Catalog
1 Pfennig - Oberhausen PoW Camp Oberhausen Colliery
| Issuer | Oberhausen Colliery (Zeche Oberhausen) |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Mark (1873-1923) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | 1 Pfg. |
| Reverse description | Unprinted tan card stock, entirely plain save for a handwritten ink inscription reading "WALZWERK O." applied in manuscript across the lower portion of the reverse. |
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| Comments |
Zeche Oberhausen was one of several Ruhr collieries authorized to issue their own Lagergeld for use within prisoner-of-war camps during the First World War. These colliery-issued notes functioned as scrip redeemable only within the camp canteen or commissary — a deliberate mechanism to prevent POWs from accumulating Reichsmark currency that could fund escape attempts or be used outside the camp perimeter.
The 1 Pfennig denomination is the lowest in such series, issued primarily to enable exact-change transactions in controlled retail settings. Notes at this face value saw heavy handling and survive poorly.