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5 000 000 Mark Rheinische Stahlwerke
| Issuer | Rheinische Stahlwerke, Duisburg-Meiderich |
|---|---|
| Year | 1923 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Light green underprint with a central hexagonal cartouche flanked by letterpress vignettes of the Rheinische Stahlwerke industrial complex at Duisburg-Meiderich, showing blast furnaces and smokestacks in operation. A circular medallion at the top centre bears crossed hammer and pick emblems, while ornamental roundels at the upper corners carry the issuer monogram 'RW'. A text panel below the cartouche states the redemption conditions, valid locations, and expiry date of 31 December 1923, with two manuscript signatures of company officials above the issuer name; the denomination '5000000' and series designation 'REIHE A' appear in the lower portion. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Green underprint with a central rectangular vignette on a dark ground, rendered in a bold expressionist style, showing a muscular steelworker in a dynamic pose manipulating a long industrial rod or bar — an image evocative of Ruhr heavy industry and its labour. Symmetrical geometric guilloche rosettes in tan and black flank the central vignette on either side, with circular corner medallions each bearing the denomination '5 Millionen M'. The issuer name 'RHEINISCHE STAHLWERKE' is divided above the central vignette, and '5 MILLIONEN MARK' is inscribed in a panel below it. |
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| Comments |
Rheinische Stahlwerke was one of the major Ruhr steel producers, and like hundreds of German industrial firms in 1923, it issued its own emergency currency — Notgeld — to pay its workers when the Reichsbank simply could not supply enough physical notes to keep pace with hyperinflation. By the time five-million-mark denominations were being printed, the purchasing power of any given note was collapsing within days of issue, sometimes hours.
Industrial Notgeld of this type circulated almost entirely within the factory payroll system and local Duisburg-Meiderich commerce. Most were spent immediately.