2 Mark Sparkasse

Arnsberg's municipal savings bank was one of hundreds of German local institutions forced into emergency currency production during the Inflationszeit, when Reichsbank notes became so scarce relative to demand that payroll and retail transactions simply could not function. The Sparkasse issues of 1921 sit in the transitional phase before hyperinflation rendered denominations like 2 Mark effectively worthless within months of printing.

J. Schwertner's credit is unusual — most Notgeld of this type went unsigned or carried only the lithographer's imprint. Worth noting for collectors working the Arnsberg municipal series.