value of old German notes?
Keith A. Schneider
[The German bills are listed below... if you have any idea of their
value, if anything, please let me know--or, let me know what book I
should look in to find out.]
Hi, I went to an estate sale a few weeks ago. I don't usually collect
bills, but I think I bought a few for a good price (I don't know much
about the value, but I suspect I made a reasonable purchase).
For $25 I bought three $1 US Silver Certificates, 1923 (Wood-White
signatures), condition about unciruculated (there is a small crease
down the center of each bill, but other than that they are perfect
(very crisp) and have apparently been stored flat in protective paper
for many years). The three bills have consecutive serial numbers
(B42212142E through B42212144E).
I estimate (based on a quick look at a price guide) that each of these
bils would sell individually for, say, about $50 each.
-----
Next for $10 total I bought a plastic protective bag containing the
following German money (these bills are in various conditions but most
seem to have come from someone's wallet):
5 Million Mark Reichsbanknote, June 1, 1923, A00525447
50 Mark Reichsbanknote, June 24 1919, No. 663140
Two 500 Million Mark Reichsbanknote, Sept. 1, 1923, 181653 and 046393
(the reverse of these 500MM notes have no printing on them)
Four 1000 Mark Reichsbanknote, Sept. 15, 1922, (Nh 603390, Lb 061874, S
394201, Y 531510)
5 Million Mark Reichsbanknote, August 20, 1923, E 01624426 (no printing
on reverse)
1 Million Mark Stadt Trier, Oct. 20, 1923, Series A, 43046 (front has a
latin seal, back shows picture of the Hauptmark in 1649)
10000 Mark Reichsbanknote, Jan. 19, 1922, N 10561107
50 Million Mark Reichsbanknote, July 25, 1923, Z 2296391 (no printing on
reverse)
50000 Mark Reichsbanknote, Nov. 19, 1922, A 19854490
50 Mark Reichsbanknote, April 21, 1910, B 4636766
1000 Mark Reichsbanknote, April 21, 1910, Nr 5276496G
I like this next piece. It was originally a small 25 Pfennig note,
Bitburg 1920, No. 353747, however, I guess due to the huge inflation of
the time, it was printed over. On top of the original "25 Pfennig" is
stamped "Eine Million" (one million). The new print date is August 7,
1923, and the priting was done by city government.
I have no idea as to the value of any of these German bills, but I
assume that they are worth a couple of dollars each, perhaps.
-----
For another $10, I got:
1 Mark Allied military bill, 1944, 079978232
5 Mark Allied military bill, 1944, 00623183
10 Mark Allied military bill, 1944, 065839118
1 Rentenmark (Rentenbankschein), Jan. 30, 1937, V 42597472
Six 20 Mark Reichsbanknote, (Feb. 7, 1908, D 3112970; April 21, 1910, G
9324839; April 21, 1910, E 551501; Feb. 19, 1914, M 5079837; Feb. 19,
1914, K 2795553; Feb. 19, 1914, N 8855930)
2 Mark, Darichenstassenschein, Aug. 12, 1914, 20 115181
2 Million Mark, Reichsbanknote, Aug. 9, 1923, A 01581732 (no printing on
reverse)
2 Million Mark, Gutschein, (Nordhausen) Aug. 10, 1923, 062597
-----
That's all. Anyone want to take a stab at pricing some of these bills
(especially the German money). I looked in a bookstore for a foriegn
currency book, but usually only a few different German bills were
mentioned.
There's an interesting history lesson in these bills. I don't know a
whole lot about the German economy at this time, but the money was so
unstable they had to include the exact day of printing. Huge inflation
(the best example is the bill worth 25 cents reprinted three years
later at a million Marks). Also, it appears that several cities
printed their own versions of the money.
Thanks for any info!
keith
James "jim" McCown
Keith A. Schneider <ke...@alumnae.caltech.edu> wrote in article
<6iokuo$4...@gap.cco.caltech.edu>...
> [The German bills are listed below... if you have any idea of their
> value, if anything, please let me know--or, let me know what book I
> should look in to find out.]
>
> Hi, I went to an estate sale a few weeks ago. I don't usually collect
> bills, but I think I bought a few for a good price (I don't know much
> about the value, but I suspect I made a reasonable purchase).
Yes. It appears that you paid a reasonable price for the notes.
