From: mpcgram-owner@papermoneyworld.net on behalf of MPCgram [mpcgram@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 10:20 PM To: mpcgram@papermoneyworld.net Subject: MPCGram 1441 corrected with championship question added ------------------------ / MPC Gram News Letter / ----------------------- =========================================== MPC GRAM =========================================== Vol 7, no 1439 Monday March 20, 2006 Currency Control Coupons for Germany by Jim Downey Most MPC collectors are familiar with the currency control coupons that were used by Thai and South Korean troops in Viet Nam. In addition to MPC, each soldier was also given coupons in an amount equivalent to the amount of pay. The coupons were necessary for purchases at official establishments or exchange into their own currency. The purpose of the coupons was to limit the amount of money that these people could spend or exchange. Even if they participated in black market activities or other unsanctioned activities, they would never be able to spend or exchange more than their pay amounts because of the limitation on the amount of coupons they possessed. A recent discovery has revealed that this was not the first time that the United States used currency control coupons overseas. The July 15, 1946 edition of the Weekly Bulletin published by the Office of the Military Governor - United States (OMGUS) contains a brief article which indicates currency control coupons were introduced in the US Sector of Berlin in July 1946. According to the article, the purpose of the coupons is “to prevent Allied Military marks that were procured from sources other than legitimate from being converted into dollar instruments and thereby causing a drain on the financial resources of the United States.” The coupons were used in conjunction with the Currency Control Books which were introduced earlier. At this time US personnel in Germany were paid in Allied Military marks. The coupons were issued in books of 5, 10 and 20 dollars by the finance office of each unit. When an individual made a purchase at an official establishment (PX, mess, snack bar, etc.), the coupon book was presented along with the marks for the purchase. The dollar equivalent of coupons was removed by the merchant from the books to validate the marks used for the purchase. A reference in a publication put out in late 1946 by the Office of the Chief Historian, European Command called The First Year also discussed the currency control coupons in Berlin. This document also indicated that currency control coupons were also used in the Munich area at the same time. The Munich experience did not have very good results because of the proximity of installations that were not using the coupon system. According to the article in The First Year, the main disadvantage of the coupon system was the labor involved in processing and accounting for the coupons. The article notes that the amount of labor needed for the coupons was almost that needed for accounting for cash. The final comment indicates that this was the main reason for not instituting this system in the entire European Theater. The coupon system was retired with the introduction of MPC in the European Theater in September 1946. The significance of this information is that it provides the missing piece of the development of MPC and currency control. It indicates the existence of an otherwise unknown numismatic collectable – US dollar currency control coupons for Germany. The fact that coupons were used in two locations, Berlin and Munich, may also suggest that there are at least two different varieties of the coupons. The rarity of any existing coupons would be extraordinary considering that they were only used in a limited area and for an extremely short period of time. Unfortunately, no examples of the coupons are depicted in any of the sources, so very little is known about them. Where were they printed? What did they look like? Did they have serial numbers? What were the denominations? Too many questions, not enough information. The answers to these questions might be found in the records at the National Archives or other repository of information. Hopefully, some of the answers can be found in a scrapbook or dealer's junk box! *********************************************************** Championship Question Corner Question: replacments were indicated by serial letter G and H for what issues? Question 97, difficutly 3. Yesterday's Question: Question 96 In what country did the US Army generate the largest overdarft in World War II? Question 96. What numismatic issue was a direct result of the overdraft? Answer: see comments below Comments from the field: Bill Myers Jack Hunter and Jim (Champ) Downey correctly wrote: that the largest overdraft was in Germany and that the overdraft generated the MPC system. ========================================== Editorial ========================================== Wow, is Jim Downey's first column a zinger or what?! Amazing. It is not every day that we learn of a new type of issue that we did not know existed. Sure, we find little varieties every now and then, rarely a new signature, and very rarely a new denomination or series. We know that every five years or so we find a replacement that was not previously known, but this discovery by JIM is in a category about by itself--a new type of note! It is also extremely rare for us to have documentary evidence for a note (in this case series and possibly multiple series) without ever seeing or even hearing a rumor of one. Jim has me so excited that I can hardly wait till next week! ========================================== Mail Call =========================================== Dear Gram, Sorry I have not emailed sooner but I had lot of catching up to do. First of all I would like to thank you and the Boss for having me and Cathie at the fest it was one of the best conventions I have ever been at. I have already invited a few Canadians to come down next year. I will have to work my butt off and get some more material to bring down with me next year. After I came back I remembered I had some War Ration cheques from the Royal Bank of Canada I will attach a scan of 2 of them and see if they would fit into your book if so I have about 9 different ones I will send and you can