OPA coins (commonly called OPA’s) were used for change for food. OPA’s were used by retailers to give change back for food bought with ration stamps. There are 30 different red tokens and 24 blue ones. They are all vulcanized fiber (celluloid) and 16 mm in size.
What is an Opa token?
OPA tokens were rationing tokens that were first issued on February 27, 1944, for rationing during WWII. In May of 1942, OPA stamps were used. The OPA token would now represent 1 point and an OPA stamp would be worth 10 of these new OPA tokens. OPA stands for Office of Price Administration.
What was the OPA during ww2?
The Office of Price Administration (OPA) was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA were originally to control money (price controls) and rents after the outbreak of World War II.
How much are Opa tokens worth?
On various price lists, the blue tokens sell for 80 cents and the red tokens for 40 cents. The few scarcer letters sell for $2 and $4. Error pieces — usually off-center or double-struck pieces — are more valuable, with prices shown online of $2.50 to $6 for off-center pieces and $5 to $6.50 for double-struck pieces.
What items were rationed even after the war ended?
As World War II came to a close in 1945, so did the government’s rationing program. By the end of that year, sugar was the only commodity still being rationed. That restriction finally ended in June 1947. Plenty of other goods remained in short supply for months after the war, thanks to years of pent-up demand.
What are Opa tokens made of?
The red OPA tokens were for things like meats and fats, while the blue tokens were for processed foods. As for their looks, they are made out of vulcanized fiber (whatever the heck that’s supposed to mean) and look and feel kind of like cardboard. They are 16mm in diameter.
What did ration tokens look like?
They were made of a vulcanized fiber and were 16-mm in diameter. These basically were “small change” for stamps from ration books. The blue tokens had a value of one point and had two letters and read “OPA Blue Point 1.” There are 24 different letter combinations known for the blue tokens.
Why was the OPA created?
President Roosevelt established the Office of Price Administration and Civilian Supply in April 1941 to “stabilize prices and rents and prevent unwarranted increases in them; to prevent profiteering, hoarding and speculation; to assure that defense appropriations were not dissipated by excessive prices; to protect …
What did the OPA do quizlet?
The OPA froze wages and prices and initiated a rationing program for items such as gas, oil, butter, meat, sugar, coffee and shoes in order to support the war effort and prevent inflation. The functions were originally to stabilize prices (price controls) and rents after the outbreak of World War II.
How much are ration coins worth?
As mentioned earlier, rationing stamps were worth ten points, so OPA tokens would be used to make change, which is why they’re worth one point. Nowadays they are worth fifty cents on average. Dealers at coin shows and coin shops have bins of them for 50 cents a piece or even less.
What did the WPB do?
The WPB directed conversion of industries from peacetime work to war needs, allocated scarce materials, established priorities in the distribution of materials and services, and prohibited nonessential production. It rationed such commodities as gasoline, heating oil, metals, rubber, paper and plastics.
What are ration tokens worth?
As mentioned earlier, rationing stamps were worth ten points, so OPA tokens would be used to make change, which is why they’re worth one point. Nowadays they are worth fifty cents on average.
What did Opa want to correct?
The OPA froze wages and prices and initiated a rationing program for items such as gas, oil, butter, meat, sugar, coffee and shoes in order to support the war effort and prevent inflation. established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States Government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941.
What was the WPB purpose quizlet?
Created by American government to oversee the conversion of factories to War production.