The first book is a united states of america war ration book one. 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. During spring 1942, the government introduced rationing of certain consumer items that were in short supply. Any person finding a lost book must deliver it promptly to the nearest ration board. The official website of the oregon secretary of state illustrations and written instructions on how to shop with ration books in world war ii. Other meat value of 1 shilling and 2 pence equivalent to 2. It established a rationing system after the attack on pearl harbor.
Each stamp or coupon authorized the holder to purchase rationed goods in the quantities and at. Staining, soiling and other cosmetic damage would detract from the resale value of your wwii era ephemera. War ration book wwll rare war ratioin book w a couple of stamps. What is the value of world war 2 ration books answers. There is no date but my age at the time was 18 september 1943september 1944.
This new ration book, replacement for present books when their stamps are used up, will be distributed during the early summer. Some of the ration stamps are used but many are intact. Ration book application signed by beatrice clementine blewett in alexandria, louisiana. Each stamp in each set of letters has the number 1, 2, 5 or 8. Guide to the world war ii ration coupon collection, 19421946. During world war ii rationing was designed primarily to distribute scarce goods reasonably equitably. Specialized private collectors may pay a little more for unused books in mint condition. This was to prevent hoarding and to ensure everyone got.
This assembled collection consists of war ration books 1, 2, and 4 issued in the. Guide to the world war ii ration coupon collection, 1942. Yes, ration book two like war ration book one now used for sugar and coffee may be used by any member of the household to whom the book is issued. Holmes of henniker, nh by the united states office of prince administration in 1943. 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. For example, the first 48 points in their new ration books were good only until the end of march. 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. Q i have two objects in my possession that i would like to know more about. The ministry of foods carefully formulated diet is generally believed to have improved the nations health. Vintage 1943 wwii world war 2 ration book no 3 with 188. I recently inherited my familys world war ii ration books, including paper coupons and coins.
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. 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. Background paper contains stylized great seal and the phrase u. This book was issued to a ten yearold boy in new york and still contains a number of ration coupons. World war ii ration books, 194345 collection information biographical sketch.
During world war ii rationing was designed primarily to distribute scarce. War ration book one 1942 office of price administration. World war ii ration book museum of american finance. Ration book four also introduced red and blue cardboard tokens, each valued at onepoint, to be used as change for ration coupon purchases. Ration book used during world war ii with sheets of stamps inserted in the middle. World war ll ration book printable pdf teaching history.
This olive drab cloth and brown leather walletstyle book was used for holding war rations during world war ii. The cover of the war ration book number two 1 negative. It has the warnings on the front and was printed in 1942. Throughout the 1940s and for nine years after the end of the war every man woman and child in britain owned ration books of coupons for food and clothing. Prefix fnfy war ration book fours are harder to find than the suffix books and are. Stamps lettered a,b,c were to be used only during mar. New hampshire historical society war ration book four. Civilians first received ration bookswar ration book number one, or the. Home page ration book search why war ration book no. Any member of the family may use all the familys ration books. Click here to return to the featured accessions index.
Four different series of war ration books were issued. War ration book national museum of the us air force. Will processed baby foods be rationed on the same point system as foods for grownups. There is also a notice on the back to cooperate with the local salvage committee. The paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods. United states of america war ration book one 1942 with. It will limit their purchases of sugar beginnning around the middle of march to 12 ounces per individual per week. 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. The note on the bottom right corner says this application must be mailed between june 1 and june 10, 1943. Ww ii war ration books, opa tokens, wallet, saving stamps. Office of price administration opa froze prices on practically all everyday goods, starting with sugar and coffee. An antihoarding, prorationing poster from the united states in world war ii.
After june 10th, applications will not be accepted before august 1. Initially used to ration sugar, coupons were later designated for other products. Learn more about rationing for the war effort during world war ii with. The work of issuing ration books and exchanging used stamps for certificates was. Records from war ration books for genealogy world war. War ration book two ration coupons on the home front. Ration books were given to everyone in britain who then registered in a shop of. There is a note on the back of the book that reads. Very good has 3 full pages of ration stamps, 188 ration stamps in all u. Ration book four was printed in red, blue and green.
Next month in part two, well talk about world war ii and the impact of vmail on genealogy. Guide to the world war ii rationing collection, 19421945. I have a world war ii ration book and wonder if you could help me find out what the stamps were to be used for. War ration book four 1943 office of price administration private collection. 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. But dont sell it untill you get a good idea of the prices people are getting for that kind of thing. In 1942, five months after december 8, 1941 the united states entered the second world war, book one series were issued. 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. Can you tell me more about rationing from this period and what the ones i have might be worth. War ration book two 1942 office of price administration private collection. It has three stamps inside which are numbered 19, 20, and 22. Of the 180,000,000 printed, 123,000,000 were issued.
Interestingly, the ration books issued during world war two attempted to capture these items. World war 2 ration books the war ration was not very high. Note the first stamps in war ration book one will be used for the purchase of sugar. Almost all controlled items were rationed by weight but meat was rationed by price. The war ration stamps are very common and the demand for them in the collectors circle is not very high. War ration book five undated mileage ration coupons, undated box1, folder4 containers description dates box folder 1 4 item 1. The first two images explain how ration books were to be used. A typical persons weekly ration allowed them 1 egg, 2 ounces each of tea and butter, an ounce of cheese, eight ounces of sugar, four ounces of bacon and four ounces of margarine.
World war ii rationing became more complex with introduction of two. Collection consists of ration coupons, stickers, permits, and certificates for tires. There are pages of stamps about the size of postage stamps. Youll notice that they change slightly throughout the war. A world war ii ration book issued by the united states of america from the office of price administration with serial number 668203fe. The ministry of foods carefully formulated diet is generally believed to have impro. Meat wasnt rationed immediately, but when it was its availability was decided by price rather than points, meaning cheaper cuts quickly became the most popular. These little ration books might just provide a link to your pedigree chart, or may just be a catalyst for a conversation with an elderly family member.
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