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20 Mark
| Issuer | Stadtgemeinde Rudolstadt (City of Rudolstadt) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1918 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Gutschein für Zwanzig Mark Rudolstadt, den 1. Dezember 1918 Der Stadtgemeinde-Vorstand |
| Reverse description | Brown letterpress reverse sharing the same fan and palmette guilloche underprint and denticulated border as the obverse, with the denomination numeral '20' in bold Gothic type at each corner. A large central oval vignette carries a detailed architectural view of Heidecksburg Castle in Rudolstadt, rendered in fine line work and showing the castle's towers, multi-storey wings, and a flag flying from the right tower. No text inscriptions appear on the reverse. |
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| Comments |
Rudolstadt's 20 Mark emergency note belongs to the enormous wave of Notgeld issued by German municipalities as the imperial financial system buckled under four years of war. The city relied on its own Hofbuchdruckerei — the court printing house — rather than an outside contractor, which was uncommon; most towns of comparable size sourced their Notgeld from Leipzig or Berlin printers equipped for higher-volume runs.
Local production kept turnaround fast but quality variable. The Hofbuchdruckerei's primary business was official civic and court printing, not currency, and that shows in the relatively modest production values compared to notes from specialist security printers.