WORLD WAR I REMEMBERED   

2014 to 2018 marks the 100th Anniversary of World War I, also known as "The Great War" or the "The War to End All Wars".   The war and its aftermath created numerous coin and currency issues.  Old empires were swept away and new nations created. The lands of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire went to the form the nations of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and with parts going to create Poland and Yugoslavia. The collapse of the Czarist government of Russia brought on by the Bolshevik Revolution allowed Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to gain independence.  Other portions of the Russian Empire also gained temporary independence before coming back under Russian control.  From the lands of the Ottoman Empire: Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine (now Israel, Jordan and maybe someday an independent Palestine), Kingdom of Hejaz and the Sultanate of Nejd (today Saudi Arabia), the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen, and the Arab States of the Persian Gulf were created.    The financial and political instability that followed the war helped instigate World War II. This page includes a number of historic banknotes and coins associated with World War I and its aftermath.  

THE BEGINNINGS

GERMAN EMPIRE COIN SET INCLUDES SILVER  

In 1871 Otto Von Bismark united the German States under Prussian King Wilhelm I, forming the Second Reich, also known as the German Empire. The Empire disintegrated as a result of World War I.  This six-coin set includes the silver 1 Mark, which was minted from 1873 until 1916; the silver 1/2 Mark, minted from 1905 to 1919; the copper-nickel 5 and 10 Pfennig and the copper 1 and 2 Pfennig, which were minted from 1874 to 1916.  All six coins feature the Imperial German Eagle on the reverse and the denomination on the obverse.  The coins grade Fine or Extra Fine. 

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MAGNIFICENT GERMAN EMPIRE & WEIMAR REPUBLIC NOTES OF GERMANY

These large, beautiful German notes were issued before, during and after World War I by both the German Empire and the Weimar Republic.  The blue 100 Mark is dated 1908. Regardless of when the notes were actually printed, they always carried the original date. The notes issued by the German Empire have a red seal and serial numbers.  The Weimar Republic continued to issue the notes with the same date and designs from 1918 to 1922, but with a green seal and serial number.  The 100 Mark note features the crowned imperial German eagle on one side.  The other side features two women holding a large portrait of a woman's head. The note measures 160x105mm.    It is an unusual "multi-government" notes are impressive pieces of historical currency.

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1910 GERMAN EMPIRE BANKNOTE SET  

In 1910 Germany released four beautiful banknotes dated April 21, 1910.  The notes, issued by the Reichsbank were initially backed by gold.  The 20, 50 and 1000 Mark notes copied the designs of previous issues.  The blue 20 Mark featured a German Eagle at the upper right and measures 136x90mm. The pink and green 50 Mark note has the head of Germania at the upper right and left corners.  It is 150x100mm.  A totally new and very impressive 100 Mark note was released.  The front of the blue note features the heads of Mercury and Ceres and the German imperial crown.  The back pictures a seated figure of Germania holding a sword under an oak tree.  At her feet are symbols of industry, farming and commerce, while three battle ships steam by.  The over-sized note is 207mm x 102 mm (8.25” x 4”) and includes a watermark of German Emperor Wilhelm I.   The brown 1000 Mark notes features the allegorical figures of navigation and agriculture flanking the imperial German arms. The over-sized note is 187mm x 110mm (7.3” x 4.3”) and is printed on special ridged hemp paper containing blue silk threads.  The notes have red Reichsbank seals.  All together the four notes would have been equivalent to almost 13.5 ounces of gold!  Unfortunately, the Reichsbank stopped converting notes to gold when World War I broke out, and within a few years the notes lost all their value due to inflation.

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CZARIST AND BOLSHEVIK 5 RUBLE NOTES OF RUSSIA

World War I brought the fall Russian Empire.  Initially the new Russian governments issued banknotes utilizing the same date and designs as the Czarist issues, making only a change in the serial number.  The beautiful blue and pink Russian 5 Ruble note dated 1909 was first issued by the government of Czar Nicholas II.  When first issued it was equivalent to 3.87 grams of gold, which is worth about $160 today! The large vertical format note is 99mm x 158mm.  The design incorporates the Romanov Imperial Eagle on both sides. The notes issued by the Czarist government had a full serial number consisting of two letters and six digits.  After the fall of the Czar in 1917 the notes continued to be issued by both the Provisional Russian Government and the Bolsheviks, still dated 1909, but with only a series number consisting of two letters and 3 digits instead of a serial number.  They are large, impressive. large pieces of historical currency from a turbulent time in Russian history.

