War ration book four, issued to the family of gardiner johnson. 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. The coupons, smaller than postage stamps, were for staples like sugar, gas, coffee and milk. Ration coupons on the home front, 19421945 source collection. As you probably know, there were millions of ration books issued between 1942 and 1946. 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. Fuel oil ration class 3 consumer coupon sheet 5 gallon coupons 2 copies 1. Rationing began on 8th january 1940 when bacon, butter and sugar were rationed. In world war ii it was the site of one of the bloodiest and most strategic battles in the pacific.
Use this ration booklet to teach about ww2 and rationing. Ration books world war ii 1943 1945 description this small collection consists of world war ii ration books and related information issued between 1943 and 1945. Heres a look at what those ration books and rationing stamps looked like. Find war ration book four, issued to the family of gardiner johnson by u. A brilliant example of a ration booklet that children can use during their learning on the second world war and rationing. Office of price administration covid19 update may 17, 2020. Their names are on the front cover, along with their national registration numbers. Food rationing lasted for 14 years in britain, from 1940 until 1954. People lined up at public places staffed by volunteers who took depositions on how much sugar each family already had at home and then issued ration books containing coupons good for a years supply. But dont sell it untill you get a good idea of the prices people are getting for that kind of thing. May 22, 2006 to a collector it would be worth a great deal. Most of these items were from a special set assembled by the library of congress after the war.
Booklets were consolidated from diverse donations in the past. Youll notice that they change slightly throughout the war. War ration book one 1942 office of price administration. Guide to the world war ii ration coupon collection, 19421946. Sugar, the first item rationed nationwide in may 1942, started the process, followed by coffee.
This was to prevent hoarding and to ensure everyone got. The first book is a united states of america war ration book one. Both are marked war ration book, united states of america, office of price administration. 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. Wwii paperback january 1, 1942 by office of price administration author. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front. Jul 11, 2016 this meant planning meals carefully, being creative with menus, and not wasting food. Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services, or an artificial. An estimated 29,000 japanese soldiers and 20,000 civilians died trying to defend the island. Fuel oil ration class 3 consumer coupon sheet 1 gallon coupons 1 copy 1.
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial restriction of demand. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front, 1942. Ration book definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Minimal value but they do tell a great story of a nations sacrifice during wartime. Each stamp was numbered and had a picture airplane, tank, warship, etc, but was not identified with any one item it could purchase. Poster instructing how to use ration tokens collections search. 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. Guide to the world war ii rationing collection, 19421945.
It has three stamps inside which are numbered 19, 20, and 22. By spring 1943, the federal office of price administration had allotted points to each. A look back america rations food during world war ii, and civilians. Over time the number of rationed items grew as did.
For example, world war ii ration books include the persons name, age, address, occupation, and even their height and weight. Fuel oil ration class 3 consumer coupon sheet 25 gallon coupons 2 copies 1. By 1942 many other foodstuffs, including meat, milk, cheese, eggs and cooking fat were also on the ration. An estimated 29,000 japanese soldiers and 20,000 civilians died trying to defend the. After seeing an old war time ration quota for the period of 194243, i sat down and. Saipan was japanese territory and one of the last line of defenses before the homeland. Other meat value of 1 shilling and 2 pence equivalent to 2 chops cooking fat 4 oz. This ration book belonged to luella runck of oxford, indiana. There are many forms of rationing, and in western civilization people experience some of them in daily life without. More than 8,000 ration boards across the country administered the program. This meant planning meals carefully, being creative with menus, and not wasting food. Ration books were printed in 1942 and contain sheets of stickers inside. The books have been well used several pages are missing from each book, coupons have been cut from the remaining pages and some coupons are scored through. This collection consists of unused certificates, coupons and stamps issued by the united states government office of price administration opa on certain goods that were rationed during world war ii.
The books belonged to rosetta smith and pearl smith from bell country, kentucky. Ration book four also introduced red and blue cardboard tokens, each valued at onepoint, to be used as change for ration coupon purchases. From what i can tell they are from 19421945 approximately. War ration books were produced by the united states office of price administration in 1942 when united states officially entered the second world war. Create a role play area and provide students with one, and let them experience rationing firsthand.
