What is "bafs"?

March 23, 2016 1:54 AM

From Chapter 2. of The Third Man. Lime could also, he said, keep him supplied with paper bafs — the only currency in use from a penny upwards in British hotels and clubs. I'd like to know about bafs more than it's the currency in use from a penny upwards. I can't google it. No word in my dictionary.Please give me some tips on it.Thank you.
posted by mizukko to Writing & Language (4 answers total)

British Armed Forces currency probably.
posted by vacapinta at 2:10 AM on March 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I presume that it refers to British Armed Forces currency - there's a small amount of info on wikipedia, and notes for sale on ebay
(Edit: pipped to the post there!)
posted by Vortisaur at 2:12 AM on March 23, 2016

Best answer: My guess is that it refers to British Armed Forces Special Vouchers (BAFSV), which were typically for use on British Army bases, but were circulated in occupied Germany and Austria as a temporary currency:

War can bring economic hardship—especially to the countries that lose. This was the case in Germany in 1944. Hitler was dead, the Nazi government collapsed, and the four Allied powers—Russia, France, the United States, and Great Britain—split the country into four occupation zones, to help Germany transition from dictatorship to democracy. In the British zone, the black market was rampant—goods intended for the troops were intercepted and sold at steep mark-ups to the local population. This was costing British taxpayers millions of pounds sterling.

To redress the problem, Great Britain issued £ 10 million British Armed Forces Special Vouchers in 1946. When this measure did not destroy the black market, a second series was issued a year and a half later. The 1948 issue, combined with the improving financial position of the new German government, succeeded in driving out the war profiteers—(source)

On preview… what they said!
posted by misteraitch at 2:18 AM on March 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

Remember there's a scene where Holly goes to a Viennese cafe/restaurant and they tell him they won't take his "Army money" there? I believe those are bafs.
posted by praemunire at 10:52 AM on March 23, 2016