Of the 180,000,000 printed, 123,000,000 were issued. Wwii ration books utilised a system that ensured that everyone had equal amounts of food, clothes and provisions and were an integral part of the war effort in the united kingdom, united states and germany. The rationing of goods in us during wwii war history online. The paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods. In 1942, five months after december 8, 1941 the united states entered the second world war, book one series were. World war ii was the most significant event of the 20th century. Wwii war ration coupon stamp book wallet pouch lot ww2. Included is an eight cent stamp depicting a mail delivery driver with holes along the right edge, a postcard with two russian stamps, and a bicentennial of the day of freedom july 4 76 cover in a vinyl storage case with four thirteen cent stamps marked july 4, 1776. The book contains pages of coupons for clothing, tea, sugar and food. Learn more about rationing for the war effort during world war ii with research. A person could not buy a rationed item without also giving the grocer the right ration stamp.
But how to do that without producing a thousand stamps. In 1942 rationing had started for sugar, gasoline and other goods. Although the united states did not have food rationing in world war i, it relied heavily on propaganda. World war ii 50th anniversary mystic stamp discovery center. Vintage 1943 wwii world war 2 ration book no 3 with 190 stamps tennessee. These are the world war ii ration stamp books of young william walton smith jr. Rationing was regulated by the office of price administration and ration books holding stamps used for purchasing goods were distributed to all citizens. Interestingly, the ration books issued during world war two attempted to capture these items.
Jul 10, 2015 world war two ration stamp points release dates. Every american was issued a series of ration books during the war. Four different series of war ration books were issued. In her wartime memoir, teenage memories of the home front, dorothy pederson nelson. Ration coupons on the home front, 19421945 digital. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front. While americans still live with some of the results of world war ii, rationing has not returned. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search.
Records from war ration books for genealogy world war. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. An advantage of tokens was that they never expired, while the stamps did. These were redeemable stamps or coupons, and every family was issued a set number of each kind of stamp based on the size of the family, ages of children and income. Squaretradeverified sellerclick to learn more lot of world war ii era war ration books plus a holder. This meant planning meals carefully, being creative with menus, and not wasting food. World war ii ration book three stamps these are the worl. Jan 31, 20 antique world war ii ration books are not rare,antiques expert larry cox answers readers questions about world war ii ration books, blakely china and commemorative coins. If a stamp is torn out of the war ration book in any other way than above. Ration stamps were widely used during world war ii by both sides after hostilities caused interruption to the normal supply of goods. Wwii world war ii 1943 ration stamps 3 coupon book books. Life resumed as normal and the consumption of meat, butter, and sugar inevitably rose.
The aleutian islands world war ii leonard feinberg where the williwaw blows is based on feinbergs twoyear stint 194445 as a naval officer on the island of adak in the aleutians. I do not know anything else about this young man, or what became of him. War time rationing during wwii four winds 10 truth winds. Rationing of processed foods started march 1st, 1943. Each stamp was worth 1 lb of sugar and was given a designed two week period during. It also has a special shoe stamp inside the front page for 1945 when my husband was 3 years old.
Rationing was introduced in the us during the second world war when the country was appealed to by the british to cut their consumption of food so that more food could be made available for the britons who were fighting a major war on many battlegrounds. This is a single replica junior ration book from 19441945 ideal for school projects, events or for those with an interest in world war 2 see more product details. Ration books became a way of life for everyone at home during world war ii. Ration book four also included spare stamps that were occasionally validated for the purchase of five extra pounds of pork. Our unit is on wwii, and we want our students to be the people in america at the time of the war. The work of issuing ration books and exchanging used stamps for certificates was handled by some 5,500 local ration boards of mostly. 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 7. It wanted to honor the key events of the war effort as well as the various aspects of national endeavor that contributed to allied victory. World war ii ration book three stamps history activities, world.
The modern state has the power to control prices even in the face of a vast expansion of aggregate demand relative to output, but it can do so only through a drastic regimentation of economic life. World war ii ration book three stamps these are the world war ii ration stamp books of young william walton smith jr. Apr 24, 2009 after an extensive study of wartime price controls during world war ii, rockoff concludes in his book drastic measures 1984. Dept agri agriculture, the back reads farmer jacks 1, these tokens were given for rationed food in the usa during world war 2, foods that were rationed in the usa were oleo. They were books which contained coupons that shopkeepers. Ration book four was printed in red, blue and green. In this darkly humorous novel, feinberg turns a sardonic eye on the foibles of military life while he memorializes the quiet heroism of some of the men who were stationed on one of the bleakest military. The first modern rationing systems were brought in during the first world war. Rationing in britain during world war 2 primary homework help.
