A ministry of food was created to help with the homefront food situation. World war ii ration books, 194345 collection information biographical sketch scope and content note cataloging information processed by emily castle august 2006 manuscript and visual collections department william henry smith memorial library indiana historical society 450 west ohio street indianapolis, in 462023269. It has three stamps inside which are numbered 19, 20, and 22. World war ii ration coupon collection date 19421946 creator united states. Rationing was an attempt to keep prices low and to give everyone a chance to get scarce items. War ration book one 1942 office of price administration. Red stamps were used later when meat, fish and dairy products were added to the rationed foods. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front, 1942. War ration book five undated mileage ration coupons, undated box1, folder4 containers description dates box folder 1 4 item 1. Stamps lettered a,b,c were to be used only during mar. Youll notice that they change slightly throughout the war. War ration book two ration coupons on the home front. 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.
War ration book two 1942 office of price administration private collection. 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. Jun 10, 2011 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 post war europe, with the last ration book being issued in september 1946. To prevent hoarding and skyrocketing prices, the office of price administration issued 123 million copies of war ration book one, which contained stamps that could be used to purchase sugar. War ration books were produced by the united states office of price. Demonstration of point rationing plan btw 19421945 office of war information. The following questions and answers released by the office of price administration are.
Each stamp in each set of letters has the number 1, 2, 5 or 8. In 1943 for example, a pound of bacon cost about 30 cents, but a shopper would also have to turn in seven ration points to buy the meat. There is no date but my age at the time was 18 september 1943 september 1944. Ration book four was printed in red, blue and green. Please do not be deceived by my low feedback score.
War ration books two, three, and four contained blue stamps for processed foods and red stamps for meat, cheese, and fats. But dont sell it untill you get a good idea of the prices people are getting for that kind of thing. The most common war ration book material is cotton. It is unlawful to sell or give it to any other person or to use it or permit anyone else to use it, except to obtain rationed goods for the person to whom it was issued. More than 8,000 ration boards across the country administered the program. 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. Each rationed product had a point value assigned to it that was independent of the price. Home front coupons, rare book, manuscript, and special collections library, duke university. The point value could fluctuate depending on scarcity. These points came in the form of stamps that were distributed to citizens in books throughout the war. The war ration stamps are very common and the demand for them in the collectors circle is not very high.
It has the warnings on the front and was printed in 1942. Each family member was issued a ration book and the family pooled all the stamps to purchase the items they needed, or could get, that particular week with the stamps. War ration stamps were a common item, and they are not in high demand as a collectible item, making their value fairly low. Rationing for the war in the united states began in 1942 and ended in 1946. Mileage certificate undated world war ii rationing stamps program, 19431946. April 1943 united states office of war information, overseas picture division. Rationing was introduced temporarily by the british government several times during the 20th century, during and immediately after a war at the start of the second world war in 1939, the united kingdom was importing 20 million long tons of food per year, including about 70% of its cheese and sugar, almost 80% of fruit and about 70% of cereals and fats. War ration book two january, 1943 this book is the property of the united states government. Civilians first received ration bookswar ration book number one, or the sugar bookon 4 may 1942, through more than 100,000 schoolteachers, pta groups, and other volunteers.
Each person received 64 red stamps each month, providing 28 ounces of meat and 4 ounces of cheese per week. And book four series were issued towards the end of 1943. World war ii ration books, 1943 45 collection information biographical sketch scope and content note cataloging information processed by emily castle august 2006 manuscript and visual collections department william henry smith memorial library indiana historical society 450 west ohio street indianapolis, in 462023269. No sugar could legally be bought without stamps, and sugar rationing would continue until supplies returned to normal in 1947. Rationing remained a way of life until the summer of 1945, although sugar continued to be controlled in some places until 1947. Ration stamps became a kind of currency with each family being issued a war ration book. Each stamp was worth 1 lb of sugar and was given a designed two week period during. Each person was allowed 48 blue points and 64 red points per month. Of the 180,000,000 printed, 123,000,000 were issued. Those of us who dont remember the war may not think much of the sacrifices made by people at home, as thousands also died abroad. As a matter of fact, when a gallup poll on march 5, 1943, asked americans, do you understand how the food point rationing system works. Prefix fnfy war ration book fours are harder to find than the suffix books and are. This new ration book, replacement for present books when their stamps are used up, will be distributed during the early summer.
Digital collection wwii war ration book 4 american centuries. Jun 21, 2010 these four pictures are from a poster that was distributed by the opa u. Guide to the world war ii ration coupon collection, 1942. The collection includes eight ration books for the years 1943 and 1944. The wholesale rationing of goods had been preceded by tires and automobile. What is the value of war ration book four with stamps. Jan 14, 20 to prevent hoarding and skyrocketing prices, the office of price administration issued 123 million copies of war ration book one, which contained stamps that could be used to purchase sugar. Initially used to ration sugar, coupons were later designated for other products. War ration book two book 2 introduced january 1943. Civilians first received ration books war ration book number one, or the sugar book on 4 may 1942, through more than 100,000 schoolteachers, pta groups, and other volunteers. 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.
Red stamps were used later when meat, fish and dairy products were added to the rationed foods each person was allowed 48 blue points and 64 red points per month. The first two images explain how ration books were to be used. Some clothing stamps were eventually validated for shoe rationing. Guide to the world war ii ration coupon collection, 19421946. There are pages of stamps about the size of postage stamps. Book three became active in september 1943, but was replaced by book four on november 1, 1943. In 1942, five months after december 8, 1941 the united states entered the second world war, book one series were issued. Did you scroll all this way to get facts about war ration book. Here is a list of other food items rationed during the war.
The first book is a united states of america war ration book one. I was on ebay for 15 years with a 120,000 feedbacks with 100% positive. World war 2 ration books the war ration was not very high. Unfollow world war 2 ration books to stop getting updates on your ebay feed.
Jan 25, 2012 then came book two in january 1943, book three in october 1943 and book four near the end of 1943 all of which contained various items. What is the value of war ration book four with stamps inside. Ration book four also introduced red and blue cardboard tokens, each valued at onepoint, to be used as change for ration coupon purchases. Mileage certificate undated world war ii rationing stamps program, 1943 1946. Get the best deals on war ration book when you shop the largest online. Blue stamps were good for canned goods such as vegetables and dried fruits. Collection consists of ration coupons, stickers, permits, and certificates for tires, bicycles, typewriters, sugar, shoes, fuel oil, gasoline, and food which were issued by the office of price administration between 19421946. They belonged to members of the kirkwood family of jeffersonville, indiana. The paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods. I was given 6 war ration books with most of the stamps still in them. Vintage antique 1943 war ration books stamps with holder world war 2 paperwork.
Learn more about rationing for the war effort during world war ii with research. This book still has 3 full pages of stamps, one page has 2 stamps used,gone and it looks like 2 pages. Three full pages of ration stamps, 1 sheet each of artillery, tanks and ships and one sheet planes missing 3 stamps. Check out our war ration book selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our militaria shops. Q i have two objects in my possession that i would like to know more about.
Distributed may 20, 1943 the coupons used for food and other commodities. What is the value of world war 2 ration books with all the. Make it do meat and cheese rationing in world war ii. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front. Four different series of war ration books were issued. Government office of price administration, washington, dc to guide people buying foodstuffs covered by war ration book.