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2 Cents Papago Park; PoW Camp
| Issuer | Papago Park Prisoner of War Camp Canteen |
|---|---|
| Year | 1943-1946 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Printed in dark blue on a cream-coloured paper stock, the obverse is divided into two panels: the left panel carries the camp and canteen inscriptions in bold letterpress type within a bordered frame, with the cautionary legend in a smaller italic hand at lower left, while the right panel is enclosed by a thick rectangular border and bears the large numeral "2" above the denomination word "CENTS". The serial number is printed in red ink across the lower portion of the left panel. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Reverse is entirely unprinted, showing the plain cream-coloured paper stock with no design, text, or ornamentation. |
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| Comments |
Papago Park, outside Phoenix, held German naval and Kriegsmarine personnel — not the typical infantry POW population. The U.S. War Department authorized internal canteen scrip at many camps to prevent genuine currency from circulating among prisoners, who were prohibited from holding American cash. This scrip was printed and issued locally by the camp itself, which accounts for its unambiguously modest production quality.
The camp became infamous in December 1944 when 25 prisoners escaped through a hand-dug tunnel — the largest German POW escape on American soil. All were recaptured within weeks. Scrip from this specific camp carries that notoriety, which has driven collector demand well beyond what the notes' physical attributes would otherwise justify.