300 Mark Herzogliche Sparkasse

The Herzoglich Braunschweigische Sparkasse was not a central bank — it was a ducal savings institution pressed into emergency currency issuance during the chaotic final months of World War One, when Reichsbank notes could not keep pace with civilian demand. The 300 Mark denomination is itself a tell: round multiples of 100 or 1000 were normal; 300 suggests ad hoc arithmetic, a gap-filling exercise rather than a planned series.

Brunswick's ducal house was abolished in November 1918, weeks after this note entered circulation. Whether that political rupture affected redemption is not documented, but municipal and savings-bank notgeld from this period was frequently repudiated or left unredeemed when issuing authorities dissolved.