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THE WAR YEARS  1914-1918

ATTRACTIVE HIGH-GRADE WORLD WAR I GERMAN 5 MARK NOTE

A young woman with flowers and grain in her hair grace the front of this German 5 Mark note dated August 1, 1917.  The back features the German Imperial Crown surrounded by oak leaves.  The blue and green note measures 125x80mm.   It was to be 5 Mark note issued by the German Empire, and the last until the re-establishment of German monetary stability in 1924. 

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WAR MONEY FROM COBLENZ, GERMANY

During World War I many communities in Germany issued their own coins called "Kriegsgeld" which translates as war money. We offer a set of two Kriegsgeld from the city of Coblenz (now Koblenz) dated 1918.  The iron 10 and 25 Pfennig have the same design.  One side has the city name, arms and the legend "GÜLTIG BIS 1 JAHR NACH FRIEDENSSCHLUSS" which translates as "Good for 1 Year after the conclusion of Peace".  The other side has the denomination and date.

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WORLD WAR I GERMAN OCCUPATION COIN FOR POLAND

Poland did not exist as an independent nation at the time of World War I, having been divided between Austria, Russia and Prussia and the end of the 18th century.  Much of the heavy fighting on the Eastern Front between Russia and the Central Powers of Germany and Austria took place in Poland.  In order to try to gain support of the Poles and to further their control the Germans created a puppet state called the Kingdom of Poland in 1917 (though there was never a king).  Much of it was carved out areas of left by retreating Russian forces.  The Germans engaged in an ethnic cleansing, forcing Poles and Jews living in parts of German occupied Poland to relocated to the new Kingdom of Poland.  After the end of World War I it became part of the Polish Republic and Poland was reborn as an independent nation. This iron 10 Fenigow coin was struck for the German controlled Kingdom of Poland at the Stuttgart Mint in 1917.  It features the Polish Eagle on one side and the denomination and date on the other.

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WORLD WAR I GERMAN OCCUPATION COINS OF BELGIUM

Germany invaded neutral Belgium at the beginning of World War I as part of their plan to quickly capture Paris by a surprise attack through neutral nations.  The Germans soon occupied most the country, except for an area around Ypres in Flanders. Starting in 1915 zinc 5, 10 and 25 Centimes coins were issued by the German occupation government.  The coins all had similar designs, with the denomination, date and the name of the country in French and Flemish on one side and the Belgian heraldic lion on the other.

Also see:
NAZI OCCUPIED BELGIUM COIN SET: 25 Centimes, 1 & 5 Francs

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BANKNOTES OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

After the abolition of the Czar in March 1917 Russia went through a period of instability with various Red (Bolshevik), White (counter-revolutionary) and independence factions all battling for control.  These 1918 dated Russian banknotes were issued when the Bolsheviks were nominally in control of the national government, yet the notes bear the double-headed eagle arms of the previous Russian Provisional Government and the short-lived Russian Republic.  The notes were issued under the ambiguous title of "State Treasury Notes" and all have similar designs, with the denomination on one side and the double-headed Russian Eagle on the other.  They are historic notes issued during a violent transitional period of Russian history.

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THE AFTERMATH

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RUSSIAN "BABYLONIAN" NOTES URGES "WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!

In 1919, after the Bolshevik victory in the Russian Revolution, the fledgling Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic, issued a series of currency notes with the inscriptions "WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!" written in seven languages: Russian, German, French, Italian, Greek, English, Arabic, and Chinese. Because of the linguistic multiplicity, these notes are known as "Babylonians," a reference to the Biblical Tower of Babel.  The phrase is perhaps the most well-known line in the "Communist Manifesto", written in 1848 by Karl Mark and Friedrich Engels.   Also featured on the notes is the hammer and sickle within a wreath.  All three notes have a similar design featuring the inscriptions on one side and the denomination and date on the other.

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THE SHORT-LIVED GERMAN-AUSTRIA REPUBLIC

German-Austria (Deutsch-Osterreich) was a short-lived republic that was created after World War I after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  It claimed sovereignty over the German speaking portions of the former Hapsburg Empire.  Not seeing itself as a viable nation, having lost the agricultural lands of Hungary and the industrial areas of Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) it planned to join Germany as part of the Weimar Republic. However, treaties forced upon Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire following their defeat prevented this.  The Treaty of Versailles prohibited its unification with Germany, and the Treaty of Saint Germain prohibited it from calling itself German-Austria.  The modern Republic of Austria was then created out of the central core of German-Austria, with other areas claimed by German-Austria becoming parts of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Italy.  In a rush to get needed currency into circulation for this new nation banknotes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire were overprinted “DEUTSCH-OSTERREICH".  The notes were issued from 1919 to 1922, though they still had their original issue date. The red 1 Krone dated 1916 has the denomination written in 8 different languages! It measures 113 x 68 mm.  The notes were replaced with Austrian currency in 1922 and demonetized in 1924.

