Catalog
1 Rupie
| Issuer | Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Bank |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915-1917 |
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| Reference(s) | P#26 |
| Obverse description | Interim banknote (Interims-Banknote) with the Imperial German eagle vignette at upper left. Central text in German Gothic script reads 'Die Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Bank' with the denomination 'Eine Rupie' in large numerals. Lower portion carries the date '1. November 1915', place of issue 'Daressalam/Tabora', and a manuscript authorization signature in violet ink. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse carries the serial number in large letterpress print at top and bottom, flanked by a violet overprint 'X' stamp on both sides alongside a series letter designation. Text appears in two languages: German and Swahili, guaranteeing the note's backing by the Imperial Government of German East Africa, followed by a counterfeit warning in German. A small printer's imprint box appears at lower left. |
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| Comments |
These notes were produced under genuine siege conditions. By 1915, the British naval blockade had severed German East Africa from any outside printing supply, forcing the Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Bank to commission the colony's own newspaper press — the Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Zeitung — to produce emergency currency. The results are accordingly crude: uneven inking, variable paper stock, and hand-stamped serial elements are all characteristic of the series.
Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck's forces remained in the field until after the Armistice, and these notes circulated — however reluctantly — for the duration. The 1 Rupie denomination was the workhorse of the emergency issues, and used examples do survive, though the improvised paper has often browned or become brittle with age.