2 shillings sterling
About This Note
This is a rare Prisoner of War camp canteen token note denominated in Two Shillings Sterling, issued during World War II at Queen Point Track, South Africa. The note features an ornate royal coat of arms with dragon supporters and heraldic divisions in reddish-brown and cream coloring, with the significant inscription 'Payable on demand to Prisoners of War only at the canteen Queen Point Track' signed by Manager G. W. Burnes. In UNC condition with only minor foxing consistent with age, this unlisted Pick number represents an important artifact of POW camp monetary systems and South African wartime administration.
Rare. This note represents camp canteen currency from a specific POW internment facility during WWII, with issuance limited to the operational period of Queen Point Track camp. The unlisted Pick number status indicates it was never catalogued in standard references, suggesting limited surviving examples and institutional recognition. POW camp tokens and canteen notes are highly specialized collecting categories with inherently small original print runs and poor survival rates due to their temporary intended use and subsequent destruction or loss.
This canteen voucher reflects South Africa's role as a custodian of Axis prisoners during World War II. The royal coat of arms with dragon supporters and heraldic shield indicates official authorization under the British Crown, while the specific reference to 'Queen Point Track' canteen demonstrates the formal monetary infrastructure established within POW camps. Such camp currency was essential for maintaining order and morale among internees, representing a unique intersection of wartime logistics, prisoner management, and numismatic history.
The obverse features a symmetrical design centered on the Royal Coat of Arms of the British Commonwealth, depicting two dragon supporters flanking a heraldic shield with multiple quartered divisions, surrounded by a decorative floral wreath. The denomination '2/-' appears in two rectangular frames positioned at top left and right, with lightning bolt ornamental motifs on either side of each frame. A rounded rectangular denomination banner beneath the coat of arms displays the text in bold, with the redemption clause in cursive script below. The reverse mirrors this layout but with significantly reduced ink density, showing the same heraldic framework and denomination text in heavily faded form. The color scheme of reddish-brown and cream/off-white on both sides reflects the printing period and paper stock.
Front Side: '2/-' (Two Shillings denomination marker); 'GOOD FOR TWO SHILLINGS STERLING' (primary denomination and validity statement); 'Payable on demand to Prisoners of War only at the canteen Queen Point Track' (redemption terms and authorized location); 'G. W. Burnes, MANAGER.' (issuing authority signature). Back Side: 'TWO SHILLINGS STERLING' (heavily faded, mirrored/reversed text, denomination confirmation).
Letterpress printing on laid paper stock, evidenced by the crisp definition of typography and heraldic line work on the obverse and the uniform ink density variation between front and reverse. The fading on the reverse suggests either single-pass printing with reduced ink load or deliberate back-side printing at lighter density. No security features are present, consistent with emergency wartime camp scrip production. The printer's identity is not documented on the note itself.
Single identified variety: Signed by Manager G. W. Burnes. No date of issue, serial numbers, or other distinguishing marks are visible on the observed images. The back-side fading suggests this may represent later printings of the same design, though without additional examples for comparison, this cannot be confirmed. The 'unlisted' Pick status indicates this variety may be unique or extremely limited in catalogued instances.
