10 Cents Gravenhurst; PoW Camp

Camp 20 at Gravenhurst, Ontario was one of Canada's largest prisoner of war facilities during the Second World War, housing German and Italian POWs. Canteen scrip of this type was issued under the Geneva Convention framework, which required that prisoners receive pay for labour and have access to goods — but not through regular currency. The scrip kept money within the camp economy and prevented POWs from accumulating funds usable for escape or barter with civilians.

By 1946, the war was over but repatriation was slow. Men were still confined at Gravenhurst months after V-E Day, which is why canteen issues from that year exist at all.