Green Shield Stamps

[Twocky61]

In the 70's when you bought something in a shop you earned Green Shield stamps

There were catalogues where you could spend books of stamps to buy things

Usually things like clothing, tech, toys etc. etc.

You could even buy, believe it or not, a brand spanking new Ford Escort from your local Ford dealership

I forget how many books to pay for a car a few thousand quid new

I wonder if anyone actually bought a Ford Escort with Green Shield stamps lol

[escorteclipse1990]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I did hear that someone did buy a Ford Cortina mk3 with green shield stamps, got all the family to collect.

[George 1978]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

Argos was basically a mainstream conversion from the Green Shield Stamps format - you would need a lot of stamps for a car, even back then.

[staffslad]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I remember there was a speedboat--like the ones they sometimes had on Bullseye--in one catalogue. Petrol stations often gave out stamps, so if you were a rep doing lots of miles in your car, you could quickly fill up books.

[tex]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

The Co-op also did "dividend stamps" commonly known as the"divi" they were blue and you got double stamps on tuesdays but these could only be spent instore. i think a full book was worth a pound

[zabadak]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I seem to recall my mum and dad getting GS stamps when buying fags and using them to buy... fags! (I may be misremembering though...)

[80sChav]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I recall these well (or rather the re-collections of generations of the family re-citing the story's of them to me)!!

The last time ever I saw any/bought any/knew of any was the 15th of April 1989 - the day of the Hillsborough Disaster from a Petrol Station between Sheffield and Mansfield (though probably nearer to Mansfield) when out with my Dad. It is strange - just like Princess Diana, JFK being shot etc and the Twin Towers/other Terroist attacks in America that day how on specific dates all have a link/connection no matter how remote it may be. Of course though April 15th 1989 was one day before my 12th Birthday, so that adds further to such events when associating/linking them etc
80sChav

[Trickyvee]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

Here’s a thing. I remember in the 80’s our local shop having stamps to collect. They weren’t green shield, and I think they were more of a loyalty card thing i.e. money off a shop when you collected so many. I think they were blue and came with a card to stick them to. Can anybody remember these?

[George 1978]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

Could that be something to do with TV Licensing or the Coop? I have said it before on here - my late father used to have a chequebook-sized book with stamp sized grids inside to stick stamps in. He was a member of the Coop bank at the time, and I am almost certain that he also paid the TV Licence with stamps back then as well. It might have been something to do with the Coop which probably succeeded the first generation of the Dividend scheme.

I suppose that the stamps were the loyalty card of their time - did Tesco also use Green Shield Stamps as well? I saw an old newspaper advert circa early 1974 when they seemed to be going strong back then.

[Pussywillow]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I remember PINK stamps as well. Where they co-op or something ?

[spuggybridge]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I can still remember the taste of both Green Shield & Co-op stamps, bring them back...

[amethyst]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I can still remember the taste of both Green Shield & Co-op stamps, bring them back...

Double stamps on Tues or thurs with co_op

[Semi42]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I remember going to an amusement arcade, may have been Scarborough , was a huge machine , put 2p’s in and the prizes being green shield stamps

[amethyst]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I am sure you could get stamps from the petrol station?

[Richard1978]

Re: Green Shield Stamps

I am sure you could get stamps from the petrol station?

I they were one of the most common ways to collect the stamps.

When Green Shield Stamps had a comeback in the late 1980s my parents would normally get a small sheet of stamps which I would stick in the book.