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10 Deutsche Mark
| Issuer | Deutsche Notenbank |
|---|---|
| Year | 1955 |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | P#18 |
| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in purple and red on a light ground, with an intricate guilloche underprint covering the entire surface. At centre, the large gothic inscription ZEHN DEUTSCHE MARK is set within ornate decorative cartouches, flanked by the numeral 10 in an elaborate rosette at the right. The issuing authority text VON DER DEUTSCHEN NOTENBANK AUF GRUND IHRER SATZUNG AUSGEGEBEN BERLIN 1955 appears in small letterpress beneath the central vignette, with the serial number printed in red at upper left. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | 10 BANKNOTE 10 10 DEUTSCHE MARK WER BANKNOTEN NACHMACHT ODER VERFÄLSCHT ODER NACHGEMACHTE ODER VERFÄLSCHTE SICH VERSCHAFFT UND IN VERKEHR BRINGT, WIRD LAUT GESETZ BESTRAFT (Translation: Ten German Mark Whosoever counterfeits banknotes or markets them will be punished according to the law.) |
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| Comments |
The Deutsche Notenbank was the central bank of the German Democratic Republic, and this 1955 issue belongs to the early phase of the GDR's attempt to build a distinct monetary identity separate from the West German Deutschmark — a currency that shared the same name but was officially treated as a foreign denomination east of the inner-German border. Cross-border currency speculation was a serious enforcement problem throughout this period, and the regime periodically exchanged or overprinted notes specifically to counter it.
At just over twelve million printed, the run is not especially large for a workhorse denomination of this period. Notes from this issuer frequently show heavy wear; the GDR's paper quality and ink adhesion in the early 1950s were notably inferior to contemporary West German production.