Jul 11, 2016 this meant planning meals carefully, being creative with menus, and not wasting food. In the united states, nationwide food rationing was instituted in the spring of 1942, and each member of the family was issued ration books by the office of price administration opa. War ration book four, issued to the family of gardiner johnson by u. The only way to survive was to implement world war 2 rationing, and soon the ration book would become the most important book in every british household. During the second world war, you couldnt just walk into a shop and buy as much. I have a war ration book 3 with about 190 stamps left. Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial. Because of rationing, a person was only allowed to buy items that he or she had stamps for in his or her ration book, with no exceptions. The above photo are blue ration stamps from a real war ration book number two. Antique world war ii ration books are not rare,antiques expert larry cox answers readers questions about world war ii ration books, blakely china and commemorative coins. War ration book four, issued to the family of gardiner johnson.
Scotland a world war two ration book a world war two ration book i remember seeing this at home when i was little. Ration coupons on the home front, 19421945 83 about the digital collection the world war ii ration coupon collection consists of ration coupons, stickers and certificates for tires, bicycles, typewriters, sugar, shoes, fuel oil, gasoline, and food which were issued by. Wwii war ration coupon stamp book wallet pouch lot ww2 album album album album album album album album more than just a pretty picture. Once a persons ration stamps were used up for a month, she couldnt buy any more of that type of food. Between 1942 1947, the government issued four different series of ration books. Each book required different identification and some were more detailed than others.
The stamps contained in this book are valid only after the lawful holder of this book has signed the certificate below, and are. The other ration stamp book is number fr192973 guy hadsell, and i do not see a date on it. Ration book four also introduced red and blue cardboard tokens, each valued at onepoint, to be used as change for ration coupon purchases. On inside cover is printed instruction on how to use your ration book. On august 15, 1945, world war ii gas rationing was ended on the west coast of the united states. The books are all from the same syracuse, new york family. Parents are responsible for the safekeeping and use of their childrens war ration book. World war ii ration stamps and the buy of the week, a fibber mcgee and molly game. 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. The war ration stamps are very common and the demand for them in the collectors circle is not very high. Learn more about gas rationing in wwii and other changes on the home front. After three years of rationing, world war ii came to a welcome end.
Mar 23, 2007 ration books became a way of life for everyone at home during world war ii. World war ii rationing stamps program, 19431946 overview of the collection title world war ii rationing stamps program dates 19431946 inclusive 1943 1946 quantity 1 box. You had to have ration stamps to buy things at the store. The front cover of the war rations book is featured on the picture above.
Jun 02, 20 what is the value of war ration book no. 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. Records from war ration books for genealogy world war two. More than 8,000 ration boards across the country administered the program. It also contains four pages of unit stamps for the type of rationing now used for sugar, coffee, and shoes. When tokens came into use, the purchaser could receive three tokens, each worth one point, in exchange.
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services, or an artificial. Postal service began planning for the wars 50th anniversary in 1985. Book says printed in 1943 on back but looks to be issued in 1945. World war ii ration book three stamps history activities.
During the second world war, you couldnt just walk into a shop and buy as much sugar or butter or meat as you wanted, nor could you fill up your car with gasoline whenever you liked. Groceries were not the only items that were rationed. Answered by a verified antique expert we use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. You are covered by the ebay money back guarantee if you receive an item that is not as described in the listing. World war ii ration book three stamps these are the. The ration books contained removable stamps good for certain rationed items, like. 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.
World war ii put a heavy burden on us supplies of basic materials like food, shoes. Wwii world war ii 1943 ration stamps 3 coupon book books envelope, frank laura hadsell chapman, ks. 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 kind and amount of rationed commodities were not specified on most of the stamps and were not defined until later when local newspapers published, for example, that beginning on a specified date, one airplane stamp was required in addition to cash to buy one pair of shoes and one stamp number 30 from ration book four was required to buy 5 pounds 2. During world war ii rationing was designed primarily to distribute scarce goods reasonably equitably. The work of issuing ration books and exchanging used stamps for certificates was handled by. The world war ii housewives would never have believed that people could be so wasteful. Initially used to ration sugar, coupons were later designated for other products. It still cost money, but you couldnt even buy it unless you had stamps. 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.
Wwii ration books are items of historic ephemera dating from the second world war. Stamps had to be torn out of the book in front of the grocer, butcher, etc. World war two ration stamp points release dates living like. I was given 6 war ration books with most of the stamps still in them. Cataloging information for additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related. Wwii ration books utilised a system that ensured that everyone had equal amounts of food, clothes and provisions and were an integral part of the war effort in. This book is the property of the united states government. A ration stamp or ration card is a stamp or card issued by a government to allow the holder to obtain food or other commodities that are in short supply during wartime or in other emergency situations when rationing is in force. Every member of the public was issued with a ration book.
Several photographs of the paperwork needed to obtain food and gas are displayed here. Oct 10, 2019 before the start of world war ii the uk imported 55 million tons of food, a mere month after the start of world war ii they imported 12 million. I have all four books, the first one only has three stamps left, book 2 is empty, book 3 has three full pages and one page that is only missing three stamps, book four has one full page of green stamps, five red stamps, nine blue stamps loose, 34 black spare stamps attached, with three more. Office of price administration book description washington, d. The coupons, smaller than postage stamps, were for staples like sugar, gas, coffee and milk. Rationing became common during the second world war. We want to simulate the time where rations needed to be used.