Obverse Design

Type 1 design, but wider than usual: two rectangles are side by side, not quite centered in the chit. The left rectangle is about 38 mm wide, and the right rectangle is about 11 mm wide. The rectangles are about 19 mm high. In the left rectangle, there is a block of reversed colors at the top (the block is dark ink and the letters are the same color as the field of the chit). The block has three slashes "\\\" then says "NONCOMMISSIONED" and "OFFICERS' CLUB" in two lines, and ends with another three slashes "///". Below the block is a small drawing of an airplane. To the right of the airplane it says "A.P.O. 825". On the bottom left under the airplane in small letters in three lines it says "NOT GOOD", "IF", "DETACHED". Unlike many other chits, the "NOT GOOD IF DETACHED" is not in italics. On the bottom right is the serial number; "19958B" in the example above.

The right rectangle has a smaller rectangle just inside it. It has a large "5" filling up most of the rectangle. Underneath the denomination it says "CENTS" in a block with reversed colors (the block is dark ink, and the letters are the same color as the field of the chit).

Reverse Design Blank.
Color Pink or salmon with black ink; serial number in red ink. Material Light-weight cardboard. Size and Shape Rectangular, 57mm wide by approximately 24 mm high. Top edge is perforated, bottom edge is usually perforated but may be straight.
Dates Issued During World War II.
Issurer A.P.O. 825 - attributed to Headquarters of the 6th Air Force at Albrook AFB.
Mintage Unknown.
Rarity Very Rare. Manufacturer Perhaps the Kelsey Coupon Company of Cincinatti, Ohio; the design is almost identical although the dimensions are different. Source Plowman collection, 'militarychits' sale on ebay.
Varieties This is the only known 5 Cent variety.
Function Club chit.
Notes For population count, known specimens are as follows:
  1. Plowman Specimen #19958B, pictured above.
  2. Seelye Specimen #13762B, sold on ebay by 'militarychits' to 'coinman@rochester.rr.com (David Seelye) on July 15, 2001 for $15.50.
The Plowman specimen came from a scrapt book kept by a serviceman during World War II, which was broken up and sold piece by piece on ebay.