Up for sale is a cool vintage trading stamp booklet that would be of particular interest to collectors of Texas related items.  This booklet was issued by the Black Gold Stamp Company, of Houston, Texas.  My research indicates that Black Gold Stamps were issued between about 1952 and 1962 (when the company sold out to a larger national brand of trading stamps).  During its decade of existence, the Black Gold Stamp Company appears to have dominated the trading stamp market in the gulf coast area of Texas, including Houston, Galveston, Baytown, Beaumont, and other communities.

The booklet has strong graphics including the oil well gusher that also appeared on each of the stamps.  It was designed to hold 1200 Black Gold trading stamps (30 on a page, 40 pages).  The trading stamps were offered by local merchants, particularly grocer stores and gas stations.  Typically, one stamp would be issued for every 10 cents of products/services purchased.  When booklets were completely filled with stamps, they could be redeemed for merchandise, such as household goods, gadgets, and appliances.  Different items cost different numbers of completed booklets.  For example, a starburst (MCM, atomic) design cheese board required 1 and 1/4 booklets full of stamps.  A deluxe Waring blender required 19 full booklets.  Interestingly, the back cover of the booklet I am selling (see photo # 4) demonstrates that customers could garner extra Black Gold stamps by purchasing Black Gold label products, such as margarine or detergent.  (These bonus stamps were actually printed on the paper labels of these products.)

Completed booklets could be redeemed at brick and mortar Black Gold redemption centers.  Those who lived more than 20 miles from a center would mail their booklets to the company headquarters (Houston 1, Texas) along with a completed form (located in the back of the booklet) specifying their 1st and 2nd choices of prizes.

This booklet is staple bound and contains 40 numbered pages, plus the covers.  It measures about 5.75 inches tall by about 3.375 inches wide.

Please Note:  I have listed the condition as "new" because the booklet is empty (no stamps pasted in) and has no condition issues, except for some age related toning of the paper. This is being sold as a collectible, as the Black Gold Stamp Company is out of business (as are all the other trading stamp companies). Sold as is.

Attention US Buyers:  I will ship by USPS First Class Letter (not a parcel).  It will be shipped as a non-machinable (hand-cancelled) envelope.