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HISTORIC AUSTRIAN NOTGELD NOTES 

With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following World War I, hundreds of local communities briefly issued their own emergency currency, known as notgeld, for use within the town.  These notes are denominated in Heller and usually depict scenes of the issuing community.  They are an inexpensive, interesting and historic collectable. Most of the notes are dated 1920 and most grade VF to Unc.  Every lot is different, with few duplicates between lots.

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OLD BANKNOTE FROM VIENNA 

With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I the economy of Austria went into a tail-spin.  In order to combat a serious coin shortage, the capital city of Vienna issued their own currency.  This 50 Heller note is dated December 3, 1920 and was good only until December 31, 1921.  The small (75mm x 48mm) note depicts the Vienna city hall (Weiner Rathaus) and what was then the city’s coat-of-arms.

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BANKNOTES OF UPPER AUSTRIA

After the collapse and dismemberment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following its defeat in World War I, coins disappeared from circulation. The state of Upper Austria issued these small, low denomination notes to help alleviate the coin shortage. The 20 Heller note depicts buildings in Upper Austria on both sides of the note, including the Church of Saints Michael and Ursula and the Holy Trinity Column in Linz. One side of the orange 50 Heller note features the arms of Upper Austria.  The other side is blank.     Both notes are dated 1921 and were issued in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria.

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LAST BANKNOTE OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE

This attractive 50 Mark note is the last note of the German Empire. It is dated June 23, 1919, some seven months after Germany's defeat in World War I and less than 7 weeks before the signing of the new constitution in Weimar which formally ended the German Empire and ushered in the weak and chaotic Weimar Republic. The large, green note measures 153x102mm and features an allegorical figure of a woman against a starry background.

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HIGH-GRADE WEIMAR GERMAN BANKNOTE

These 1 and 2 Mark notes dated March 1, 1920 were some of the first notes issued by Germany's Weimar government after World War I. They were needed to help relieve the serious coin shortage that developed in Germany during and after World War I.  The notes were technically were not legal tender but a non-interest-bearing loan to the government. that did not stop people from accepting them as the low denomination notes were needed to purchase essential goods.  When first issued the 1 Mark note could buy about a pound of flour or half a dozen eggs.  The notes include an embossed seal and are printed on watermarked paper. They are quite reasonably priced for historic high-grade notes that are almost a century old.  We also have a few original, unopened packs of 100 of the 1 Mark notes and 50 of the 2 Mark note in Uncirculated condition and serial number order..

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GERMAN WEIMAR REPUBLIC 100 MARK BANKNOTE

The Weimar Republic was formed after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I.  Its early years were a tumultuous period of uprisings, riots and massive inflation.  It is named after the city where the new German constitution was written and adopted in August, 1919, and lasted until the rise of the Nazis in 1933.    The 100 Mark note features two images of the head of the “Bamberg Horseman”. The horseman is an impressive 13th century sculpture in the Bamberg Cathedral.  The Bamberg Horsman depicts a famous king, however which king it is is a matter of debate. The note is dated November 1, 1920, measures 162x108mm and includes the red Weimar Republic crest.

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UNCIRCULATED GERMAN 1000 MARK NOTE

This Uncirculated German 1000 Mark note is dated September 15, 1922.  Some consider this the start of the Germany hyperinflation as the value of the Mark collapsed that month.  A liter of milk went from 7 Marks in April 1922, to 16 Marks in August to 26 Marks in mid-September.  The 160 x 85mm note has a simple design consisting primarily of words printed on watermarked paper.  For a high value note that is almost a century old and in top condition it is remarkably inexpensive.

