Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corp.

About This Coin

The Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation issued aluminum tokens in 1935 for one of the most unusual New Deal experiments: the Matanuska Valley Colony, relocating approximately 200 farming families from the Depression-ravaged Midwest to a planned agricultural settlement near Palmer, Alaska. These tokens served as scrip that colonists used at the community store, ensuring federal relief funds circulated within the settlement rather than flowing to outside merchants. The aluminum composition resisted corrosion in the harsh Alaskan climate while remaining lightweight and inexpensive. A notable auction result of $504 in MS65 at Stack's Bowers reflects steady collector demand for these historically fascinating tokens. The Matanuska Colony tokens document a remarkable chapter in American history: the federal government's attempt to solve both urban unemployment and territorial development by transplanting agricultural expertise to Alaska's frontier. While the colony struggled with harsh conditions and high turnover, the community survived and Matanuska Valley became one of Alaska's most productive agricultural regions. These tokens are collected by specialists in Depression-era scrip, Alaska numismatics, and New Deal memorabilia.