Well I never knew that

[Jenasaurus]

I was just thinking about my younger years and remember my parents had a book of green shield stamps, i wondered if I had imagined these stamps so googled and it says it was like a loyalty scheme where you could spend stamps on products but it changed when Tesco withdrew and then it became Argos and money only, no stamps. I had no idea that Argos originated from Green Shield Stamps.

I am in my fifties so dont expect many of you to remember them

My grandfather worked at an Esso petrol station and used to sneak us some of the gifts.

I seem to remember a set of 4 or maybe 5 dice with different coloured sides that you had to solve - sort of like a very primitive Rubik Cube.

I remember Green Shield stamps. Didn’t realise it became Argos though.

Co Op still have stamps, they're called savings stamps and go in a little card. My mum shops at the Co Op and buys a stamp each week for me and my brother. Then she gives it us at Christmas so we have £50 each to spend on Christmas goodies😃👍🏻

My first Saturday job was working in our Local Co-op and I remember being taught how to work out how many stamps to give. The first time I worked a week day during the school holidays, I nearly got lynched by the customers because the manager had forgotten to tell me about double stamp day.

I used to love the job of sticking the stamps in the books for both nan and mum.

The coop has a loyalty card now - I had £200 on mine last year that I used for Christmas food and drink. Coop is our local shop so it gets a lot of use! My mum used to work in a coop in st Helier and I remember them giving out stamps.

My grandma was the keeper of the Green Shield stamps and those from the Co-op. She didn't spend any money there, but insisted she had the stamps; she kept the books in her handbag. She also took charge of the cards that came with the tea (Brooke Bond or PG Tips?) and guarded the albums similarly.

@Knittedfairies

My grandma was the keeper of the Green Shield stamps and those from the Co-op. She didn't spend any money there, but insisted she had the stamps; she kept the books in her handbag. She also took charge of the cards that came with the tea (Brooke Bond or PG Tips?) and guarded the albums similarly.

Did she redeem them? I hope someone got the benefit!

I remember the excitement when my granny got one of those wall mounted loose tea dispensers with hers; they go for a small fortune on eBay now.
Looks like a miniature space rocket 😂

@GreyhoundG1rl - that was my 'job' when I went to see my grandparents, pushing the button on the tea dispenser.

We spent the afternoon in deep disgrace one time for "wasting" a whole 1/4lb of tea pressing the button, and then dumping the tea in the bin because we couldn't figure out what to do with it.
Putting it back in never crossed our minds 😂

@GreyhoundG1rl

I remember the excitement when my granny got one of those wall mounted loose tea dispensers with hers; they go for a small fortune on eBay now. Looks like a miniature space rocket 😂

OMG I remember those! We had one.

I think half of my late parents' house was kitted out courtesy of GSS! This was in the 70s,and I remember my mum shopping in the Co-op and being handed loads of the stamps after she'd paid. My older brothers and I were given the job of sticking them in the books. I do vaguely recall that Argos took over from GSS,now you mention it.

I'm 38 (almost 39) and remember these - but mainly from petrol stations?

Greyhound G1rl So THAT'S what those things were! I remember seeing them on the kitchen walls at some of my friends' and relatives' houses,but never knew what they were! never occured to 8 year old me to ask

I've got some Argos catalogues from the late 70s that mention Green Shield stamps.

My parents collected the Co-op ones in the 70s and 80s. My sister and I used to enjoy sticking them in the books. I believe a full book could be exchanged for money-off coupons.

I was allowed to stick the green shield stamps in the book...my brother was not. He was much younger, would lick the stick off and then the stamps would not stay in.

There were big 40 stamps iirc for the equivalent of a whole page of 40 single ones

I also remember Embassy coupons....someone mentioned cigarettes up thread!

Also had a full set of all the esso glasses at one point in my student life...again iirc there were sherry, wine, flutes, long tumblers and whisky glasses. My chums were all terribly impressed :o :o

Yes, I remember green shield stamps.

And free garage glasses.

I’ve got some of the Esso glasses. My mum used to save them up and get loads of things. Occasionally the lovely garage man would bung mum a few extra ones.

I have recently had occasion to find out that you get A LOT of Coop points (to spend on food or whatever) if you buy a funeral plan/funeral with them....

I manage a charity shop and we still get donations of Esso glasses ... that no one ever wants to buy .

@Ragwort

I manage a charity shop and we still get donations of Esso glasses ... that no one ever wants to buy .

Are they the ones with the tiger on them? I'd buy them for nostalgia value.

I still have some Green Shield Stamps!

Greyhound no, just the very plain dull ones !

I'd forgotten about Brooke Bond D tea vouchers! My mum let me have hers to buy cinema tickets for myself & my best friend.