Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen (LLLL) Company Scrip

This coin appears to be "camp money" or "company scrip" that would be used at a logging camp or lumbermill in the Pacific Northwest, during the First World War. The Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen was a quasi-union formed to keep down labor unrest in this part of the United States, as the Army took over the handling of spruce lumber for airplane manufacture. This resource was so critical to wartime needs, that Army men were brought in to work in the forests and mills, alongside the civilians. The LLLL was formed to give the civilians a chance to be patriotic, prevent labor unrest, including sabotage, and to prevent strikes during the War period.

Logging camps and mills often created their own "money" to force employees to use the "company store" for their goods. Sometimes, there was no other alternative, since many camps were far from towns. Other times, the money or scrip was used to force the employees to pay much the higher prices charged by the company stores. It is unclear whether this money was intended for only civilian use, or for use by the Army men working with the loggers and mill workers.

To see more LLLL items, try:

Pinback Button LLLL Pin

Cloisonne LLLL Pin

Log-Design LLLL Pin

Typical Bronze LLLL Pin

LLLL Magazine Cover

LLLL Membership Card

For more information on the Spruce operations of the World War, see: Bob Swanson's webpage on the Spruce Soldiers of the First World War, as well as Rod Crossley's excellent book Soldiers in the Woods.

Copyright © 2015 Robert Swanson

Based on Code by Louis Lazaris. See article and original inspiration.