From: mpcgram-owner@papermoneyworld.net on behalf of MPCgram [mpcgram@yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 11:19 PM To: mpcgram@papermoneyworld.net Subject: MPCGram 1451 ------------------------ / MPC Gram News Letter / ----------------------- =========================================== MPC GRAM =========================================== Vol 7, no 1451 Wednesday April 12, 2006 Notes from the Eastern Front Steve Feller What is rationing and what is it done for? This seemingly simple question has interesting answesr in the little book, “The Market Square: The Story of the Food Ration Book 1940-1944.â€? The answer is curiously at the end of the book. Taking it at its simplest and earliest form in 1940, rationing meant "fair shares for all of foods in short supplies”easy to grasp and comparatively easy to operate. In those days fair shares meant equal shares, with the single exception of meat for small children. Quite soon the particular needs of certain invalids produced a slight break away from strict equality. Then came the phase of many unrationed foods being in short supply which began to undermine the early definition. No longer could it be claimed that shortages and restrictions in a few directions were immaterial since there was abundance in other directions. Gradually as the public gathered confidence in new schemes and in the potency of the ration book they gave up their early fear and dislike of it as a restrictive influence and came to look upon it as a friend and guide to sound nutrition. If, in fact, they took all that it offered and a reasonable share of the main important foods left uncovered by it, they knew they would fair all right. Ration books are poor cousins to bank notes. Yet they formed a crucial part of the WWII experience for tens of millions of people. While at the Cabinet War Rooms in London last weekend I bought a few books on the subject. These books were written during the war by those who created the system of rationing in England. I will be giving some excerpts to launch this column. The first book is entitled "The Market Square" and it details the Brisitsh ration system with details on the ration books themselves. Indeed the subtitle is "The Story of the Ration Book 1940-1944." The book is by "Impresario." I hope you enjoy the arcane and esoteric as I do. Ration books for over 40,000,000 people cannot be printed and distributed overnight. Generally speaking, we have to allow 9 to 12 months between going to print and bringing them into operation. ..We learned also that it was a great mistake to issue any instructions printed in the book ,there being very little likelihood of their remaining accurate by the time the book came into operation. The first set, designed for six months were produced and stored away some time before the war began. There were four different sets when they first came into use—R.B. 1 for those over 6, R.B. 2 for those under 6, R.B. 3 for travellers, and R.B. 6 for weekly seamen. Various other sets of books and cards were held in readiness but not in fact introduced. The essential features of R.B.1 and R.B. 2 (had) pages of coupons for each food (meat; bacon and ham; butter and margarine; cooking fats, including lard and dripping; sugar; three spares),and each page contained a counterfoil with which the holder could effect registration with a retailer. There was a space also on each page for noting the holder’s name if he should decide to leave the page permanently with his retailer. Each book contained a postcard called a reference leaf with which the holder applied later on for the next book; its name may seem curious seeing that its function was one of application. At a later stage it was due to form the basic record of the holder in the Food Office *********************************************************** Championship Question Corner Question: Bank of Reunion noets issued under Vichy administration/influence had what distinctive symbols? Question 110, difficulty 2. Yesterday's Question: What is the highest denomination Allied military yen note? Question 109, difficulty 2. Where was the note printed? Question 110, diffiulty 3. Answers: see below Comments from the field: Bill Myers wrote: the highest denomination AM yen was 1000 yen. It was printed by the Japanese Finance Ministry Printing Bureau. ========================================== Editorial ========================================== It has been another one of those real busy times and the Gram kind of got away from me. This is in spite of unprecedented participation. In addition to Jim Downey's column which started only a few weeks ago, and the phoenix like rising of Ski's contribution, we now have additional columns by Steve Feller and Jack Hunter. With these columns as support (double meaning intended), the future of the Gram is assured. This does not mean that we do not need submissions of news, commentary and other items from you. On the contrary, with the columns, news and ohter items are guaranteed (sort of) to get out in a timely and meaningful way. While I am singing the praise of these contributors I must remind everyone of the loyal service that Joe Boling has given us with his column. It is the longest running Gram column and knowing him, he will set a mark that will be hard to beat. In addition to the annual demands of the IRS in April, for the past week I have been working to downsize our warehouse. For those of you who have gone on a warehouse tour in the past, what you saw is a thing of the past. How many (tons of) auction catalogs, price lists and other stuff can a collector amase in 30 years of collecting? I do not know, but I know that it is a lot! My back is killing me but the old warehouse is just about empty and a much smaller facility is being occupied. This move is in conjunction with other organizational (??) changes to streamline HQ operations. ========================================== Mail Call =========================================== Dear Editor, I just want to say that the articles by Jim Downey are wonderful. But, that word (wonderful) is the one you always use. In any case, I really enjoy Jim's special approach to 'Military Numismatics.' Keep them coming. David Klinger Dear Dave, Cool, what a wonderful idea. I have another wonderful one. We have Wednesday available. You could write a wonderful column column for that day. It would be a wonderful addition to the Gram. Editor Dear Editor, What happened to the Gram? I have not received any in a long time (paraphrased). Guy Araby =========================================== 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. Donors to 2006 scholarship fund: Sue McCarty (list pending) 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