> -----
>
> Next for $10 total I bought a plastic protective bag containing the
> following German money (these bills are in various conditions but most
> seem to have come from someone's wallet):
>
> 5 Million Mark Reichsbanknote, June 1, 1923, A00525447
This is catalog # P-90 from the standard catalog of world paper money by
pick, bruce, and shafer, 8th edition, volume 2.
retail values are $7 in very good (VG) and $20 in very fine (VF)
(of course, a dealer will pay you less, aand probably undergrade the notes
as well)
> 50 Mark Reichsbanknote, June 24 1919, No. 663140
P-66. 25 cents in VG, $2 in VF.
> Two 500 Million Mark Reichsbanknote, Sept. 1, 1923, 181653 and 046393
> (the reverse of these 500MM notes have no printing on them)
P110. There are 8 different watermark varieties. Values range from 25 cents
to $50 in VG. $1 to $150 in VF.
> Four 1000 Mark Reichsbanknote, Sept. 15, 1922, (Nh 603390, Lb 061874, S
> 394201, Y 531510)
P-76. 10 cents in VG. 25 cents in VF.
> 5 Million Mark Reichsbanknote, August 20, 1923, E 01624426 (no printing
> on reverse)
P-105. 50 cents in VG. $1.50 in VF.
> 1 Million Mark Stadt Trier, Oct. 20, 1923, Series A, 43046 (front has a
> latin seal, back shows picture of the Hauptmark in 1649)
I don't have a reference for these.
> 10000 Mark Reichsbanknote, Jan. 19, 1922, N 10561107
P-70. 25 cents in VG. 50 cents in VF.
> 50 Million Mark Reichsbanknote, July 25, 1923, Z 2296391 (no printing on
> reverse)
P98b. 20 cents in VG. 50 cents in VF.
> 50000 Mark Reichsbanknote, Nov. 19, 1922, A 19854490
P-79. 50 cents in VG. $1.50 in VF.
> 50 Mark Reichsbanknote, April 21, 1910, B 4636766
P-41. 25 cents in VG. $1.50 in VF.
> 1000 Mark Reichsbanknote, April 21, 1910, Nr 5276496G
P-44b. 25 cents in VG. 50 cents in VF.
> I like this next piece. It was originally a small 25 Pfennig note,
> Bitburg 1920, No. 353747, however, I guess due to the huge inflation of
> the time, it was printed over. On top of the original "25 Pfennig" is
> stamped "Eine Million" (one million). The new print date is August 7,
> 1923, and the priting was done by city government.
I don't have a reference for this one.
> I have no idea as to the value of any of these German bills, but I
> assume that they are worth a couple of dollars each, perhaps.
>
> -----
>
> For another $10, I got:
>
> 1 Mark Allied military bill, 1944, 079978232
>
> 5 Mark Allied military bill, 1944, 00623183
>
> 10 Mark Allied military bill, 1944, 065839118
Don't have a reference.
> 1 Rentenmark (Rentenbankschein), Jan. 30, 1937, V 42597472
p-173b. 10 cents in VG. 25 cents in VF.
> Six 20 Mark Reichsbanknote, (Feb. 7, 1908, D 3112970;
P-31. 25 cents in VG. $4 in VF.
> April 21, 1910, G 9324839;
P-40b. 25 cents in VG. $1 in VF.
(Does it have a watermark: "20 marks"?)
> April 21, 1910, E 551501;
P-40a. 50 cents in VG. $1.50 in VF.
> Feb. 19, 1914, M 5079837; Feb. 19,
> 1914, K 2795553; Feb. 19, 1914, N 8855930)
P-46b. 25 cents in VG. 50 cents in VF.
> 2 Mark, Darichenstassenschein, Aug. 12, 1914, 20 115181
No reference.
> 2 Million Mark, Reichsbanknote, Aug. 9, 1923, A 01581732 (no printing on
> reverse)
P-103. 20 cents in VG. 50 cents in VF.
> 2 Million Mark, Gutschein, (Nordhausen) Aug. 10, 1923, 062597
No reference.
>
> -----
>
> That's all. Anyone want to take a stab at pricing some of these bills
> (especially the German money). I looked in a bookstore for a foriegn
> currency book, but usually only a few different German bills were
> mentioned.
>
> There's an interesting history lesson in these bills. I don't know a
> whole lot about the German economy at this time, but the money was so
> unstable they had to include the exact day of printing. Huge inflation
> (the best example is the bill worth 25 cents reprinted three years
> later at a million Marks). Also, it appears that several cities
> printed their own versions of the money.
> Thanks for any info!
> keith
Have fun! Hyperinflation notes are my current favorite. Partly because they
are the only type of notes that I can afford!