Green Stamp/Trading Stamp Question

I believe this to be an early S&H Green Stamp but I'm thrown off by the reference on the stamp to "discount stamp". Did that mean the same thing as a trading stamp or was there some sort of store discount represented by this variety?



Also, here's a series of Merchants Green Stamps. I never heard of them before (probably from another area of the country than where I live) and assume they were just a competitor to S&H Green Stamps. Can anyone identify where (what area of the country) they were prominently used?

Nice wt1 !

Can you tell me what is inscribed on the left edge of the Merchants stamps ??

Some info on the S&H here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%26H_Green_Stamps

Looks like the "discount" was standard on the printing.

Interesting topic to get into collecting. A lot of nostalgia here, I would imagine. Vaguely remember seeing similar items in my grandmother's kitchen...

In reply to Londonbus1, the left side of the Merchants Green Stamps reads: "Cash Value: 1 mill". (or 10 mills or 50 mills) depending on the denomination. I believe 1 mill is equal to 1/10th of a cent, so it's nothing to get rich on!

Thanks wt.
I know very little about these stamps but find them rather attractive.
I have a few in one of my albums, and am thinking of adding to them.

But the variety is seemingly endless

Londonbus1.

A quick Google puts "Merchants Green Stamps" in The "Food Fair" Chain of Supermarkets.

In 1962 Pat Boone had a hit song called "Speedy Gonzales"
We (down in the antipodes) had a hard time figuring what "Tannery Row" was, and "down at the cantina, giving green stamps with the Tequila"