World War II Military Occupation Currency All Series

Discussion in 'Paper Money' started by Searcher64, Jan 20, 2014.

  1. Searcher64

    Searcher64 Member

    Would like to see more information on this type of our currency.

    Regular Issues
    Special Issues
    How to ID the replacement issues all of these series.
    You have some that are 1943, 1944, 100, A, B and such.
     
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  3. krispy

    krispy krispy

    Here are some links you can check out:

    US MPC


    MPC Bob


    Paper Money World - MPC Database


    Development and use of MPC


    World and Military Notes


    Cold War Currency via Psywarrior


    Axis propaganda currency via Psywarrior


    Numismatic propaganda article (Numismaster via Bank Note Reporter)


    Also consider searching 'Auction Archives' and current listings on Heritage Auctions (ha.com)


    Search older threads on this forum, and look for posts by mpcusa. He has posted lots of high grade examples of such notes and has a lot of knowledge of them. He might be a good resource to follow up with if you can get in touch with him and are looking to get specific information or buy specific notes.


    I'm not heavily into collecting such notes, but I have these to share:

    AMC 1 Lira Series 1943 A25821893A
    [​IMG]


    AMC 1 Lira Series 1943 A30282707A - Face
    [​IMG]
    AMC 1 Lira Series 1943 A30282707A - Reverse
    [​IMG]

    AMC 2 Lire Series 1943 A00815911A - Face

    This one says something, maybe a person's name or city name followed by "Sicily" and the date which might have been October 2nd / 1943, since the slash goes all the way down to the date on the note... or just October 1943.

    Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, began on the night of July 9, 1943, and ended August 17.
    [​IMG]

    AMC 2 Lire Series 1943 A00815911A - Reverse
    [​IMG]

    AMC 2 Lire Series 1943 A05720338A - Face
    [​IMG]

    AMC 2 Lire Series 1943 A05720338A - Reverse
    [​IMG]

    AMC 5 Lire Series 1943 A59627283A - Face
    [​IMG]

    AMC 5 Lire Series 1943 A59627283A - Reverse
    [​IMG]

    AMC 10 Lire Series 1943 A15810026A - Face
    [​IMG]

    AMC 10 Lire Series 1943 A15810026A - Reverse
    [​IMG]



    A few odds and ends from a different period... Series 661:


    [​IMG]


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    and another...


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  4. Searcher64

    Searcher64 Member

    Krispy, I do collect MPC. I have many complete sets. What I wanted to find out, is more about the series before 461. I have some of the older series, but do not remember about the things to look for, on replacement notes. The regular MPC from 1946 to 1971 have the last letter missing, as to it being a replacement note. The earlier notes are different. Also, the Russian printed some that were first to be for replacement notes, but used them as regular notes. At first, I did not collect or study them. I once read an article in Bank Note Reporter that had a great information on this. I like your pictures on the MPC, and the references you listed, Thanks. I wish I could have time, and know how to post some of mine.
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2014
  5. lettow

    lettow Senior Member

    The only MPC series before Series 461 is Series A yen when it was used as an experimental military currency used only by US personnel in Japan prior to issuing Series 461 MPC.

    MPC and AMC (Allied Military Currency) are not related (except for the A yen that was used in Japan). Many people will tell you that AMC was a precursor to MPC or MPC developed from AMC but that is not true. They were issued for very different purposes.

    AMC was issued as occupation currency to compel the occupied country to pay the costs of the occupation. Its was intended to circulate alongside the indigenous currency as a supplement to it. It was intended to be a part of the local economy. It is similar in this respect to Japanese Invasion Money and German Reichskreditkassenschein notes.

    Prior to the introduction of MPC, US military personnel in the occupied countries were paid in AMC. This was consistent with the wartime practice of paying US military personnel in the local currency instead of US dollars. AMC was also used to pay for purchase of goods by the occupation authorities and paying civilian employees of the occupation authorities.

    MPC was specifically issued to separate the pay of US military personnel from the local economy. AMC and MPC were used at the same time after MPC was introduced in September 1946. MPC was paid to US military personnel as wages. AMC continued to be used as pay for civilian employees and purchases. MPC received as pay could be converted into local currency but local currency could not be converted into MPC.
     
  6. lettow

    lettow Senior Member

    As to your question about replacements on AMC.

    Series A yen - prefix letter H
    Series B yen - prefix letter H except for the B-B block where the lack of the suffix indicates a replacement like MPC

    AMC lire - stars like US paper money

    AMC marks - replacements can only be identified on US printed notes. These are identified by the dash in the serial number. Do not confuse these with Russian printed notes. US notes will have the Forbes "f" hidden in the scrollwork (I will show this in a separate post). Russian notes will not have the "f".

    The Russian notes were not intended as replacements as you suggest in Post 3. The Russians asked for plates and examples of the notes so they could duplicate them. They also received inks and dyes for the notes. The examples given were specimens. All AMC specimens were made from replacement notes because they had them leftover. So, the notes the Russians received as specimens all had the dash in the serial number. The Russians thought all notes printed by the US would have the dash because the example they were given had one.

    That is why the early Russian notes have dashes. When the Russians reached -99999999 they eliminated the dash for 100 000000. The break in the number is intentional. The Russians did not have numbering wheels that could print nine digits so they used two wheels for each number -- one with three digits and one with six digits.

    AMC shilling - no identifiable replacements

    AMC notes for Denmark - no identifiable replacements

    Supplemental Francs - large letter X near the serial number
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2014
  7. lettow

    lettow Senior Member

    Location of the Forbes mark on US printed AMC marks:

    20, 50, 100 and 1000 mark notes - scrollwork in upper right corner

    [​IMG]

    1/2 , 1 and 5 mark - scrollwork in lower right corner

    [​IMG]

    I do not have a picture of a 10 mark but it is also in the upper right corner.
     
  8. Searcher64

    Searcher64 Member

    Lettow, Thanks. Is this, also, good for all others in this series, as. French, Japan, Italy, and any others, or just the Marks? How was the series 1943 and others, of such series, with replacement notes to ID on these issues?
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2014
  9. lettow

    lettow Senior Member

    The answers to these others is contained in post #5.

    The Forbes mark also appears on some AMC lire. AMC lire without the Forbes "f" were printed by the USBEP. A stylized "s" appears on the AMC yen printed by Stecher Truang. That would be all A yen and most B yen. The "s" does not appear on the B yen printed by the BEP (B-B block) or those printed by the Japanese Finance Bureau (C-C, D-D, E-E blocks).
     
  10. Searcher64

    Searcher64 Member

    Thanks. Good info. Now if I can remember, when looking. Need a cheat sheet.
     
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