decide if they fit in. Cathie asks you to thank Judy for driving her around so much she really enjoyed Port Clinton I think I would be a nice place to visit in the summertime. I am just getting everything ready for the C.N.A. convention in Niagara Falls this year as I am the Bourse Chairman and I am a little behind. Regards Dick Dunn Dear Dick, We were certainly pleased to have you at the Fest and are especially happy that you had a good time! We look forward to you bringing an entire squad next year! Are you planning a mini Fest for the CNA? Editor {private aside to Dick--you really need to work on your bowling (grin)} =========================================== Calendar =========================================== 2006 1-2 April 2006, "PaperMoneyFair-Maastricht", in the "Polfermolen" in beautiful Valkenburg. Netherlands. The most important and best attended paper money bourse in Europe if not the world! For more information, go to the show's web site at http://www.papermoney-maastricht.org/ or contact the show organizer, Jos Eijsermans, at apnc.eijsermans@wxs.nl 7-9 April ANA convention, Atlanta The London Paper Money Fair has moved to: Victory Services Club, 63 Seymour Street, off Edgware Road, Marble Arch London and the dates are: May 7, July 2 and Nov 26. see: www.britishnotes.co.uk or www.londonpapermoneyfair.co.uk June 1-3 Long Beach, mini fest to be announced 16-18 June Memphis 1-14 July ANA summer seminar 16-20 August ANA convention, Denver September 14th-16th, Long Beach, mini fest to be annuonced The World Paper Money Fair, organised by the London chapter of the IBNS will be September 30/October 1 at the new venue: Hotel Russell, Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London.  see: www.ibnslondon.org.uk Oct/Nov Pcda St Louis ========================================== for dealer Hot Contact list, ANA MPC museum holdings and other static information please click this link: http://www.papermoneyworld.net/Gramattichments.htm ========================================== 2006 scholarship fund Donations of cash and numismatic material will be gladly accepted. Generally the numismatic material is auctioned at MPCFest, but might be sold via ebay or other places. Your scholarship donations help the hobby by sending qualified individuals to the ANA summer seminar military money class. Except for unavoidable charges like ebay fees, 100% of your donation goes to scholarships. Donations are now being accepted for the 2006 scholarship fund. Applications are also being accepted for the 2006 scholarships. Contact me at: "Marcus Turner" mail to: maturner@indy.rr.com Checks should be made out to the "Military Numismatists Scholarship." or Marcus Turner Marcus Turner PO Box 191 Danville, Indiana 46122 USA Contributors to the 2005 scholarship were: Ed Hoffman, Warner Talso, RA Medina, John & Nancy Wilson, Keith & Sue Bauman, Dan Freeland, Tom Koch, Doug Bell, Cuneyd Tolek, David Seelye, Brian Giese, Larry Smulczenski, Joe Boling, Dick & Loretta Freyser, Mark Watson, John Cheney, Roger Urce, Harold Kroll, Al Glaser. (also Memphis Belle note purchasers and summer seminar participants. irie Harris, Robert Connell, William Benton, Ed Beaman, Frank Clark, Howard A. Daniel III, Dick and Loretta Freyser, Dan and Kathy Freeland, Jack Hunter, Harld Kroll, Tim Kyzivat, Leo May, Robbie Robinson, Joel Shafer, Neil Shafer, Larry Smulczenski, Steve Swoish, Roger Urce, Ron Waddell, Pam West, John and Nancy Wilson, Adolf Witzke, Wendell Wolka. IMPORTANT SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION Additional information can be found at the link below. We encourage everyone to print copies of this information and distribute it to those who might be interested. Further you are encouraged to e-mail the pdf document to anyone you see fit. Thank you http://www.papermoneyworld.net/news/Military Numismatists Scholarship Fund 2003.pdf Scholarships from the ANA: See the following location for an application for financial aid to the summer seminar: http://www.money.org/sumsemfin.html ========================================= POST / BASE EXCHANGE(PX/BX/NEX) Dump your dupes! Your classified advertisement for items for sale, purchase or trade will be run here for free. Send your ads to the gram. This service is for everyone, most humble dealer or most advanced collector. The point is to make the gram more interesting. In all cases confirm your order via email first. WANTED SECTION: Collectors may submit lists of items wanted for their collections for listing here. Dealers and collectors who have these items, are then encouraged to list them for sale in the above section as a reply. Wanted listings will run for a period of 1 month. ============================================= MPC Gram Staff: Publisher, editor: Fred Schwan fred@papermoneyworld.net; Subscription Manager:Doug Bell- doug@papermoneyworld.net Tuesday Columnist : JoeBoling- JoeBoling@aol.com Friday Columnist: Warner Talso: wtalso@aol.com Fest Auctioneer: Larry "Ski"Smulczenski - skitex@cox.net, Critic:Harold Kroll - HARBONS@aol.com Scholarship Coordinator: Marcus Turner- marucs@papermoneyworld.net; Webmaster and Technical Advisors:Doug Bell "Wiz" - doug@papermoneyworld.net Russ Walsh - russ.walsh@gte.net Fact Checker: Warner Talso -Calendar Coordinator: John and Nancy Wilson -The Boss: Judy Schwan MPC Gram is published by BNR Press and papermoneyworld.com as a free service to the community of military money collectors. Your suggestions, criticisms, complaints, editorial contributions, letters, and even praise are very welcome. The entire contents including linked illustrations are copyright protected by the publishers. In the case of contributors, the copyright is protected on behalf of the creators. Please send all correspondence regarding the gram to MPCgram@yahoo.com. Thank you very much for your participation. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com mpc gram mail list To subscribe to a list, send a mail message to "imailsrv@papermoneyworld.net" at this address with the following in the body of the message: subscribe mpcgram your_full_name To unsubscribe from a list, send a mail message to "imailsrv@papermoneyworld.net" at this address with the following in the body of the message: unsubscribe mpcgram if you have any problems please report then to doug@papermoneyworld.net