Thursday, June 12, 2008

WWII Canada Meat Ration Token


meat ration token1
Originally uploaded by roberrific
This stiff navy blue cardboard token was issued to the Canadian people during and after World War II. There were several reasons why food was tightly rationed during the 'war years'. This is a reminder of that time. Sugar, coffee and tea were strictly limited because they were imported products. Meat was another story altogether. It was exported to feed the troops.

Dumpdiggers found this token while rooting through old cupboards in a farm work shed. I wondered what something like this might be worth? Its made of cardboard, ugly and mass produced... what do you think?

Here is this same Canada Meat Ration token offered for sale on eBay. At the time of this post, there's three days left in the auction... The Seller started the item at 1$ and there have been NO bids yet.

13 comments:

makuahine said...

That's really cool! I've never seen one of them myself, being in the Midwest USA. Here we had stamps, and we do have some of those that are being passed down through my husband's family: http://flickr.com/photos/anela/2332708206/in/set-72157603590722420/

Michelle B. Hendry said...

Amazing find! Very interesting...

Anonymous said...

Interesting. Might not be worth much but it's still a neat piece of history.

Rob L said...

I've got about 50+ of these. Not sure they are worth anything though.

robS said...

Here it is August 2010 and I came across my little blue cardboard meat ration tokens. I have about a hundred in the original ware time clip purse. I wonder what they are worth.

robS said...

Her it is August 2010 and I came across my little blue cardboard Canadian Meat Ration Tokens. I have about 100 of them in the original ww2 nylon clip purse. I also wonder what they are worth?

Anonymous said...

hey my mom has 1 too. guess its not worth much but very cool. when she was a waitress in WWII she would receive them for tips lmao.

Unknown said...

My dad (who moved to Canada from Holland when he was young), has a tobacco tin full of these meat ration tokens, we use them as gambling chips when playing cards.

Anonymous said...

My mother is elderly &n moving in with us. We were cleaning out cupboards & found a jar that contains 444 of the little buggers. Be nice if they are actually worth something.

Anonymous said...

They're not worth anything because there are so many of them around. I have abput 300 of them in different colours and can't give them away, let alone sell them. They are pretty cool though.

Anonymous said...

I collect ration tokens from the US. I have been looking for any from Canada with errors on them. Both US and Canadian tokens were made by the same company. There are some US tokens that are not as easy to find and have some value. One token with the letters MV on it can sell for up to 175 dollars.

Unknown said...

My mom and dad had a jar full that they used as Rumoli chips and which my wife and i now use for the same purpose. They are smaller and handier than plastic chips and pennies.

Mom said she had to trade them for meat coupons; wish I could remember more details.

They're really common on eBay and not worth much unless mint.

Unknown said...

I have one that is made out of metal that my great grandmother might have used. Like to be able to ask her, but her second husband shot her between the eyes then ran off to the States and wrapped his car around a tree killing himself. Can't ask grandma as she's gone too from kidney failure