= YORK UNIVERSITY SCRIP =


1974 - 1992

According to York University archives, ''the first SCRIP was introduced in March of 1974.''
And that's all York's online archives have to say.
Here, I present information, from my familiarity with YORK UNIVERSITY SCRIP, during the 1979 to 1992 period, when I attended & worked at York.

All SCRIP was printed by The British American Bank Note Company. Scrip notes were 140mm x 67mm format, on unwatermarked, planchet, or silk fibre imbedded paper. To save money, only the FRONT of these Scrip notes were engraved. The overall back scroll design was offset printed in a similar colour to the front. Additional information on the backs was over-printed, in black ink, using offset lithography.

Scrip allowed for a controlled portioning of student's food budgets, as part of their residence meal plan arrangement. Essentially, a meal plan was purchased as part of a residency agreement. The size of this meal plan, did have some flexibility based on need. Three plans were available. One provided most meals, one provided for all meals, and one provided above and beyond normal student needs. SCRIP was issued by the Food and Beverage Department, and withdrawn for use, much like at a bank. A student simply showed up at the wicket, during operating hours, and presented their ID, and a signed withdrawal request. Withdrawals were made using only the largest denominations of SCRIP. The smaller denominations being issued only at the retail food outlets.

Scrip was originally issued in denominations of 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, $1, & $2. As inflation took its toll, a $5 note, and later a $10 denomination was added (1989-1990 Series). Upon the issuance of the $10 SCRIP denomination, the $2 denomination was retired. This was considered practical, as cash register drawers only provided SIX positions for these SCRIP notes.

As these SCRIP notes were valid only the period of ONE academic year, a new issue arrived each September. Each denomination was printed using a different colour, within a given series. To prevent confusion (and fraud), in the hurried fast food/cafeteria environment, a tradition was established of reversing the colours of the largest and smallest denominations, in the subsequent academic year. So, if in a given academic year the largest $5 denomination was red; the following academic year would present a 5¢ red SCRIP note. The markers for denomination also changed shape, as well as the use of open, and closed numeral fonts. The position of the YORK UNIVERSITY crest was also shifted from far right, to the middle, to the far left, over the many academic years. The idea was to make each issue as distinct from previous issues as was possible, while still maintaining an overall uniformity, and integrity of design. Not all rules were rigid, some overlap, and confusion did occur. in one year, the production of the $2 SCRIP was defective, as the lilac colour faded considerably. The defective notes were withdrawn, and not replaced. The use of the lower SCRIP denominations were simply expanded to fill the void. In all my experience, no known replacement SCRIP notes exist. Apparently any necessity for a replacement note was filled by a manually numbered sheet, matching the damaged one. No anomalies, in serial number type style, placement, or distance between serial numbers, within an issue, have been noted. Being aware of the printing process, and having handled tens of $1000's of dollars of scrip, I would likely have noticed such a variation. SPECIMENS, both with 000000 and the highest or lowest numbers, within an issue, are also known. SPECIMENS were produced for distribution to the various campus food outlets, and distributed immediately prior to the academic year of issuance. (Regardless of form, some SPECIMENS are punched as SPECIMEN, others are not.) As the distribution memo accompanying these SPECIMENS notes detailed the CC list (both with and without SPECIMENS attached), the number of SPECIMEN NOTEs is presumably apparent. For some years, no SPECIMENS were produced, and regular issue notes, at the highest, or lowest end of the serial number range were distributed. These highest number notes are likely the only reliable indication of the actual number of notes produced in that given year. Any other information regarding the amount of SCRIP produced appears to be a closely guarded secret, only known to those within the echelons of finance, at York University. For an extremely short time (starting in 1991), a parallel series of York SCRIP, for the exclusive use of Calumet College* Students, did exist. As Calumet College was not part of the traditional meal plan (Calumet stressed independent living- and did not have a traditional cafeteria), CALUMET SCRIP was used to purchase food at CALUMET's GROCETERIA Grocery Store.

The discontinuance of SCRIP was at the end of the academic year of in 1992, when SCRIP was replaced by a dual striped magnetic card.

