Ration book four also introduced red and blue cardboard tokens, each valued at onepoint, to be used as change for ration coupon purchases. Background paper contains stylized great seal and the phrase u. Four different series of war ration books were issued. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front. Each stamp was illustrated with a military symbol such as a naval ship, airplane, tank, gun, horn of plenty or torch of liberty, adding a patriotic flair. War ration stamps may be used only by or for the person named and described in the war ration book. On may 5, 1942, each person in the united states received a copy of war ration book one, good for a 56week supply of sugar.
Digital collection wwii war ration book 4 american centuries. Stamps lettered a,b,c were to be used only during mar. Identification of item, in the world war ii ration coupon collection, 19421946, david m. War ration book two ration coupons on the home front. Pricing depends on rarity, and they get more value, the more provenance you can document tying it to particular families, particular persons, and so on. It is interesting to note that some cookbooks published during the war featured sugarless recipes so home cooks could more easily comply with the rationing program. Cadillac man finds book of wwii ration stamps news.
This article may feature affiliate links to amazon or other companies, and purchases made via these links may earn us a small commission at no additional. The above photo are blue ration stamps from a real war ration book number two. To assist with rationing, ration books were introduced on 15 july 1918 for butter, margarine, lard, meat and sugar. The ration book became the key to survival for nearly every household in britain. Vintage war ration book holder, war sugar purchase certificate, four copies of ration book 4, war ration stamps, 1940s world war ii items fabulousvintagestore from shop fabulousvintagestore. War ration book five undated mileage ration coupons, undated box1, folder4 containers description dates box folder 1 4 item 1. Ration book four was printed in red, blue and green. The coupons, smaller than postage stamps, were for staples like sugar, gas, coffee and milk. War ration stamps were a common item, and they are not in high demand as a collectible item, making their value fairly low. While war ration stamps are not rare, many people find this type of historical memorabilia interesting. Records from war ration books for genealogy world war. Rationing was regulated by the office of price administration and ration books holding stamps used for purchasing goods were distributed to all citizens. Parents are responsible for the safekeeping and use of their childrens war ration. Make offer two world war ii war ration book four with stampsissued houston texas.
What is the value of world war 2 ration books with all the. The war ration stamps are very common and the demand for them in the collectors circle is not very high. World war 2 ration books the war ration was not very high. Permission to publish material from the world war ii rationing stamps program must be obtained from the special collections manuscript curator andor the special collections department head. Prefix fnfy war ration book fours are harder to find than the suffix books and are. Each page is separate so you can include what you need. Even though the war officially came to an end in 1945, rationing continued in canada late in the 1940s due in part to the fact that canada was shipping a lot of food and other goods to help out in postwar europe, with the last ration book being issued in september 1946. World war ii ration books bridgeport history center. It contains four pages of point stamps, similar to the point stamps in war ration book 2, though slightly different in design and printed in brown ink. Two world war ii war ration book four with stampsissued houston texas. Every american was issued a series of ration books during the war.
Each stamp authorized a purchase of rationed goods in the quantity and time designated, and the book guaranteed each family its fair share of goods made scarce, thanks to the war. Your first ration book has been issued to you, originally containing 28 war ration stamps. But dont sell it untill you get a good idea of the prices people are getting for that kind of thing. War ration books were produced by the united states office of price administration in 1942. Initially used to ration sugar, coupons were later designated for other products. Details about united states war ration stamps book ref r14569. Once a persons ration stamps were used up for a month, she couldnt buy any more of that type of food. The first war ration stamps given out were for sugar. Unfollow world war 2 ration books to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. The work of issuing ration books and exchanging used stamps for certificates was handled by some 5,500 local ration boards of mostly volunteer workers selected by local officials. Q i have two objects in my possession that i would like to know more about. Note the first stamps in war ration book one will be used for the purchase of sugar.
What is the value of war ration book four with stamps. War ration stamps may be used in any retail store in the united states. A world war 2 ration book template containing 12 pages and a front and back cover. Mileage certificate undated world war ii rationing stamps program, 19431946. Food rationing appeared in poland after the first world war, and ration stamps were in use until the end of the polishsoviet war.
He sees a parallel between wartime and the covid19 pandemic in 2020, he said. A series of four books were given out in the united states, and on the back of each was the slogan, if you dont need it, dont buy it. Distributed may 20, 1943 the coupons used for food and other commodities. Ration books had descriptions of the owner of the book, including height, weight, eye color and age.
Rationing of processed foods started march 1st, 1943. Once a persons ration stamps were used up for a month. Find great deals on ebay for ration book and ration book lot. Interesting question, since i have some as family heirlooms, meaning they are not for sale. The ration books contained removable stamps good for certain rationed items, like sugar, meat, cooking oil, and canned goods. See more ideas about ration stamp, stamp and world war ii. I was given 6 war ration books with most of the stamps still in them. The booklet was issued to gerald a bauer of neskowin, oregon. The opa accepted ration book applications and issued ration books, from which consumers tore out stamps in order to purchase food and other supplies at grocery stores. The paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods. Ration book one was issued in may 1942, book two in january 1943, book three in october of 1943, and book four towards the end of 1943. A person could not buy a rationed item without also giving the grocer the right ration stamp. Collection consists of ration coupons, stickers, permits, and certificates for tires, bicycles. Gerald deer, 76, of cadillac, found ration stamps issued to his family in november of 1944.
This new ration book, replacement for present books when their stamps are used up, will be distributed during the early summer. Of the 180,000,000 printed, 123,000,000 were issued. Each book was numbered, and the stamps inside controlled peoples consumption of things like food, gasoline and even clothing. The small coins introduced in 1944 were used by retailers to give change back for food bought with ration stamps. Guide to the world war ii ration coupon collection, 1942. Ration books, stamps, and tokens an anti hoarding, prorationing poster from the united states in world war ii.
Staining, soiling and other cosmetic damage would detract from the resale value of your wwii era ephemera. Here are some of the stamps and booklets they were using across the united states during the early 40s. World war ii ration coupon collection date 19421946 creator united states. During the war, average calories intake decreased only three percent, but protein intake six percent. Every person must see that his war ration book is kept in a sage place and properly used.
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