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10 Pfennig Unification Series
| Issuer | Zella-Mehlis, City of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1921 |
| Type | Local banknote |
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| Obverse description | The upper half of the obverse carries a banner scroll inscribed 'Notgeld der Stadt Zella-Mehlis' in Gothic blackletter, arching over a panoramic vignette of the Thuringian forest hills rendered in brown and gold tones. At centre, two interlocking oval medallions contain bust portraits of a bishop in pontifical regalia and a young female figure, framed by a beaded border, while flanking vignettes below depict two notable civic buildings of Zella-Mehlis — a church with a steeple to the left and a turreted municipal structure to the right. The lower central panel, printed on a yellow-ochre ground, carries the validity clause, the issuing authority 'Der Stadtrat,' a manuscript facsimile signature, and a serial number in large Gothic numerals, with the printer's imprint 'Otto Richters & Co. Erfurt' at the foot. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | 10 10 |
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| Comments |
Zella-Mehlis came into existence only in 1919, when the neighboring Thuringian towns of Zella and Mehlis were administratively merged — making this 1921 Notgeld issue one of the earliest pieces of paper currency to bear the unified municipality's name. The series title "Unification Series" almost certainly references that civic merger rather than any broader political event.
Otto Richters & Co. of Erfurt were prolific producers of Thuringian municipal Notgeld during this period, supplying dozens of small towns that lacked the resources to commission more elaborate issues. The five-note run (variants 1/5 through 5/5) suggests a collectible intent from the outset — a common commercial strategy by 1921, when the Notgeld collector market was already well established and towns openly printed for philatelic revenue.