5 Dollar - Berkshire County Clearing House Scrip Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Scrip notes have often been used as a substitute for legal tender and were widespread during the depression. The note could be used to pay city taxes or other charges due to the city according to the inscription on it. The “bank holiday” of March 1933 was a plan to shut all banks down in order to allow the financial panic of the times to subside. It allowed the Federal government to ensure there was enough currency available for those banks that were in good financial condition (which were quickly reopened), and to reorganize those banks that were not.

The bank holiday resulted in a mass issue of merchant and municipal scrip, especially in smaller towns and rural areas where banks were closed for a longer period. The volume and types of “Depression era” scrip distinguishes this period from any other era in American numismatic history. The materials used for the scrip was unusual and reminiscent of the 1920s and ’30s notgeld of Germany and Austria — paper, metal, fish skin, clam shells, cardboard, plywood and even rubber. As time went on the variety of materials and number of scrip issues grew as businesses realized that they could make money by selling their notes.