Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
5 Cents Fort George; PoW Camp
| Issuer | Fort George G. Meade Prisoner of War Camp Canteen |
|---|---|
| Year | 1943-1946 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Cents (0.05 USD) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Printed in black on violet paper, the obverse is divided into two sections: the left field carries the camp canteen inscriptions in bold letterpress type along with a cautionary notice at lower left, while the right section is enclosed within a ruled border and displays the large numeral '5' above the denomination text. A red serial number appears in the centre of the note. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | P/W 5 CENTS E |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Fort George G. Meade in Maryland held Axis prisoners — primarily German — during and after the war, and like most large PoW installations in the United States, it operated a canteen system through which prisoners could purchase goods using scrip rather than U.S. currency. This prevented any accumulation of legal tender that could theoretically fund an escape or be passed outside the wire.
The violet paper used for this 5-cent denomination was a deliberate anti-counterfeiting measure: each denomination in the series used a distinct tinted stock, making substitution or forgery immediately obvious to canteen staff.