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Thread: Anyone know how WWII rationing worked?

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    Anyone know how WWII rationing worked?

    World War II Ration Books and Stamps.jpg

    Anyone know how WWII rationing worked?

    I know they had at least 3 ration books. Maybe one for each year?

    They said the ration book was not valid without an affixed stamp, but most of the samples I've seen were used without stamps. One sample book had a rubber stamp in the official stamp area. It is possible due to shortages that they stopped using stamps. I've seen WWII magazines where they cut back on one or two of the staples used to bind the books. As well as cutting back on the # of pages in magazines during the war era. So maybe it was the same deal with stamps and glue. The metal staple shortage can be seen within the editions of the rationing books themselves as book #2 used 2 staples and book #3 used 1 staple.

    They had a variety of ration coupon types within the books. The coupons with grain were maybe used for bread. Out of 6 books I examined there was only one book that had a few of the grain coupons left. They were marked alphabetically and the number 1. I saw another coupon marked alphabetically and had an illustration of a cup. Only a few of those left as well. Maybe they were for oil or milk? I'm just guessing, all the old timers I know are dead, so no one to ask.

    The early coupons in Book One were just numbered. Book One was a fold out affair and not stapled. In later books they were saddle stitched and had coupons with cannons, tanks, ships and planes along with the cup and grain coupons. There was no mention as to what the cannons, tanks, ships and planes coupons were used for.

    The official titles to the ration books are as follows:

    United States of America War Ration Book One
    War Ration Book Two
    War Ration Book No.3

    I know a gal with a couple of old aunts in their 90's. So hopefully she can ask them if they are still alive.


    edit:

    On the back of the ration book they give 4 instructions. Among them they tell you..."Detailed instructions concerning the use of the book and the stamps will be issued."


    Last edited by slackercruster; 08-28-2021 at 11:05 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by slackercruster View Post
    Attachment 42209

    Anyone know how WWII rationing worked?

    I know they had at least 3 ration books. Maybe one for each year?

    They said the ration book was not valid without an affixed stamp, but most of the samples I've seen were used without stamps. One sample book had a rubber stamp in the official stamp area. It is possible due to shortages that they stopped using stamps. I've seen WWII magazines where they cut back on one or two of the staples used to bind the books. As well as cutting back on the # of pages in magazines during the war era. So maybe it was the same deal with stamps and glue. The metal staple shortage can be seen within the editions of the rationing books themselves as book #2 used 2 staples and book #3 used 1 staple.

    They had a variety of ration coupon types within the books. The coupons with grain were maybe used for bread. Out of 6 books I examined there was only one book that had a few of the grain coupons left. They were marked alphabetically and the number 1. I saw another coupon marked alphabetically and had an illustration of a cup. Only a few of those left as well. Maybe they were for oil or milk? I'm just guessing, all the old timers I know are dead, so no one to ask.

    The early coupons in Book One were just numbered. Book One was a fold out affair and not stapled. In later books they were saddle stitched and had coupons with cannons, tanks, ships and planes along with the cup and grain coupons. There was no mention as to what the cannons, tanks, ships and planes coupons were used for.

    The official titles to the ration books are as follows:

    United States of America War Ration Book One
    War Ration Book Two
    War Ration Book No.3

    I know a gal with a couple of old aunts in their 90's. So hopefully she can ask them if they are still alive.
    I still have two of my grandfathers gas nation books; I'll see what it says exactly.

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    Gas in WWII...forgot about that. Just remember the gas rationing in the 70's.

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    I have been watching the last two series of "The Walton's" on the rerun channel. They took place during WWII and are very accurate as far as I can tell. Lots of talk about rationing, scrap metal drives, ect...and of course John Walton being in the lumber business and the Army needed that! Also about women in the workforce as the young men were drafted into service including members of the family.

    Hard times for Americans indeed, but they pulled together!

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    Each person was allotted certain items for a month. The seller had to produce the stamps for the Feds when he sold. That brought about selling fake ration cards.

    There were some exemptions and such.
    Liberals are a clear and present danger to our nation
    Pick your enemies carefully.






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    Quote Originally Posted by slackercruster View Post
    Attachment 42209

    Anyone know how WWII rationing worked?

    I know they had at least 3 ration books. Maybe one for each year?

