OPA points are small vulcanized fiber red ration tokens issued during World War II to make change for ration coupons. Blue ration tokens were used primarily for processed foods.
In 1944, OPA points or tokens were issued to accommodate patrons who had no need for the entire ration. The tokens also became useful when the ration amount was not available for purchase. These tokens were issued to shopkeepers so that they could give “small change” to consumers using the stamps provided in the ration books.
The Office of Price Administration (OPA) was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA were originally to control money (price controls) and rents after the outbreak of World War II.
It became an independent agency under the Emergency Price Control Act, January 30, 1942. The OPA had the power to place ceilings on all prices except agricultural commodities, and to ration scarce supplies of other items, including tires, automobiles, shoes, nylon, sugar, gasoline, fuel oil, coffee, meats and processed foods. At the peak, almost 90% of retail food prices were frozen. It could also authorize subsidies for production of some of those commodities.
The rationing program aimed to prevent hoarding, inflation, and shortages of essential goods. To achieve this, the OPA introduced ration books, which contained coupons or tokens representing specific quantities of various commodities such as food, gasoline, tires, and clothing. These tokens were color-coded and marked to correspond with different categories of goods.
Citizens were required to present the appropriate coupons or tokens from their ration books when purchasing rationed items. Each household received a specific allocation of tokens based on factors such as the number of family members and their needs. The token system helped ensure that essential goods were distributed fairly and efficiently, given the limitations imposed by wartime constraints.
The rationing system was a significant aspect of the home front effort during World War II, and it reflected the collective sacrifice and contribution of the civilian population to support the war effort.