1 Pfennig - Stettin Rudolph Karstadt

Karstadt's Stettin store issued iron notgeld pfennigs during the early 1920s when the chronic small-change shortage left retailers unable to make basic transactions. Department stores, tram companies, and factories across Germany became de facto mints by necessity. Karstadt, by then already expanding into one of Germany's dominant retail chains, redeemed these tokens at face value in-store — a practical solution that also kept customers returning to spend them.

Iron was the material of last resort, prone to rust and poorly suited to fine striking. Most survivors show corrosion damage.