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THE FAMOUS GERMAN “VAMPIRE NOTE”

This large ( 180 x 100mm - approx. 7” x 4”) 10,000 Mark note dated January 19, 1922 is often called the “Vampire Note”  If you turn the note sideways and look carefully (and have a good imagination) you will see a vampire on the neck of the German.  The nose of the vampire is pointed towards the neck of the man.  This was an allusion that the heavy reparations that Germany had to pay France following World War I. It France represented sucking the lifeblood out of Germany. We offer this popular note in both circulated and Uncirculated condition.
For more information about this note and similar stories of hidden messages on other notes, get the book:
BOOKS:  PAPER MONEY MESSAGES, A PICTORIAL PERSPECTIVE by Jeffrey Jerome

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POPULAR GERMAN 100,000 MARK INFLATION NOTE

This 100,000 Mark note dated February 1, 1922 is one of the most popular of the German inflation notes.  The large (190 x 115mm) note features a cut from Hans Holbein the Younger's portrait "The Merchant Georg Gisze".  At the time the painting was done in 1532 Georg Gisze was a prominent Hanseatic merchant who managed his family's trading office in London. Some sources indicate the portrait was done for his betrothed who lived in Danzig (Gdansk), as they probably had never met.  German painter Han Holbein the Younger had a successful career in London, with commissions from Sir Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn and as a court painter of Henry VIII.  The painting is now in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.  The back of the brown, black and lilac note features the denomination within guilloche patterns.  It is an historic note from the beginning of the German hyperinflationary period.  We offer this popular note in both circulated and Uncirculated condition.

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100 MILLION MARK NOTE!

This German 100 Million Mark note is dated August 22, 1923.  It was issued at the height of Germany's hyperinflation.  When issued it was the highest denomination issued by the German government and was worth about 10 Dollars.  Within less than three months it was worth only a tiny fraction of a cent.  In order to run the presses faster, it was printed on only one side.

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INFLATION COINS OF THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC

In 1922 Germany issued a circulating 3 Mark coin commemorating the 3rd Annive-rsary of the Weimar Cons-titution.  The denomination, date and mintmark are on the obverse.  A Germanic Eagle and the legend "VERFASSUNGSTAG 11. AUGUST 1922" (Constitution day, August 11, 1922) is on the other.  The aluminum coin is 28mm aluminum and 1.55mm thick. Inflation quickly took a toll on Germany.  In 1923 Germany issued and aluminum 500 Mark coin.  The 500 Mark is just slightly smaller than the 3 Mark: 27mm in diameter and 1.35mm thick.   The designs of the 500 Mark is similar to the 3 Mark: The denomination, date and mintmark on the obverse, the eagle on the reverse.  The legend on the reverse of the 1923 issues was changed to "EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT" (Unity and Justice and Freedom" which was the unofficial national motto.   They provide a vivid example of Germany's hyperinflation.

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GERMAN NOTGELD COINS AND PAPER 

Notgeld means "emergency money" in German, and generally refers to an extensive series of locally issued coins and currency produced during and following World War I.  Notgeld was issued in paper, metal and even porcelain and other materials.  Below is a selection of this fascinating but little known collectible.

METAL GERMAN NOTGELD COINS

Notgeld coins were struck for over 600 communities and companies in Germany between 1916 and 1922, though many are not dated.  Most are in denominated from 5 to 50 Pfennig. Typically the city arms or landmark is on one side and the denomination is on the other.  They were usually struck in zinc or iron, both of which corrode easily, so the coins may be spotted or rusted.

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INFLATION NOTGELD NOTES  

By late 1922, inflation was racing out of control in Germany.  The German government could not print money fast enough to keep up with the ever soaring prices.  Companies started printing their own money in order to pay workers.  Municipalities also issued their own currency to provide cash for the local economy.  All of this made inflation worse by increasing the money supply.  We offer sets of these full-sized inflation notgeld notes, ranging in value from 100 Marks to billions (milliarden) of Marks, dated 1922 or 1923. Every lot is different, though there may be some duplication between lots.


CLICK HERE to see our exhibit on the coins and notes of the German Hyperinflation

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GERMAN INFLATION POSTAGE STAMPS

Germany’s post World War I inflation is reflected in their postage stamps.  This set includes 27 different German postage stamps issued between 1918 to 1923, with values ranging from 10 Pfennig (cost of a domestic letter in 1918) to 5 Million Mark (a domestic letter cost 4 Million Mark on Oct. 20, 1923).    In order to try to keep up with the soaring rates some stamps were overprinted with new values.  The stamps in this collection are all original unused stamps however some may be slightly torn or damaged.