Because of these shortages, the us governments office of price administration established a system of rationing that would more fairly distribute foods that were. During spring 1942, the government introduced rationing of certain consumer items that were in short supply. When rationing ended, there were still millions of books in the hands of the general public and businesses across america as well as in the uk. American civilians first received ration books war ration book number one, or the sugar bookon 4 may 1942, through more than 100,000 school teachers, pta groups and other volunteers 7 sugar was the first consumer commodity rationed. 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. It will limit their purchases of sugar beginnning around the middle of march to 12 ounces per individual per week. Price administration opa, was put in place with stamps, ration booklets and some other similar systems. Collection consists of ration coupons, stickers, permits, and certificates for tires. Ration coupons on the home front, 1942 1945 source collection. This assembled collection consists of war ration books 1, 2, and 4 issued in the. Ration books are not worth anything because everyone had them. Some of the technologies we use are necessary for critical functions like security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and to make the site work correctly for browsing and transactions.
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. Of the 180,000,000 printed, 123,000,000 were issued. To counteract rising food prices, the opa introduced ration stamps. War ration book four 1943 office of price administration private collection. Examples of books 1 through 4 are represented with many different names associated with the booklets. Canadian war ration books food rationing in canada 19421947. What would be the value, if any, of war ration books. Why not create a role play area and provide all children with one, allowing them to experience rationing firsthand. War ration books ww2 1942 large lot mileage sugar more 7a. War ii ration coupon collection, 19421946, david m.
Today, i decided to learn a little more about ration books because they are an interesting historical artifact in addition to being a useful genealogy aid. Get the best deals on war ration book when you shop the largest. Ration book used during world war ii with sheets of stamps inserted in the middle. I was given 6 war ration books with most of the stamps still in them. 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 ration book one 1942 office of price administration private collection. Ration book definition and meaning collins english.
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. The paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods. Aug 09, 2012 thank you for the question on your ration book. Individuals used these books daily to purchase rationed goods such as sugar, butter, beefsteak, and gas. These food ration books from 1941 and 1943 belonged to alan and margaret martin who lived in stratfordonavon. 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. Ration books of world war ii arizona historical society. My grandmother recently died peacefully at 95, and while my sisters and i were. More the day before gasoline rationing started 1942. This poster is part of the rationing program established by the office of price. Office of price administration, the paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods. The emergency price control act of january 30, 1942, provided a. Get the best deals on wwii ration book when you shop the largest. An estimated 8,775,706,000 pounds of sugar have been rationed since the program began on may 5, 1942, one year ago today.
Fuel oil ration class 3 consumer coupon sheet 100 gallon coupons 3 copies 1. After seeing an old war time ration quota for the period of 194243, i sat down and wrote of what i remember of my youth of growing up in these war years and the. The most common war ration book material is cotton. The story my grandparents war ration books told me. German u boats began attacking brazilian ships in 1942, in recognition. Unfollow world war 2 ration books to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. 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. Motorists received ration stamps according to their needs, with pleasure driving out. United states of america war ration book one may 4, 1942. It has the warnings on the front and was printed in 1942. Fire roll, hand drill, bow drill, and bamboo fire saw duration.
National expenditure could be diverted to the war effort and food could. Office of price administration opa froze prices on practically all everyday goods, starting with sugar and coffee. Initially used to ration sugar, coupons were later designated for other products. Each stamp was worth 1 lb of sugar and was given a designed two week period during. In 1942, five months after december 8, 1941 the united states entered the second world war, book one series were issued. Home page ration book search why war ration book no. Coffee seedlings stolen from yemen in 1699 were planted near the dutch. The near and middle easts share, by contrast, was a mere 5.
The government introduced rationing because certain things were in short supply, and to ensure that everyone got their. Although the united states did not have food rationing in world war i, it relied heavily on. Wwii ration books are items of historic ephemera dating from the second world war. The first two images explain how ration books were to be used. Civilians first received ration bookswar ration book number one, or the sugar bookon 4 may 1942, through more than 100,000. As a result of the experience of 191718, ration books were issued when food rationing came into force in january 1940. There is a note on the back of the book that reads. Can you tell me more about rationing from this period and what the ones i have might be worth. I recently inherited my familys world war ii ration books, including paper coupons and coins. The ration books became more and more complicated to use and understand. War ration book two 1942 office of price administration private collection. Ration books, world war ii, original object lessons. Learn more about rationing for the war effort during world war ii with.
Ration books were printed in 1942 and contain sheets of. Four different series of war ration books were issued. Ration book four was printed in red, blue and green. War ration stamps were a common item, and they are not in high demand as a collectible item, making their value fairly low.