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5 000 000 000 Mark
| Issuer | Stadt Mainz (City of Mainz) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1923 |
| Type | Local banknote |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | NOTGELD DER STADT MAINZ Fünf Milliarden Mark JOHANNES GUTENBERG MAINZ den 8. Oktober 1923 5 000 000 000 Mark Der Oberbürgermeister Bürgermeister Umlaufsfähig im ganzen besetzten hessischen Gebiet Gültig bis zum 1. April 1924 Wird von allen städtischen Kassen in Zahlung genommen und durch ortsübliche Bekanntmachung zur Einlösung aufgerufen. Wer Notgeld nachmacht oder verfälscht oder nachgemachtes oder verfälschtes sich verschafft und in Verkehr bringt, wird mit Zuchthaus nicht unter zwei Jahren bestraft. |
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| Protection type | Dry stamp |
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| Comments |
Five billion marks, issued by the municipal government of Mainz during the hyperinflationary peak of autumn 1923. German cities, counties, and private firms were legally permitted to issue emergency currency — Notgeld — as the Reichsbank could not print fast enough to meet demand. Mainz was among hundreds of municipalities that exercised this authority, producing notes denominated in figures that would have been incomprehensible two years earlier.
The dry stamp is the sole security measure, applied mechanically after printing. At these denominations, counterfeiting was barely worth the effort — the notes lost purchasing power faster than forgers could work.