From: Ronald Gillen (gillen@NCONNECT.NET)
Date: Tue Jan 25 2000 - 07:33:58 PST
The OPA stands for the 'Office of Price Administration' which was the rationing authority in the US during WWII The red tokens were for rationed meats and products rationed in the meats group, they represented ration 'points' of a small nature and represented 'change' from the 'larger denomination points' which were paper preforated tear out 'stamps from your personal ration book. They came in three types by food and commodity groups, Red, Green and Blue. The tokens that were used as change coins had the same colors. The 1 on the token would represent 1 point, change from a larger paper denomination of lets say 10 points. Regards .... Ron Gillen ...... a child of WWII ========================================================== Barbara Appaloosa wrote: > Hello, > > At a flea market sale, I bought a couple red tokens which were > used during World War II. I asked my mother how they were used, > but she could only remember that they were worth one-tenth of a > US penny. She talked about rationing, but did not remember how > they were used. She was a child growing up in New York State > at the time. She said that sugar, gasoline, and cigarettes were > rationed but she thought that coupons where issued for these > things. > > The tokens are about the size of a US dime and appear to be made > out of card board. They are a rusty reddish color and have "OPA" > and "Red Point" written on them. They also have a large number 1 > in the center. > > Can anyone tell me how they were used during the 40's? Were > they related to the War time efforts? > > Thank you to anyone who can enlighten me. > > Barb