"Help Him. Help Yourself. For Victory. At Least 10% of Your Pay Every Payday" Vintage WWII War Bonds Poster

Presented is an original WWII U.S. Treasury Poster, issued to encourage factory workers to purchase War bonds through the Payroll Savings Program. The poster was issued in 1943. The poster shows a black and white photograph of a soldier, with the accompanying text in an arrow that reads "Help Him. Every $3.00 you put into War Bonds buys 144 rifle bullets." Below, a black and white photograph of a mechanic is paired with the accompanying text in an arrow, "Help Yourself. Every $3.00 you put into War Bonds brings you back $4.00.” The bottom of the poster reads, "For Victory. At Least 10% Of Your Pay Every Payday" in bold red and blue block letters. This very direct image suggests that the mechanic could help the war effort by buying bonds and help himself by earning interest on his bonds. This simple message is delivered by an effective use of photos and typography. 

During WWII, the government received funding directly from United States citizens in the form of war saving bonds and stamps, which were paid back later with interest. Purchasing war bonds was viewed as a way for American citizens to support the war effort. Bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financial securities to many citizens for the first time.

Employees could authorize a certain allotment from each paycheck to be saved towards the purchase of a war savings bond. Known as the Payroll Savings Plan, the employer would deliver the bond out of the designated savings from his paycheck. There was an outpouring of poster art on both the local and national levels for these loan programs.

CONDITION:

Good condition overall, considering age and past use. Original color lithograph. Very vibrant coloration. Paper is healthy, save fold lines from past storage and slight creasing in poster margins and corners. The poster is sold unframed, as-is. Unframed Dimensions: 22" H x 16 3/4" W.