2 Mark

The 1948 West German 2 Mark was issued under the Allied-supervised currency reform of June 20, 1948 — one of the most abrupt monetary resets in postwar European history. Every German in the Western zones received 40 Deutsche Mark as an initial per-capita allocation, with the old Reichsmark rendered worthless almost overnight. These small-denomination notes absorbed the heaviest day-to-day use of that transition period.

Printed by the American Banknote Company, the series was prepared in secrecy and flown into Germany to prevent any advance knowledge of the reform date from triggering hoarding or capital flight. The operation was codenamed "Bird Dog."