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2020-09-24 Other articles >

Card for receiving TOBACCO and TOBACCO products

Cards as the main 'distribution signs' of the R. S. F. S. R. in 1919


The policy of war communism in the R. S. F. S. R. tried to force money out of the sphere of economic relations by means of a tool to which the Bolsheviks assigned the main role in the system of distribution of material goods – various kinds of cards. The army, businesses, and finally the population were all put on a card system.

Food cards of the war communism period are not just 'accounting and control', they are a distribution that primarily takes into account the recipient's belonging to a certain social group.
So since August 1918, the population of Moscow and Petrograd was divided into 3 main categories: workers of heavy physical labor and families of red guards (1), other workers and members of workers ' families (2) and the bourgeoisie 'in the broad sense of the word' (3); respectively, the ration of the 1st category was 4 times more, the 2nd category – 3 times more than the 3rd category – and this is for all food items!

In contrast to the disregard for the design of Soviet money in 1919, the design of consumer cards in the same 1919 was thought out in detail – the most important thing for the builders of communism.
Let's look at a clear example - 'Card for receiving TOBACCO and TOBACCO products for one person', issued in 1919. Ivanovo-Voznesensky Provincial Food Committee.

The material is thick cardboard: even when I carefully examined the watermarks on the card, I did not find, but the diamond-shaped pattern on the Central part of the card and wavy lines on the coupons were still applied. Color – brown: probably focused on the color of tobacco.
In the Central part – information about the recipient (personal data – enter and certify 2 seals), and the card itself should be assigned a number and entered next to the icon no.
Top - coat of arms of the R. S. F. S. R, bottom - 1919,1st issue.
On the sides – 16 cut-off coupons.

There are also instructions for use: 'the Place of sale cuts off this coupon and submits it to the Food Committee to determine the number of cards assigned to this place.'

There is also a warning for craftsmen who make illegal copies: 'Abuse against the card system and forgery of cards and coupons is punishable by law.' True, the law itself is not mentioned, but it is believed that in the near future on justice in 1919, violators were expected to face more serious penalties than a warning or reprimand with entry.
The card is not used – so to say “uncirculated'. Well, those who used their cards – how many smokes were issued on them?

According to the people's Commissariat of food, in 1919 the monthly rate of supply of a family member of a worker with tobacco was '125 Smoking units' – divided by 30 days, we get 4 K. e. daily per person.

Presumably, the representatives of the bourgeoisie and its equivalent segments of the population received 3 times less - 4:3 = 1 1/3 cigarettes a day.

I myself do not smoke and have never smoked, but I can very well imagine the great value of this card in 1919 for a smoker.
By the way, even now this piece of cardboard from collectors is also far from cheap.

Карточка на получение ТАБАКУ и ТАБАЧНЫХ изделий

Quantity :
Issuer : Иваново-Вознесенский Губернский Продовольственный Комитет
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Valid from :
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Cancelled :
Alexander R.

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