For the following ISSUES of SCRIP, this is what I know:

1974 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ $1 $2
NO INFORMATION KNOWN

1975 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ $1 $2
NO INFORMATION KNOWN

1976 5¢ Blue 10¢ Orange 25¢ Red $1 Brown $2 Green
TWO FIVE DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
CIRCLE background behind denomination
CREST at LEFT • SINGLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 76/77, RIGHT of CREST
PAID PUNCHED CANCEL SPECIMENS- HIGH NUMBERS
.......UNKNOWN NUMBER OF SETS ISSUED (HIGH NUMBERS)

1977 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ $1 $2 $5 (may not exist)
NO INFORMATION KNOWN

1978 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ $1 $2 $5 (may not exist)
NO INFORMATION KNOWN

1979 5¢ Blue 10¢ 25¢ Red $1 ?? $2 ?? $5 ??
ONE SEVEN DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
CIRCLE background behind denomination
CREST at CENTRE • SINGLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 79/80, LEFT of CREST

1980 5¢ ?? 10¢ Orange 25¢ Blue $1 ?? $2 ?? $5 ??
ONE SEVEN DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
TRIANGLE background behind denomination
CREST at LEFT • DOUBLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 80/81, RIGHT of CREST

1981 5¢ Blue 10¢ Brown 25¢ Orange $1?? (Green or Purple) $2 ?? (Green or Purple) $5 Red
TWO SEVEN DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
RECTANGLE background behind denomination
CREST at CENTRE • SINGLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
FULL DATE number 1981 1982, LEFT of CREST

1982 5¢ Orange 10¢ Blue 25¢ Brown $1 Green $2 Red $5 ?? (Purple?)
TWO SEVEN DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
TRIANGLE background behind denomination
CREST at LEFT • DOUBLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 82/83, LEFT of CREST

1983 5¢ Blue 10¢ Orange 25¢ Green $1 Brown $2 PURPLE (fugitive colour- withdrawn) $5 Red
TWO SEVEN DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
COG WHEEL background behind denomination
CREST at RIGHT • SINGLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
FULL DATE number 1983 1984, LEFT of CREST

1984 5¢ Red 10¢ Blue 25¢ PURPLE $1 Orange $2 Brown $5 Green
TWO SEVEN DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
CIRCLE background behind denomination
CREST at CENTRE • DOUBLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 84/85, LEFT of CREST
TWO HOLE PUNCH CANCELLED SPECIMENS-
.......FIVE SETS ISSUED (HIGH NUMBERS)

1985 5¢ Green 10¢ Brown 25¢ Orange $1 Purple $2 Blue $5 Red
TWO SEVEN DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
RECTANGLE background behind denomination
CREST at LEFT • SINGLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
FULL DATE number 1985 1986, RIGHT of CREST
PUNCH CANCELLED SPECIMENS-
.......FIVE SETS ISSUED (HIGH NUMBERS)

1986 5¢ Red 10¢ Orange 25¢ Blue $1 Brown $2 Purple $5 Green
TWO SEVEN DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
COG background behind denomination
CREST at RIGHT • DOUBLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 86/87, RIGHT of CREST
PUNCH CANCELED SPECIMENS-
.......FIVE SETS ISSUED (HIGH NUMBERS)

1987 5¢ Green 10¢ Blue 25¢ Orange $1 Purple $2 Brown $5 Red
TWO FIVE DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
TRIANGLE background behind denomination
CREST at CENTRE • SINGLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
FULL DATE number 1987 1988, LEFT of CREST
UNPUNCHED EXAMPLES-
.......SIX SETS ISSUED (LOW NUMBERS)

1988 5¢ Orange 10¢ Purple 25¢ Blue $1 Red [$2 DISCONTINUED] $5 Brown $10 Green
TWO SIX DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
CIRCLE background behind denomination
CREST at CENTRE • DOUBLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 88/89, RIGHT of CREST
TWO HOLE PUNCH CANCELLED SPECIMENS-
.......SIX SETS ISSUED (LOW NUMBERS)

1989 5¢ Purple 10¢ Brown 25¢ Orange $1 Blue $5 Green $10 Red
TWO FIVE DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
RECTANGLE background behind denomination
CREST at CENTRE • SINGE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
FULL DATE number 1989 1990, LEFT of CREST
TWO HOLE PUNCH CANCELLED SPECIMENS-
.......SIX SETS ISSUED (LOW NUMBERS)

1990 5¢ Brown 10¢ Blue 25¢ Purple $1 Orange $5 ?? $10 ??
TWO FIVE DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
COG background behind denomination
CREST at RIGHT • DOUBLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 90/91, LEFT of CREST

1991 5¢ Purple 10¢ Brown 25¢ Orange $1 Blue $5 Green $10 Red
TWO FIVE DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
RECTANGLE background behind denomination
CREST at LEFT • SINGE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
FULL DATE number 1991 1992, RIGHT of CREST
THREE HOLE PUNCH CANCELLED SPECIMENS-
.......FIVE SETS ISSUED (HIGH & LOW NUMBERS)
(Some ''00000'' serial number SPECIMENS exist with an additional single RED overprinted 'order' number printed in the margin, on the face of the note.)

