Food Coupon — One Dollar

Historical Context

A coupon printed like a banknote:because of their 1:1 equivalence with real currency, Food Stamp Program coupons were printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing —the same agency responsible for Federal Reserve notes—, using the same intaglio printing on high-quality paper and a rectangular format resembling a one-dollar bill, though half its size.¹

Instrument of exchange, not legal tender:The text “NON-TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT UNDER CONDITIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE” makes it clear that this coupon was not freely transferable money, but rather a restricted use voucher, redeemable only for food in authorized businesses within the federal program administered by the Secretary of Agriculture.

The end of the physical coupon:The program's paper money was gradually replaced by electronic EBT cards (Electronic Benefit Transfer), whose pilot adoption began in 1984 and reached national operation in 2004.²The Farm Bill (Farm Bill) of 2008 formally prohibited the issuance of paper coupons by states, and since June 18, 2009 these coupons have lost all value as legal tender, ceasing to be able to be redeemed in any store.³

An uncommon survivor:although billions of coupons were distributed throughout the program’s history, only a small sample survived because redeemed coupons were routinely destroyed at Federal Reserve Banks —making each surviving specimen, like this one, relatively scarce within U.S. scrip collecting.⁴

Key Details Visible on the Coupon

• Left vignette:“Declaration of Independence”, engraving based on the famous historical painting by John Trumbull that portrays the presentation of the draft Declaration to the Continental Congress in 1776.
• Center:faintly line-engraved silhouette of the Liberty Bell, with plate letter “J” at its left.
• Right:circular guilloché cartridge with the denomination “VALUE 1 DOLLAR”.
• Header and warnings:“U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE / FOOD COUPON”, together with the “DO NOT FOLD OR SPINDLE” mechanical processing directive and the non-transferability clause.
• Reverse:print in light blue/gray ink with the numeral “1 DOLLAR”, the Liberty Bell and a bald eagle.
• Color:dark-brown/coffee-colored intaglio ink on a cream background with faint star and security patterns.

Notes

1. Wikipedia, “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program”: “Because of their 1:1 value ratio with actual currency, the coupons were printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Their rectangular shape resembled a U.S. dollar bill… including intaglio printing on high-quality paper.”

2. Wikipedia, “Electronic benefit transfer”: EBT development began with pilot programs in the 1980s, with Reading, Pennsylvania, being the first locality in 1984; The system reached national operation in 2004.

3. USDA Food and Nutrition Service, “Direct Final Rule: SNAP Issuance Regulation Update…”,fns.usda.gov: “The 2008 Farm Bill also de-obligated paper coupons as legal tender as of June 18, 2009. Therefore, paper coupons no longer have any value and can no longer be redeemed at any store.”

4. Smithsonian Institution, “Smithsonian Acquires Historic Food Coupons from USDA”,si.edu: “While billions of food coupons have been distributed by the USDA since the beginning of the program, only a small sample has survived, due to the practice of the coupons being destroyed at a Federal Reserve Bank.”