Value of world war ii ration books

Here at home during world war ii, americans were required to ration some items to ensure that troops on the front lines would have everything they needed to win the war. Stamps lettered a,b,c were to be used only during mar. Background paper contains stylized great seal and the phrase u. The paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods.

Initially used to ration sugar, coupons were later designated for other products. To help prevent a shortage of food and goods necessary during world war ii, the federal government began to ration everything with a strategic value. These ration booklets contained various small stamps which had no cash value, but were required to purchase food items for example four stamps for each pound of ground beef or. Blue stamps were good for canned goods such as vegetables and dried fruits. Youll notice that they change slightly throughout the war. 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. Of the 180,000,000 printed, 123,000,000 were issued. War ration book two book 2 introduced january 1943.

Each stamp was worth 1 lb of sugar and was given a. World war 2 ration books the war ration was not very high. Rationing controls the size of the ration, which is ones allowed portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front, 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. The point value of all rationed foods will be published and posted in each. Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial restriction of demand. Ration books are particularly associated with the second world war, when many countries experienced shortages of needed consumer goods, and they decided that a rationing system would ensure fair and even distribution.

The ministry of foods carefully formulated diet is generally believed to have impro. Rationing during world war ii world war ii stories youtube. Ration books were exceedingly valuable to american consumers during the war, and people even. World war ii stress was particularly related to being unable to get news from family members who were serving their country. Mar 29, 2018 when world war ii started, the government reduced deliveries to stores and restaurants, instituted price controls, and urged people to voluntarily reduce consumption. On august 15, 1945, world war ii gas rationing was ended on the west coast of the united states. Rationing on the homefront during world war ii iowa pbs. With the onset of world war ii, numerous challenges confronted the american people. Jan 31, 20 the small coins introduced in 1944 were used by retailers to give change back for food bought with ration stamps. 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. 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. The government introduced rationing because certain things were in short supply, and to ensure that everyone got their.

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. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front. War ration book two ration coupons on the home front. Here is a list of other food items rationed during the war. War ration books and tokens were issued to each american family, dictating how much gasoline, tires, sugar, meat, silk, shoes, nylon and other items any one person could buy. As dday is recognized around the world this weekend june 6, 1944, there will be plenty to read about the soldiers and the heroism involved as 5,300. The ration books originally contained stamps equal to one pound of. Office of price administration opa froze prices on practically all everyday goods, starting with sugar and coffee. War ration book two ration coupons on the home front, 1942. World war ii ration coupon collection date 19421946 creator united states. Original war ration book one 1943 certificate of registration. Jan 25, 2012 a familys ration books from world war ii. 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. Oct 06, 2018 here at home during world war ii, americans were required to ration some items to ensure that troops on the front lines would have everything they needed to win the war.

Americans also coped with rationing and coupon books by engaging in a widespread system of bartering. Guide to the world war ii ration coupon collection, 1942. See war ration books, ration stamps, gas stamps, sugar. Rationing on the homefront during world war ii to help prevent a shortage of food and goods necessary during world war ii, the federal government began to ration everything with a strategic value. Each stamp was worth 1 lb of sugar and was given a designed two week period during.

War bond stamp book from world war ii museum of american. Learn more about rationing for the war effort during world war ii with research starters at the national wwii museum. Canadian war ration books food rationing in canada 19421947. At times however, stores were unable to supply citizens with the small allotments of. Coupons and rationing during world war ii dealhack. War ration books and tokens were issued to each american family, dictating how much gasoline, tires, sugar, meat, silk, shoes, nylon and other items.

There is no date but my age at the time was 18 september 1943september 1944. Each household was issued ration books based on a variety of factors. Over the course of the second world war, more than 11 million ration books like the one pictured above, which comes by of the genealogy site rootsweb were issued to canadians who, like those in the uk and later the us, also saw dairy and meat rationing. During spring 1942, the government introduced rationing of certain consumer items that were in short supply. What is the value of world war 2 ration books with all the. Dec 05, 2014 each household was issued ration books based on a variety of factors. Tip top bread war ration book cover and ration books 1940s. Can you tell me more about rationing from this period and what the ones i have might be worth. Newman war ration book five basic gasoline ration supplemental gasoline ration transportation. Canadian war ration books food rationing in canada 1942. Staining, soiling and other cosmetic damage would detract from the resale value of your wwii era ephemera.

