10 Pfennigs - Grossalmerode von Waitzische Erben

Von Waitzische Erben was a prominent clay and mining operation in Grossalmerode, a town in Hesse long central to Germany's crucible and fireclay industry. This notgeld issue emerged from the acute coin shortage of 1919, when the post-war collapse of normal currency supply forced municipalities, firms, and estates to produce their own emergency coinage. Iron was the practical choice — the wartime requisitioning of copper and nickel had left those metals effectively unavailable for private minting.

Grossalmerode notgeld pieces from industrial issuers like this one circulated almost exclusively within the company's own workforce and local trade network.