GROCETERIA ISSUE- For CALUMET COLLEGE use only
1991 5¢ Purple 10¢ Brown 25¢ Orange $1 Blue $5 Green $10 Red
TWO FIVE DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
NO background behind denomination- SOLID Numeral Denomination
GROCETERIA AT FAR LEFT, In place of counters
CREST at LEFT • SINGE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
FULL DATE number 1991 1992, RIGHT of CREST
ONE or TWO HOLE PUNCH CANCELLED With/or Without SPECIMEN PUNCH-
.......FIVE SETS ISSUED (LOW NUMBERS & 00000)
(Some ''00000'' serial number SPECIMENS exist with an additional single RED overprinted 'order' number printed in the margin, on the face of the note.)

1992 5¢ Red 10¢ Blue 25¢ Green $1 Brown $5 Orange $10 Purple
TWO FIVE DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
COG background behind denomination
CREST at RIGHT • DOUBLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 92/93, LEFT of CREST
SPECIMEN PUNCH & SINGLE HOLE PUNCH Through Signature-
.......UNKNOWN number of SETS ISSUED (00000 NUMBERS)
(Some ''00000'' serial number SPECIMENS exist with an additional single RED overprinted 'order' number printed in the margin, on the face of the note.)

GROCETERIA ISSUE- For CALUMET COLLEGE use only
1992 5¢ Red 10¢ Blue 25¢ Green $1 Brown $5 Orange $10 Purple
TWO FIVE DIGIT RED SERIAL NUMBERS on back
RECTANGLE background behind denomination (At right only)
GROCETERIA AT FAR LEFT, In place of counters
CREST at RIGHT • DOUBLE BLOCK LINE enclosing line over CREST
ABBREVIATED DATE number 92/93, LEFT of CREST
SPECIMEN PUNCH & SINGLE HOLE PUNCH Through Signature-
.......UNKNOWN number of SETS ISSUED (00000 NUMBERS)
(Some ''00000'' serial number SPECIMENS exist with an additional single RED overprinted 'order' number printed in the margin, on the face of the note.)

All notes within a given Academic Series Issue, bear the same signature.
1974-1975 SIGNATURE and Title NOT KNOWN
1975-1976 UNKNOWN SIGNATURE, Director, Ancillary Services
1977-1978 SIGNATURE and Title NOT KNOWN
1978-1979 SIGNATURE and Title NOT KNOWN
1979- 1987 NORM CRANDLES, Director, Housing and Food Services
1987- 1991 ANGELINA CATRICALA, Manager, Food Services
1991- ???? DAVID A. HOMER, Assistant Vice President Business Operations

The actual survival rates for any of the above SCRIP issues is beyond speculation. After the expiry of any given series, York University policy mandated the destruction of the SCRIP notes, both redeemed, and unissued. Large quantities of remainder SCRIP notes simply do not exist. York University audit requirements, and strict policy adherence, precluded the availability of remainder SCRIP notes. (York University operates under the auspices of Bill 149, The York University Act, 1965, which received Royal Assent in the Ontario Legislature.) Therefore, the only EXTANT notes that exist, were those removed while still VALID tender. Considering the purchasing power of the highest denomination SCRIP notes, their survival in MINT condition, would likely be minimal. On the other hand, many small denomination notes, because of their relatively limited purchasing power, likely survive in somewhat larger numbers, especially for circulated notes.

* York University operates on the British University model, where the University is divided into Collegiate units, each governed by a Master. College's at present, are aligned by faculty. Earlier alignment was less precise- almost by whim, or preference, though Calumet (est. 1971) represented the majority of all commuter students, regardless of academic discipline.

This information ©2006 Sir Mark L. Alter - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
REVISED 2006/07/12 SMLA UPDATED 2008/10/02

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