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5 Mark
| Issuer | Stadt Solingen (City of Solingen) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Gutschein der Stadt Solingen Dieser Gutschein wird von allen Kassen der Stadtgemeinde Solingen eingelöst. über Fünf Mark Der Gutschein verliert seine Gültigkeit nach Aufkündigung in den Solingen Zeitungen. Solingen, 1. Mai 1920. Der Oberbürgermeister: |
| Reverse description | Printed in light blue, the reverse carries a central vignette of a standing blacksmith or swordsmith figure in relief against radiating sunburst lines, flanked by large numeral '5' on either side. 'Stadt Solingen' is inscribed in Gothic script at top, 'Fünf Mark' in bold blackletter at foot, and a small circular city arms appears below the figure with the antifraud legend 'Nachahmung Strafbar'. |
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| Comments |
Solingen's municipal administration began issuing Notgeld in earnest during 1920 as the Reichsbank's coin shortages dragged well past the armistice. This 5 Mark note was printed by the city's own print shop — an arrangement that saved money but also meant quality control varied considerably across the run. The official stamp served as the primary authentication device, which left these notes vulnerable to forgery in a period when municipal paper was already treated with public skepticism.
Solingen was a significant industrial center — the cutlery and blade trade dominated the local economy — and its workers needed functional small-denomination paper for daily wages and transactions. The city-printed stamp on each note is typically found slightly off-register.