OPA Tokens - Bob's Tokens

History and Other Information

OPA stands for Office of Price Administration
Rationing was first started in 1942. Items that were rationed include canned goods, meats, sugar, coffee, tires, gas and more.
The Office of Price Administration used OPA stamps, coins, and chits for rationing.
OPA coins (commonly called OPAs) were used for change for food.
OPAs were used by retailers to give change back for food bought with ration stamps.
Blue tokens were used for processed foods; red tokens for meats and fats.
OPAs were first issued in 1944
Stopped being issued in 1945
Nobody has found a true reason for the letters on the OPA’s. Theories include, they are random; demographics; and prevention of counterfeiting.
Red letter combinations known. HC, HT, MM, MV, TH, TY, UC, UH, UT, UV, UX, UY, VC, VH, VT, VU, VX, VY, XC, XH, XT, XU, XV, XY, YC, YH, YT, YU, YV, YX.
Blue letter combinations known. CC, CH, CT, CV, CX, HH, HU, HV, HX, HY, TC, TT, TU, TV, TX, UU, VV, WC, WH, WT, WU, WW, XX, YY
The rarest is the red MV. The next rarest are the blue WH and then red MM and the blue CX and WC. Then blue WW and XX. The rest are fairly easy to find. Reds are a lot more common than blues.
Error OPAs are worth a little more. There is a good example at the end of this page.
OPA tokens were used for rationing during World War II
There are 30 different red tokens and 24 blue ones.
They are all vulcanized fiber (celluloid) and 16mm in size.
Blue ones read: OPA Blue Point 1 (with two different letters)
Red ones read: OPA Red Point 1 (with two different letters)

Token Order Form

Available Tokens

RED OPA’S

HC 60c
HT 60c
MM $5.00
MV
TH $2.00
TY 60c
UC 60c
UH 60c
UT 60c
UV $2.00
UX 60c
UY 60c
VC 60c
VH 60c
VT 60c
VU $2.00
VX 60c
VY 60c
XC $3.50
XH 60c
XT 60c
XU 60c
XV 60c
XY 60c
YC $4.00
YH 60c
YT $4.65
YU 60c
YV 60c
YX 60c

**SPECIAL** Complete set of the above red OPAs without the MV $29.95

**SPECIAL** 50 mixed red OPAs (20+ different.) $10.00 ppd.

BLUE OPA’S

CC 80c
CH $2.00
CT $2.00
CV $2.00
CX $15.00
HH 95c
HU 95c
HV 95C
HX $5.00
HY 95c
TC 95c
TT $2.00
TU 95c
TV 95c
TX 95c
UU 95c
VV 95c
WC $21.00
WH
WT $27.50
WU $4.00
WW $4.00
XX $4.00
YY 80c

Red Canada Meat $2.50

(Sold out) **SPECIAL** 250 mixed blue OPAs (18+ different.) $50.00 ppd.

(Sold out) **SPECIAL** All the blue OPAs except WC and WH $29.95 ppd.

**SPECIAL** 100 mixed red OPAs $18.00 ppd.

**SPECIAL** 500 mixed red OPAs $75.00 ppd.

ERROR OPA’S

The following is an example of an error OPAs. The pictures were sent to me by Dan Orbeck. As you can see OPAs can be struck, by mistake, more than one time. They are also not always centered when struck.

Red TY (Clipped) (Off Center) $8.00
Red UY (Minor Off Center) $1.50
Red VC (Off Center) $4.50
Red VU (Double Strike) (Clipped) (off Center) $20.00
Red VX (Off Center) $4.50
Red VX (Off Center) $4.50
Red XH (Off Center) (Small Clip) $8.00
Red XT (Minor off center) $1.50
Red XT (Minor off center) $1.50
Red XT (Minor off center) $1.50
Red XT (Minor off center) $1.50
Red XT (Way Off Center) $8.00
Red XT (Way Off Center) (Clipped) $12.50
Red XU (Double Strike) $8.00
Red XY (Minor Off Center) $1.50
Red YT (Off Center) $4.50
Red YU (Off Center) $4.50
Red ?? (Very Rare – Way Off Center – Only the top of a R on one side by edge. The other side is bottom of P.) $80.00
Blue CC (Minor Off Center) $1.50
Blue CC (Minor Off Center) $1.50
Blue CH (Off Center) $4.50
Blue CX (Off Center) $4.50
Blue HH (Minor Off Center) $1.50
Blue HU (Off Center) $4.50
Blue HV (Off Center) $4.50
Blue HX (Way Off Center) $9.50
Blue TU (Extreme Double Strike) $12.50
Blue TV (Way Off Center) $9.50
Blue TV (Minor Off Center) (Faded) $1.50

Blue TX (Way Off Center) (Clipped) $14.50
Blue VV (Off Center) $4.50
Blue Planchett (Completely Blank) $8.50

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