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HISTORIC 1930 YOUNG PLAN BONDS ATTEMPT TO PAY GERMAN WAR REPARATIONS

After its defeat in World War I, Germany was saddled with heavy war reparations, the repayment of contributed to the 1923 German hyperinflation and helped bring Hitler to power.  An attempt was made in 1924 to restructure the payments, however that quickly failed.  A second attempt was made in 1929.  The proposal was known as the Young Plan.  It was named after its chairman, American industrialist Owen D. Young, who founded the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and was Chairman of General Electric.   The Young Plan reduced payments by about 20%, stretched payment out over 58 years, and created the Bank of International Settlements to facilitate the reparation payments.  One third of the annual reparations were to be paid by Germany from general revenue, however that payment could be postponed. Two thirds of the annual payments were to be financed by a consortium of American banks and were "unconditional".  In 1930 bonds were issued various currencies to help implement the plan.  The plan however quickly failed.  The stock market crash of 1929, the start of the Great Depression and the collapse of international trade made the plan infeasible. As might be expected, the plan was unpopular with most Germans and Hitler made repudiation of the war reparations a major element of his campaigns.  He repudiated the debt after becoming Chancellor in 1933. After Germany's defeat in World War II the payments were again restructured, and Germany finally paid off the last of its reparation debt and interest in 2020, 92 years after its defeat in World War I.  We offer two of the historic 1930 Young Plan Bonds: 1000 Dutch Florin (Gulden) and 1000 Swiss Francs.  The bonds paid 5 1/2% interest have texts in German, English and French.    The large sized bonds measure approximately 11.75" x 16.5" (300 x 420mm) and have been punch canceled.  The Dutch bonds include an orange Dutch revenue stamp imprint. The text of the bond indicates the equivalent value of 1000 Dutch Florin in German Reichmarks, US Dollars, British Pound Sterling, French Francs, Belgian Belgas (5 Belgian Francs), Italian Lire, Swedish Kronor and Swiss Francs.  The Swiss bonds include a partial sheet of 41 coupons, dating from June 1, 1945 to June 1 1965.  They are important but rarely seen financial instruments.

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REMEMBERING THE WAR

CANADA 2018 COLORED AND UNCOLORED WWI ARMISTICE COINS

Canada honored the 100th Anniversary of the World War I Armistice with two versions of circulating bi-metallic 2 Dollar coins: uncolored and colored.  Both versions have similar designs.  In the center brass plated core is a soldier's helmet, beneath it is the word "ARMISTICE" a remembrance poppy.  The colored version of the coin features the poppy in red.  Maple leaves and poppies are features in the nickel-plated outer rim, along with the words "REMEMBER" in English and French ("SOUVENIR") and the date 2018.  The Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse of the 28mm coin.

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WORLD WAR I REMEMBRANCE COINS FROM CANADA

In 1915 Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae wrote the immortal poem "In Flanders Fields".   The poem refers to the fields of red poppies that grew between the graves of the soldiers that died in the Battles of Ypres.  The poem first published anonymously in Great Britain, quickly grew in popularity throughout the English speaking world.  It was used in propaganda efforts and appeals to sell war bonds and recruit solders.  The red poppy became a widely recognized symbol to remember soldiers that died in conflicts.  In 2015 Canada marked the 100th anniversary of John McCrea’s famous poem with circulating commemorative 2 Dollar and 25 Cent coins.  The center section of the bi-metallic 2 Dollar coin depicts McCrea penning the poem.  In the background is a lark and crosses marking the soldiers’ graves.  The outer rim features poppies and Canadian Maple Leafs.  Two versions of the copper-nickel 25 cent coin were issued, one with a realistic color depiction of a red poppy.  The other features an uncolored poppy.  All three coin depict Queen Elizabeth on the obverse and are Uncirculated.

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AUSTRALIA REMEMBERS WORLD WAR I

Australia issued two $2 Dollar circulating colored commemorative coins in 2015 to honor the 100th anniversary of World War I.  Both coins were inspired by John McCrae’s famous poem In Flanders Fields and incorporate a colored circle in the design.  The first coin features a circle of crosses around a red circle, representing the red poppy.  The design was inspired by the first two lines of the poem “In Flanders fields the poppies blow. Between the crosses, row on row”  In the center are the words “Lest We Forget”.  The second depicts flying larks, surrounding orange colored rings, which represent the sunset glow, which are from the first and second stanzas of the poem. The aluminum-bronze coins are 20.5mm and have Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse

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Also see:
WORLD WAR II COINS & CURRENCY

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Joel Anderson
PO Box 365
Grover Beach, CA 93483-0365
USA

Phone: 1 805 489 8045 | Fax: 1 805 299 1818
Email: orders@joelscoins.com

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