Aluminum tokens almost always date after 1890, when low-cost production began. There were thousands of small general and merchandise stores all over the United States, and many of them used trade tokens to promote trade and extend credit to customers. The era of 1870 through 1920 marked the highest use of 'trade tokens' in the United States, spurred by the proliferation of small stores in rural areas. Merchants that issued tokens included general stores, grocers, department stores, dairies, meat markets, drug stores, saloons, bars, taverns, barbers, coal mines, lumber mills and many other businesses. Generally, they have a merchant's name or initials, sometimes a town and state, and a value legend (such as 'good for 5ยข' or other denomination) somewhere on the token. In a narrow sense, trade tokens are 'good for' tokens, issued by merchants. The collecting of trade tokens is part of the field of exonumia, and includes other types of tokens, including transit tokens, encased cents, and many others.
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