Thread: BEP Trivia #12

Sorry for the delay in getting this up. Sometimes life gets in the way.

Question #11: During WWII one of the more monumental jobs of the BEP was the printing of US Defense and War Bonds. By the start of 1943, the BEP was cranking out a million bonds per day. That number doubled to over two million per day by September 1943. What single event accounted for the dramatic increase in production?

Answer #11: Reducing the size of the bonds by one-half. The Bureau of the Public Debt was concerned about the ability of the BEP to keep up with deliveries of bonds to the Treasury. A number of ideas were suggested to increase production including increasing staff and equipment which was the preferred choice of all parties. The inability to secure additional presses and personnel to run them because of the war made this impractical. The BEP suggested changing the size.

There were lots of interesting answers but only a couple got it right. Most of the incorrect answers dealt with reasons that sales may have increased. This is a good time to let you know that all of you who have stayed in the hunt this long and answered this question are going to receive a copy of the small book that I co-authored on US Defense and War Savings Bonds of WWII.

c10ck3r 2
gsalexan 10
clayirving 10
wiggam007 12
TheNoost 11
Krispy 11
Duke Kavanaugh 1
Kasia 12
RonTerry 4
Conder101 1
lucyray 4
SteveInTampa 5

Question #12: How many different colors were used by the BEP for the Treasury Seal for small-size Silver Certificates?

Deadline for answering is Wednesday April 4, 2012 at 8:00pm Central.


The Rules:
1. The contest will consist of a series of 20 questions about the BEP and its history.
2. One question will be posted at a time and run for five days. The closing date and time will be listed with the question.
3. Answers must be private messaged to me prior to the deadline. Answers received after the deadline will not be counted. Please do not answer on the board.
4. The correct answer will be posted when the time for answering has expired.
5. The person who answers the most questions correctly will win the first prize consisting of (1) the Durst reprint of the BEP Centennial book, (2) a CD-Rom of the Pick Catalog of World Paper Money Modern Issues and (3) a $2.00 note from the BEP 2008 series. Second prize will be the same without the Durst reprint book. Third prize will only be a $2.00 note from the BEP 2008 series.
6. If there is a tie at the end, the prize will go to the person who answered the first question correctly in the least amount of time.
7. I am the sole judge as to interpretation of the rules and whether an answer is correct.

Doggone it! I was so sure..

Thanks Lettow! These questions are hard... and interesting!

Thank you! The suspense was killing me on this last one.

I almost answered that it was the employment of women in the BEP labor force that made it possible. But I couldn't find any stats to prove it doubled the output. So I was forced to go with the right answer.

Originally Posted by gsalexan

I almost answered that it was the employment of women in the BEP labor force that made it possible. But I couldn't find any stats to prove it doubled the output. So I was forced to go with the right answer.

I suppose I gave an "interesting answer". So it leaves me wondering where would one find the 'right answer'?

Originally Posted by krispy

I suppose I gave an "interesting answer". So it leaves me wondering where would one find the 'right answer'?

I find some of the answers in the book Bureau of Engraving and Printing 100 years

Originally Posted by krispy

I suppose I gave an "interesting answer". So it leaves me wondering where would one find the 'right answer'?

"Report on the Activities of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing During World War Two."

I would never have found that! Wow!

Are you sure it wasn't because...nevermind!

Originally Posted by SteveInTampa

I find some of the answers in the book Bureau of Engraving and Printing 100 years

Originally Posted by lettow

"Report on the Activities of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing During World War Two."

Thank you, thank you!!

Originally Posted by SteveInTampa

I find some of the answers in the book Bureau of Engraving and Printing 100 years

That's where I went for my research, too.