Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

Commonwealth of Australia War Savings Stamps Booklet

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1939 - 1945

Overview

A beige card war savings stamps booklet (stamps removed). All images and text are in blue ink. The Australian Coat of Arms and flag are placed in the centre of the cover with “FOR AUSTRALIA” located in a scroll underneath this image. Details of the owner of the savings
booklet also appear on the cover. Inside the booklet is a five (5) by seven (7) grid. Thirty two (32) of the squares in the grid convey a message while squares in the top left and right-hand corner, along with the central square, contain images associated with war: a plane, a manned searchlight and a soldier’s face in profile. At the bottom is the message “Don’t be an Onlooker – Be in the Fight…”. The reverse of the card provides details of where stamps could be purchased and details of exchanging the completed booklet for a War Savings Certificate, along with details of the printer of the booklet. A final message: “SIXPENCE A DAY KEEPS THE INVADERS AWAY” is located above the printer’s details.

Historical information

Savings stamps were part of the fundraising effort in both World Wars. Stamps could be purchased for sixpence (6d) in both conflicts. Once the booklet was filled with 32 stamps it was exchanged for a War Savings Certificate, in this case for one pound (£1).

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2023.14.22

Item type

Booklets

Themes

Social History

War and Conflict > World War 2

Material

Card

Ink

Width

217 mm

Height or length

145 mm

Weight

10 g

Inscriptions and markings

Front cover: “COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA / WAR SAVINGS STAMPS / FOR AUSTRALIA / THIS CARD IS OWNED BY - / NAME … John Riocketts / ADDRESS … Denmark / [SEE BACK]” Inside: “SPEED / VICTORY / BUY WAR / SAVINGS / STAMPS / 6D / ‘Don’t be an Onlooker – Be in the Fight…”. Back cover: “War Savings Stamps can be bought at any / Post Office / WHEN 32 War Savings Stamps have been / affixed to this card, the card will be accepted / in payment for a War Savings Certificate of / £1 face value at any branch of the Common / wealth Bank or Post Office where Money Order / business is conducted. / War Savings Stamps will not be redeemed / in cash. / Should this card be lost, the finder should drop it into a Post Office letter box.” “SIXPENCE A DAY KEEPS THE INVADERS AWAY / By Authority: L.F. Johnston, Commonwealth Govt. Printer, Canberra” below.

Contextual information

This booklet belonged to John RICKETTS of Denmark, Western Australia.

Keywords

Second World War

War Savings Stamps

Place made

Australia

Year

1939 - 1945

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance