5 Cents Pusan; NCO Open Mess

Pusan NCO Open Mess scrip circulated during the Korean War period, when the U.S. military issued closed-loop currency at post facilities to prevent American dollars from leaking into the Korean black market — a serious problem throughout the conflict. These mess tokens were not legal tender outside the facility and carried no exchange guarantee, which is precisely why so few were preserved by the men who used them.

Pusan, as the primary port of entry and rear-area logistics hub, supported a substantial permanent garrison separate from frontline rotations, giving this scrip an unusually long potential service window.