Former Mystery Token from Liberia

[Afrasi]

The following token did not show too much first, "533" and "PAA" stamped on Two Cents 1941 of Liberia. My first guess was a tool check for the Pan American Airlines. But why on an African coin? I did not find any connections between PAA and Liberia, and also a tool check of this company should look better. Just as I wanted to quit this idea, I found an article about the founding of PAA-Africa Ltd.

Now we are in Liberia, January 1943. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the USA, visits Monrovia, while around Stalingrad the war is at its cruelst. Roosevelt's health is not good (too much alcohol) and his doctors haven't allowed this trip. Two years later he will be dead!
Why this trip?
Two reasons: Since the Japanese control most parts of South East Asia, there is a huge lack of rubber, which is needed much for the war. Also there are the German submarines, which prohibit supplies not only to Northern and Middle Europe, but also for the Mediterranean.
Liberia could offer large latex plantations for the Firestone Plantation Company and it is near the Brazilian Coast. Airplanes could fly along the US East Coast and the Carribbean Islands to Natal in Brazil crossing the Atlantic - if there would be an airport safe from German attacks.

Roosevelt convinced the Liberian government of his plan helped by loads of small green papers. Liberia declared war to Germany and all Germans, which held nearly all the economy and the complete health system, were sent away.
Near Monrovia the military airport Roberts Field was built and PAA-Africa Ltd. (nominally a civil company, but with exclusively military aims) was founded. There was probably this token as tool check or security badge in use.
The indigene population called this place "Smell - no Taste", as you could smell the food of the American troops, but never would get some of it.
But the supplies for the Allies in North Africa started again and there was a new front for the Axis troops.

1. The token
2. The host coin, as it usually appeared until the 90s
3. The host coins, as it appears since the 90s in large amounts in unc ...
4. A first day cover remembering the death of Roosevelt in 1945
5. An enlarged stamp showing Roosevelt in a jeep reviewing the troops
6. A block remembering the 50th anniversary of Roberts Field showing the airport and American airplanes in the 40s.

[malj1]

What a great article and wonderful research, I wish I had your style of writing.

The article leaves nothing else to be said. I like all the incidental images to highlight the story.

[redwine]

Great bit of research and nicely written
Another piece for me to look out for 

[Afrasi]

In between I got two more stamps illustrating this token.

1. The Route of the airplanes from the USA to Roberts Field, Liberia. The stamp is in use since the 1st of June 1944, the motive occurs earlier on other stamps of this series, which were in use since 14th of September 1942.

2. The very first beginning of the airport of Roberts Field. You can see the hatched sleeping huts of the pilots.

But first a linked-in picture I found in the net. I tried to receive the license of the picture, but the site is "dead". My email came back.



From the rememberings of Georges Chevalier on the same site as the picture link is from:
"The Officers Club at Roberts Field in Liberia during Xmas 1946. We were blazing PAA's first flight into Africa down to Johanesburg, South Africa. We may have drank in the "O" Club but we were bunked in a thatched hut. Those were primitive days."

[FosseWay]

In the next post is an edited version of Afrasi's original. Much the same comments and caveats apply here as to Harry's article on the Indian 1 anna coin.

As the article's final resting place will not be here, but rather at the head of this thread and/or in the Best of WoC section, I have not copied Afrasi's picture attachments. Wherever the article permanently ends up, I will copy the pictures over.

[FosseWay]

The following token did not reveal much at first: just "533" and "PAA" stamped on a Liberian 2 cent coin from 1941. My first guess was a tool check for Pan American Airlines. But why on an African coin? I did not find any connections between PAA and Liberia, and also a tool check of this company should look better. Just as I was ready to ditch this idea, I found an article about the founding of PAA-Africa Ltd.

Now we are in Liberia, January 1943. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the USA, visits Monrovia, while around Stalingrad the war is at its cruellest. Roosevelt's health is not good (too much alcohol) and his doctors advised against this trip. Two years later he will be dead!

Why this trip?
Two reasons: Since the Japanese control most of South East Asia, there is a huge lack of rubber, which is much needed for the war effort. Also there are the German submarines, which prevent supplies reaching not only northern Europe but also the Mediterranean.

Liberia can offer large latex plantations for the Firestone Plantation Company and it is near the Brazilian coast. Aeroplanes could fly down the east coast of the US, through the Caribbean to Natal in Brazil, and then cross the Atlantic - if only there were an airport safe from German attacks.

Roosevelt convinced the Liberian government of his plan, helped by lots of small green pieces of paper. Liberia declared war on Germany and all Germans - who owned nearly all the economy and the whole health system - were sent away. Near Monrovia the military airport Roberts Field was built and PAA-Africa Ltd (nominally a civil company, but with exclusively military aims) was founded. This token was probably used there as a tool check or security badge.

The indigenous population called this place "Smell, no Taste", as you could smell the American troops' food but could never get hold of any to taste.

As a result, the supplies for the Allies in North Africa started again and Axis forces faced yet another new front.

Captions:
1. The token
2. The host coin, as it usually appeared until the 1990s
3. The host coin in uncirculated condition, as it has more often appeared since the 1990s
4. A first day cover commemorating the death of Roosevelt in 1945
5. An enlarged stamp showing Roosevelt in a jeep reviewing the troops
6. A block of stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of Roberts Field, showing the airport and American aeroplanes in the 1940s.

[Afrasi]

Many thanks for improving my English! 

It would be nice to see the addition filled in at the last stage.