In World War II, the government introduced war ration stamps. They aimed to manage resources and control purchases of essential items. The war caused a tremendous need for almost everything, especially the restrictions on food items: sugar, flour, and cooking fats (lard). Another hardship for the household was vehicle needs such as tires, gas, and oil. These stamps were crucial in ensuring families could access food, tires, gas, and other necessities. Alongside the stamps, the government also introduced tokens. These tokens were made from a non-metal material, similar in size to a dime, and were dark red or blue. Each token was worth one-tenth of a penny, meaning ten tokens equaled one penny. Unfortunately, the token system didn’t work out as planned. Many people found them inconvenient and didn’t see the value in using them. As a result, they often ended up discarded or forgotten. My story explores the tokens, highlighting their significance during this challenging time. In Erie, the concept of environmental control needed to be improved. Many residents and businesses thought the town used backyards and alleys as dumping places. The town was far from being an All-American city.
During the war years, kids were very aware of unwanted tokens. To kids, tokens were seen as a valuable source. During the war years, a kid could buy a piece of gum or candy with a penny, if available. In both cases, availability was a problem. (Sugar was at the top of the ration list. Both candy and gum required sugar, making them scarce.) To us, the buying power of ten tokens was miraculous.
The best place for my scavenging adventure was to walk the alley behind the taverns. It was easy to sort through the trash or pick them up from the ground. The beer joints were a gold mine. The most significant token discovery of my life was outside the back doors of the taverns. It was exceptional on Saturday and Sunday mornings. There are always tokens to be excavated because of the drunks’ and bar owners’ disposal habits. My average beer joint haul was around ten to fifteen. I could exhume over thirty tokens if I were salvaging before another kid. The local drugstore would not entertain us for purchases with tokens. The bank told us to collect one hundred tokens as a minimum for a ten-cent exchange, an impossible task.
I was not the only kid working the alley. I remember at least two other fortune seekers. Often, on a lousy token recovery day, we would pool our revenue. Pooling tokens likely meant a kid would have to share or do without candy that day. No one kept written records, but when it came to this world of high finances, we always knew who owed whom.
A spending location was always challenging to find. Remember, tokens were a “pain in the tushie” to businesses. Some refused to accept tokens as legal tender, which was illegal. Eire was a tiny town. The town had only one store and a drugstore that sold candy. Only one sold penny candy. Our purchasing was limited.
The D & F store was available for our esteemed business. The storekeeper would have us count them out on his counter. The proprietor required an exact count. We were cash and carry customers. I imagine the store owner was giving us the candy. He did not want the tokens any more than anyone else.
Desired candy was scarce. Long lines of kids waited while working their way up to the counter for their turn to buy a piece of candy. Sometimes, the candy was sold out before you got to the counter. Another problem was that the storekeeper had regular customers. He went and served them while we waited. When short, the tokens were used to make deals; the world of high finance became a reality. Often, the purchased candy was traded at more than double its original cost, but kids were willing to bargain. After all, a sweet tooth is not something to laugh at.
I’m unsure when the token era was over; I assume ending in 1945. Tokens were nothing more than trash and treated that way. They disappeared after the war. The token vanishing most likely happened because of mass Treasury Department collection and the deterioration of the material, possibly hard-pressed cardboard. Several years later, they were nowhere to be found. Today, Second World War tokens can be found with coin collectors. I once read about a war token worth fifty dollars. It is very interesting knowing the original value was 1/10 of a penny.
**The photographs are intended only to help you understand the story. They have been taken off the internet, copyright-free photos.
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