"Spike the Axis with War Bonds. Boost Your Payroll Savings" Vintage WWII Bonds Poster, 1944

Presented is an original WWII U.S. Treasury Poster, issued to encourage factory and railway workers to purchase War bonds through the Payroll Savings Program. The poster was illustrated by E. Molinson and issued in 1944. The poster shows two men working on a railroad track, with railroad spikes in their hands. The text “Spike the Axis” is printed at the top in bold red script. At bottom, the plea is continued “with War Bonds Boost Your Payroll Savings” in bold black and red block letters. 

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. Poster is printed with "U.S. Government Printing Office: 1944-O-576559" at the bottom left margin.   "Official U.S. Treasury Poster" is printed at bottom middle and "WFD 895" is printed at bottom right. The poster is sold unframed, as-is. Unframed Dimensions: 14"H x 10" W.