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1 000 000 000 Mark Reichsbahndirektion
| Issuer | Deutsche Reichsbahn, Reichsbahndirektion Karlsruhe |
|---|---|
| Year | 1923 |
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| In circulation to | 1923 |
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| Obverse description | Brown-toned Notgeld gutschein printed in letterpress on plain paper, with an overall floral guilloche underprint of stylised rosettes and circular ornaments filling the field. The issuer legend 'Deutsche Reichsbahn / Gutschein' appears at the top in Fraktur script, while the denomination 'Eine Milliarde Mark' is set in large bold Fraktur lettering within a central oval cartouche. A serial number in red and a series letter appear at the left, with a multi-line redemption text, the date 'Karlsruhe, den 20. August 1923', the issuing authority 'Reichsbahndirektion', and a manuscript signature below. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Uniform golden-ochre letterpress print on plain paper, the entire surface covered by a fine lace-pattern guilloche ground of interlocking net and scrollwork. Symmetrical floral vignettes of large stylised blossoms and acanthus scrolls fill the left and right corners, while a central pointed oval cartouche bears the denomination 'Eine Milliarde Mark' in bold Fraktur script. A repeating micro-text border frames the composition on all four sides. |
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| Comments |
The German railway administrations issued their own emergency currency during the hyperinflation peak of 1923 because the Reichsbank simply could not print fast enough to meet demand. The Reichsbahndirektion Karlsruhe was one of several regional railway directorates authorized to issue notgeld at billion-mark denominations — a figure that, by late 1923, bought roughly one tram fare.
Railway notgeld of this type was printed locally and intended for wage payments to railway workers, not general retail circulation. That narrow distribution channel is precisely why intact examples surface less often than equivalent municipal notgeld from the same period.