2018-12-13 Thu

The World Wars changed the course of history and brought with itself many changes. The political changes were just a tip of the iceberg. Daily commerce of the common people was affected the most and the wars hit the economies of the world disastrously!

In the early years of the wars, Germany faced an acute wartime coin shortage followed by a hyperinflation and the collapse of its economy. Between 1921 and 1924, German money, denominated then in marks and pfennigs, deteriorated in value. The German government printed and circulated more currency to make the reparation payments.

The name “Papiermark” or paper mark is applied to the German currency from 4th August 1914 which was issued during the war and later issued during the hyperinflation in Germany of 1922 and especially 1923.

The note depicted in the image alongside is a first issue 10,000 Papiermark of 1922. The Blue-green on olive-brown underprint banknote has the portrait of Bildnis Eines Jungen Mannes by Albrecht Durer to right, while the back sports the German Coat of Arms called Imperial Eagle. This banknote is also known as the "Vampire Note"!

The text on the note reads as “Reichsbanknote. The Reichsbank headquarters in Berlin pays ten thousand marks against this banknote to the consignor. Berlin, 19 January 1922. Reichsmark. Ten Thousand German Imperial Marks. Anyone who imitates or falsifies banknotes, or procures counterfeit or adulterated goods and places them on the market, will not be punished with a term of imprisonment of fewer than two years”.

Image Courtesy: Wiki Commons