cash someday. Think collector's books or top value stamps. If you don't care to keep them, S&H Greenpoints will take your book of stamps as a trade for gift cards.
You can complete a green stamp redemption at greenpoints.com. If you need a few more, you can always check eBay too.