There are many forms of rationing, and in western civilization people experience some of them in daily life without. Sugar, butter, and meat were rationed, but that was only a start. These little 6x4inch books were printed with tiny stamps representing points, and were a kind of currency with an expiration date. Ration books and cards 1 ration book holder containing used ration books and cards war ration book two 5 405721 blank 683938b betty ellen white 683939b eleanor h.

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. Across the country 8000 rationing boards were created to administer these restrictions. Britain had already instituted a pointbased rationing system and had found it effective, so the united states decided to implement a similar program in 1943. My grandmother recently died peacefully at 95, and while my sisters and i were going through old boxes in her.

Apr 20, 2020 a ration book is a book of coupons which is used to control consumption of certain products which may be in high demand. This freed even more goods for use by the armed forces. At an auction less than a week later, i found another group of ration books for a family with children. Jun 24, 2019 interesting question, since i have some as family heirlooms, meaning they are not for sale. Make offer tip top bread war ration book cover and ration books 1940s. American civilians first received ration bookswar ration book number one, or the sugar bookon 4 may 1942, through more than 100,000 school teachers, pta groups and other volunteers. With not a single person unaffected by the war, rationing meant sacrifices for all. Shortly after the commencement of world war two, rationing was introduced in canada on january 24, 1942, to limit the use of imported food and to free up supplies for the military and their allies. There are pages of stamps about the size of postage stamps.

War ration stamps were a common item, and they are not in high demand as a collectible item, making their value fairly low. Sep 14, 2015 to help prevent a shortage of food and goods necessary during world war ii, the federal government began to ration everything with a strategic value. A look back at the canadian ration coupon books of ww2. World war ll ration book printable pdf teaching history. Each stamp had a number on it designating the points it was worth as well as a. Historic recipes world war ii cookbook created ration. Interesting question, since i have some as family heirlooms, meaning they are not for sale. Ration books were exceedingly valuable to american consumers during the war, and people even carried them in special holders to keep them safe.

Unfollow world war 2 ration books to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Historic recipes world war ii cookbook created rationworthy. Identification of item, in the world war ii ration coupon collection, 19421946, david m. I recently inherited my familys world war ii ration books, including paper coupons and coins. As dday is recognized around the world this weekend june 6, 1944, there will be plenty to read about the soldiers and the heroism involved as 5,300 ships and 11,000 planes crossed the english. I was given 6 war ration books with most of the stamps still in them. 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. Generally, during world war ii, ration books were issued once a year, though the beginning of the issue year could vary. The war ration stamps are very common and the demand for them in the collectors circle is not very high. Food rationing lasted for 14 years in britain, from 1940 until 1954. 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. War bond stamp book from world war ii prev next during both world wars, treasury realized that selling bonds to the poorest americans was good for the war effort because it helped to reduce inflation and tie the interests of a wide swath of the public to that of the national government. Blue point world war ii opa ration tokens lot of 6.

The government found it necessary to ration food, gas, and even clothing during that time. Guide to the world war ii ration coupon collection, 19421946. Note the first stamps in war ration book one will be used for the purchase of sugar. Get the best deals on wwii ration book when you shop the largest online. The first two images explain how ration books were to be used. Two world war ii war ration book four with stampsissued houston texas. This world war ii resource includes 48 task cards related to the major people, events and themes of world war ii. 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. When world war ii started, the government reduced deliveries to stores and restaurants, instituted price controls, and urged people to voluntarily reduce consumption.

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. Each month brought new ration stamps as the old ones expired. Office of price administration, the paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods. Special coupon books were issued to every man, woman, and child in the united states. What is the value of world war 2 ration books answers. Meat rationing continued for 10 years after dday june 1954 in 1946, when food was just as short as during the preceding years, bread was added to the ration and the sweet ration was halved. May 02, 2020 world war ii stress was particularly related to being unable to get news from family members who were serving their country. What is the value of world war 2 sugar ration stamps. Make offer two world war ii war ration book four with stampsissued houston texas. Make it do meat and cheese rationing in world war ii. 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. All of these things were rationed, which meant you were only allowed to buy a small amount even if you could afford more. 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 7. Each member of a family was issued their own books.