Editorial: Lessons from the little copper bank

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PinkDiamond
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Editorial: Lessons from the little copper bank

Post by PinkDiamond »

From Robert James at the ISG, this puts our current situation into perspective. ;)

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Editorial: Lessons from the little copper bank

When my mother passed away 3 years ago, I received the little copper bank that had been tucked away in my parent’s house for decades. I had been told that it belonged to my grandparents who were farmers during World War II and contained their “nest egg” during the war. No one knew where the key was and due to the sentimental value, no one ever tried to pry it open.

When it came into my possession, I looked at an old key ring my dad had that was full of old hand-made keys he had kept in a drawer. Sure enough, there was the key to the little copper bank. Given the current situation we all face with this coronavirus, I thought I would share what is inside the little copper bank because it tells a story of a time when things were far worse than what we have now, and that time…as this…will pass and things will get better.

The five US silver dollars were most likely the only money my grandfather had saved. He was just a dirt farmer outside of a little Texas town called Vashti, and the Great Recession had hit them hard. The US$2 ½ Indian Head gold coin was undoubtedly from far better days and was kept as the final fall back in case of further economic calamity. Together these made up the life savings of my grandparents on their farm, and what they had to get them through the roughest times ahead.

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What I found most interesting, however, that speaks to me today is the OPA coins. The red and blue small coins you see. From 1942 till the end of WWII just about everything was rationed. Food, fuel, materials, everything was rationed. My grandmother would use Ration Stamps to get food for the family, my grandparents and their two sons (one was my dad). When she used a Ration Stamp, she would receive OPA coins as change for the unused portion.

Red OPAs were for “meat and fats” with the blue OPAs used for processed foods like milk and canned goods. Seeing these red and blue OPAs in this little copper bank made me realize just how difficult it was back then, and how scary it must have been. You could not just go buy any food you needed. You could not just go buy gas or other necessities unless you had a Ration Stamp. It was a scary time and this little bank is stark testimony to the times as I do not believe it was opened after the war until I got into it.

This makes me realize that in spite of how difficult and scary the times are now; the system is still working. We don’t have to ration food. We don’t have to ration gasoline and other necessities. We are facing a situation that may last a few months, but a solution will be found.

My grandparents, and most of your grandparents, spent over four years in tight rationing for things to survive, fear of war and a system with few safety nets.

While we shelter in place, we have all of the food we need, gas is cheap, and the internet makes my Xbox and Call of Duty available any time I want it. This virus situation is scary but if you use your common sense and be thankful for what we do have, it makes what we don’t have right now a lot less worrisome.

Think if a World War was going on, you could not get food without a Ration Stamp, could not buy gas for your car without a Ration Stamp, and every dollar you had fit into a little copper bank sitting on the shelf.

It makes me thankful in this time to have my family, my home and all of you out there waiting along with me for all of this to be over. Let’s make the most of it.

That is the best place to start our recovery from all of this, in my opinion. Just as World War II ended and things got better, so will the coronavirus eventually end, and things will get better. I am just glad I am not going to have a pocket full of OPAs when it is all over.

Just some thoughts. I hope you all are doing OK.


Robert James FGA, GG

President, International School of Gemology

©2020 International School of Gemology. ALL RIGHTS RELEASED. Please share this with everyone that might benefit by knowing the world is not coming to an end due to this thing.

ISG
International School of Gemology
PO Box 1727
Helotes, TX 78023
PinkDiamond
ISG Registered Gemologist


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crazy8s
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Re: Editorial: Lessons from the little copper bank

Post by crazy8s »

Well said :)
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Re: Editorial: Lessons from the little copper bank

Post by SwordfishMining »

Heart touching story. We might have OPA coins yet.
I'll jump over my shadow. https://www.virginvalleyopal.com"
Opals & more at my ESTY store https://swordfishmining.etsy.com"
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