Mr. Rilch was going through some old files and found what looks like a very small certificate (about 2" tall by 4" wide). Whatever’s printed on it is in German, so I was wondering if anyone could translate it.
(The font is very ornate, so I’ve marked in red the letters I’m not sure about. The question mark might be a lower-case f, or a lower-case i.)
[centered at top} Reichsbanknote
Zwei Millionen Mart
zahlt bie Reichsbanthaupt?affe in Berlin gegen biefe Bantnote dem Cinlieferer. Bom 1. September 1923 ab tann biefe Bantnote aufgerufen und unter Umtaufch gegen andere gefebliche Zahlungsmittel ein gezogen werden
[centered]Berlin, den 9. Nuguft 1923
[centered]Reichsbantdireftorium
[stamp with an eagle in the center, surrounded by the word REICHSBANKDIREKTORIUM][some handwritten stuff about which I don’t have a clue][same stamp]
[Along left-hand edge; very small print, so I could be wrong about a lot of it]Wer Banknoten nachmacht oder verfalfcht oder nachgemachte oder verfalfchte fich verchafft und in Verfehr bringt, wird mit Zuchtbane nicht unter zwei Jabren beftraft
First, I think that several of your "t"s are actually "k"s. (Some of the "f"s might also be "s"s.)
Basically, it appears to be a reference to a bank note for three million marks.
I don’t know whether the Germans were referring to their currency as “imperial” (Reich) prior to the rise of the Nazis, or not. If they were, then it may have been issued in 1923. If they began adding Reich only after 1933, then it may have been a Nazi era transfer of a note issued earlier.
1923 was the year of the hyperinflation under the Weimar Republic, so 3 million marks may not have been worth more than a couple of cents, even when it was issued.
Constructed pays Reichsbanthauptstrasse in Berlin against offered bill the C supplier. Bom 1 September 1923 from tann biese bill called and pulled become under exchange against other gesebliche currencies a
…
He who imitates or falsified bill or brings imitated or versalschte fich verchafft and in verse honor, is not punished with Zuchtbane under two years
Don’t copy the certificate, or you’ll be subject to two or more years of zuchtbane :eek:
Sounds like a pretty good example of Weimar-era banknote or stock certificate. Many are not worth much, but there is a collector’s market out there for some of the more attractive and/or rarer ones.
As an aside, one of my professors in college grew up in Berlin during the last days of the Weimar republic.I remember him telling us about the effects of hyperinflation making the currency less than worthless. They would use million-mark notes as toilet paper, to block drafts in windows, as insulation, as fuel. He remembered that since he was too small to reach the table, he had to sit on a bundle of money as a high-chair.
First of all, the answers from above are all about right. It has no real value except to a collector, but I doubt it even has much value to them. Things like this are found at every German flea market and until they are rare (which might be a long time) it is more of a curiousity than anything of monetary value.
As a slight hijack:
Back when the wall was still up, and there was such a thing as East Marks (the monetary unit of East Germany), there was a great story about someone going to a small bank in the Northwest of the USA (I don’t remember if it was Oregon or Washington).
Whatever…someone took East German Marks (almost worthless in the West) and passed them off as West German Marks and got about $10,000 exchanged. It seems the bank teller only looked up the value of the West Germany currency and didn’t bother to check if the money was the same as real West German currency.
And another personal story, I met an American travelling from Sweden to Berlin who got off the train in Berlin and changed the last of his money and then went in search of a hotel.
Unfortunately, he spoke no German and got off the train in EAST BERLIN, changed his money, and then took the train to WEST BERLIN. They almost had him arrested in West Berlin when he tried to pay for his hotel, (as the East German money was worthless) and he had to wire home for money to get him out of the mess.
But I would still keep the paper you have…now with Euros, it is a historical document of sorts - even if it isn’t worth a lot of money today.
…or, you could try to find that bank in the Northwest and hope that teller is still working there…of course, once you exchange it, you might have to go on the run for a few decades…
Phooey. Not that I thought I was looking at a fortune, but I kind of wanted the cachet of “Wow! This random thing that turned up in Mr. Rilch’s files is actually very rare and unusual!”
The note Rilchiam is looking at is known as a Notgeld (=“emergency money”) note, issued by the German Reichsbank (or possibly the Reichsbahn, the state railways, as the OP is unclear on some spellings) in the early 1920’s. Hyperinflation was rampant at the time. The note Rilchiam has is indeed worthless as far as money goes, and not all that rare, either. But I can certainly understand the surprise when you found it! It’s still a cool find.
The last three numbers are the values, for quality ranging from poor to average to crisp. The characteristics and the date do seem to suggest that’s the note you have, though.
As for the star of David: I’m unsure. Are you certain it’s a SoD?
zahlt die Reichsbankhauptkasse in Berlin gegen diese Banknote dem Zinlieferer. Vom 1. September 1923 ab kann diese Banknote aufgerufen und unter Umtausch gegen andere Zahlungsmittel eingezogen werden.
Berlin, den 9. August 1923
Reichsbankdirektorium
Wer Banknoten nachmacht oder verfälscht oder nachgemachte oder verfälschte sich verschafft und in Verkehr bringt, wird mit Zuchtbane nicht unter zwei Jahren bestraft.
Which translates to:
The Central Reichsbank of Berlin pays the bearer of this note two million marks. From the 1st of September on, this note can be called in (at the bank) and also called in for other forms of currency.
Berlin, August 9, 1923
Reichsbankdirector
Whoever forges or falsifies, or procures forged or falsified notes and brings them into circulation, will be punished by a prison term of no less than two years.
The pathetic thing is, by August 1923 two million marks was only worth two dollars!