    They said the ration book was not valid without an affixed stamp, but most of the samples I've seen were used without stamps. One sample book had a rubber stamp in the official stamp area. It is possible due to shortages that they stopped using stamps. I've seen WWII magazines where they cut back on one or two of the staples used to bind the books. As well as cutting back on the # of pages in magazines during the war era. So maybe it was the same deal with stamps and glue. The metal staple shortage can be seen within the editions of the rationing books themselves as book #2 used 2 staples and book #3 used 1 staple.

    They had a variety of ration coupon types within the books. The coupons with grain were maybe used for bread. Out of 6 books I examined there was only one book that had a few of the grain coupons left. They were marked alphabetically and the number 1. I saw another coupon marked alphabetically and had an illustration of a cup. Only a few of those left as well. Maybe they were for oil or milk? I'm just guessing, all the old timers I know are dead, so no one to ask.

    The early coupons in Book One were just numbered. Book One was a fold out affair and not stapled. In later books they were saddle stitched and had coupons with cannons, tanks, ships and planes along with the cup and grain coupons. There was no mention as to what the cannons, tanks, ships and planes coupons were used for.

    The official titles to the ration books are as follows:

    United States of America War Ration Book One
    War Ration Book Two
    War Ration Book No.3

    I know a gal with a couple of old aunts in their 90's. So hopefully she can ask them if they are still alive.


    edit:

    On the back of the ration book they give 4 instructions. Among them they tell you..."Detailed instructions concerning the use of the book and the stamps will be issued."


    Perhaps this will help: Make It Do - Meat and Cheese Rationing in World War II (sarahsundin.com)
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    I noticed the generation before mine ate a tremendous amount of bread. That must have carried over from growing up on rationing and depression. One helping and then fill up on bread.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Who View Post
    Yes, that is interesting info. Thanks

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    Quote Originally Posted by slackercruster View Post
    Yes, that is interesting info. Thanks
    I believe the stamps came in red, blue and green. The prior link indicates that the red and blue were for proteins and processed goods. The green stamps appear to have been for members of the military and they could buy whatever they wanted with them.

    With all of the validation periods, it was certainly complicated. One of the links below lists the periods for which the stamps were valid according to the letters on the stamps.
    There are also these links:

    WORLD WAR TWO RATION STAMP POINTS RELEASE DATES - Living Like the Past - gDonna's Generations Before Us

    WWII Ration Books (udel.edu) (this link also includes instructions on how to print your own ration book)

    World War II ration coupon collection, 1942-1946 - Archives & Manuscripts at Duke University Libraries

    Certificates (alumnibhs.com)

    Digital Collection -WWII War Ration Book 4 (mass.edu)

    RATION BOOK QUESTIONS | Coin Talk
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Who View Post
    I believe the stamps came in red, blue and green. The prior link indicates that the red and blue were for proteins and processed goods. The green stamps appear to have been for members of the military and they could buy whatever they wanted with them.
    With all of the validation periods, it was certainly complicated. One of the links below lists the periods for which the stamps were valid according to the letters on the stamps.
    There are also these links:
    WORLD WAR TWO RATION STAMP POINTS RELEASE DATES - Living Like the Past - gDonna's Generations Before Us

    WWII Ration Books (udel.edu) (this link also includes instructions on how to print your own ration book)

    World War II ration coupon collection, 1942-1946 - Archives & Manuscripts at Duke University Libraries

    Certificates (alumnibhs.com)
    Digital Collection -WWII War Ration Book 4 (mass.edu)
    RATION BOOK QUESTIONS | Coin Talk
    Thanks for the help!

    I had heard about 'saving stamps' from working with WW2 rationing ephemera and WW2 propaganda films. Recently I found out what they are.
    People would buy .10 or .25 war stamps and put them in a special folder. Once they got to $18.75 they could buy a $25 war bond to fund the war effort.

    s-l1600.jpg

    s-l1600.jpg


    Can you imagine funding a war at .10 at a time. What a different world it was.

    The gal I mentioned was able to contact her aunts. One had broken her back, but it was not too bad and she was recovering. The aunts were too young at the time to remember much of the rationing era. I thought they were in their 90's, but they are only in their late late 80's and were only 10 years old during WW2. Anyway, I'm doing a good job piecing the rationing mystery together little by little.

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