Wartime US paper money

[Baron Kurtz]

I found in the pocket of a pair of late 40s trousers the remains of a $1 bill. But it was printed on thickish paper, instead of the standard stuff we know today. So, did the wartime shortages lead to the printing of paper money on paper instead of parchment?

Or do i just have some monopoly money (albeit quite old) in my pocket?

bk

 

[fortworthgal]

I'd be interested in knowing the answer to this. I would be surprised if the money were printed on actual paper. Most books printed during the war will have a stamp indicating that the publisher has adhered to wartime printing standards to conserve paper.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Paper money has always been printed on high quality rag paper for longevity. Could you post a (partial) picture of that note Baron?

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Here's a website with some interesting facts about U.S. currency.

http://www.ronscurrency.com/index.htm

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Could you post a (partial) picture of that note Baron?

Shall do. Will take pics when i get home this evening. All i have is a corner of a bill. It was shattered in the pocket. It's certainly not the kind of paper you'd expect real paper money to be printed on. Thus i suspect monopoly. Should go into the weird pocket finds, eh?

bk

 

[tallyho]

I used to be a bank teller when I was a teenager in the mid 80s. One day, this older woman brought in a bunch of money she had been hiding in her sock drawer for who knows how long. To my surprise they were notes from the 1920s-1960s! I told her she should take them to a dealer and probably get more for them then face value but she said she didnt have the time. After taking her deposit, I went through them all and got some of the more interesting ones for my self (didnt steal them, traded my money for it) I got a few 1920s silver certificates with blue seals and a few other bills from the 30s and 40s plus one from '69(when I was born). the "paper" was pretty much the same as today but the colors, especially the green, was more vibrant. other details were different. Whenever I get totally vintaged out, I will carry them allong with a pocket full of 30-40s coins I got from working their too.

 

[priestyboy]

Whenever I get totally vintaged out, I will carry them allong with a pocket full of 30-40s coins I got from working their too.[/QUOTE]

Just out of curiosity, when you get "totally vintaged out" how much and what denominations do you carry? How much did the average person carry? I'm sure far less than we do today

 

[MrBern]

I ALWAYS check my change.
Just last week, I received a 1947 nickel at lunch. Earlier this year, I got a $10 dated 1950.
A friend of mine got a `42 quarter as change at a tollbooth.

I must say that I admire the soft patina of a coin thats been thru so many hands.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Just out of curiosity, when you get "totally vintaged out" how much and what denominations do you carry? How much did the average person carry? I'm sure far less than we do today

I'm not so sure about that, most people I know only carry about $20 and a debit card.

As for the stock of the money, I would be surprised if it were printed on different stock and I couldn't find anything supporting that it was ever done. However, I did learn that Hawaii printed special US Currency in case it was occupied by the Japanese, they could designate all of the Hawaiian currency as worthless.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I'm not so sure about that, most people I know only carry about $20 and a debit card.

As for the stock of the money, I would be surprised if it were printed on different stock and I couldn't find anything supporting that it was ever done. However, I did learn that Hawaii printed special US Currency in case it was occupied by the Japanese, they could designate all of the Hawaiian currency as worthless.

The same the world over.
From the website I refered to earlier;

During WWII, the US had troops all over the world. Since the local economies were in ruins and a soldier might be in England one day and North Africa the next, the only way to pay a soldier would be in US dollars. The problem was that large sums of cash could be captured by the enemy and used to supply their troops. The solution in the North African theater was to issue $1, $5 and $10 Silver Certificates with a yellow seal instead of the familiar blue seal. As with the HAWAII notes, they would be distinctive enough to easily demonitized if required.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Shall do. Will take pics when i get home this evening. All i have is a corner of a bill. It was shattered in the pocket. It's certainly not the kind of paper you'd expect real paper money to be printed on. Thus i suspect monopoly. Should go into the weird pocket finds, eh?

bk

If it was shattered then it was definately play money. Only cheap wood pulp paper will shatter with age due to the fact that it is made by the action of sulfuric acid upon the wood fibers that comprise the paper. The acid continues to break down the wood (or any other material) from which the paper was made. And so over time the paper will turn yellow and fall apart.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Baron, you probably thought of this, but is it possible the pants were used in some sort of theatrical production and the bill was a prop? A very good one evidentially. Or perhaps you have the pants of a counterfeiter.