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Beer voucher Midway Islands
| Issuer | Midway Islands (U.S. Naval Station) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942-1945 |
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| In circulation to | Yes |
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| Obverse description | Two-colour letterpress print in red and green on plain paper. A U.S. heraldic shield vignette occupies the centre, flanked by large numerals "5" and "3" in green. A red ornamental scroll border frames the entire note, with the inscription "MIDWAY ISLANDS" at top and "ONE BEER" below the shield. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | MIDWAY ISLANDS 5 ONE BEER 3 |
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| Comments |
U.S. Naval Station Midway operated a closed scrip economy during the war years, issuing beer vouchers to control alcohol distribution among enlisted personnel — a practical response to the logistical absurdity of shipping currency to an atoll 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu. These pieces circulated within the station canteen system only and had no value beyond the base perimeter.
Midway's strategic position after the June 1942 battle made it a permanent forward garrison, and the population of servicemen stationed there at any given time was large enough to require a formalized rationing mechanism. Paper beer tokens from this period survive in small numbers; most were discarded or destroyed at the end of tours.