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50 Bani BGR - German Occupation
| Issuer | Banca Generala Româna (Romanian General Bank) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1917 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Bani (0.50) |
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| Obverse description | Printed in teal-blue on cream paper, the obverse carries an oval vignette at left with a female portrait in left profile, framed by fine guilloche lacework and ornamental corner rosettes. To the right, the denomination title CINCI DECI BANI appears in large letterpress text at upper right, above a multi-line text block stating the note's legal basis and the issuing authority, Banca Generala Româna, with the legend Sectie de emisie below. The large numeral 50 with BANI appears at lower left within the guilloche border, and a red serial number is printed at the bottom centre. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | 50 BANCA GENERALA ROMANA 50 CINCI DECI BANI Falsificatorii acestor bilete si cari vor fi intrebuințat bilete false, sau le vor fi introdus in țara, se vor pedepsi. BANI 50 BANI (Translation: 50 ROMANIAN GENERAL BANK 50 FIFTY BANI The forgers of these notes and who will use forged notes, or will have brought them into the country, will be punished BANI 50 BANI) |
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| Comments |
The Banca Generala Româna was not a Romanian institution in any meaningful sense — it was a German-administered bank established in Bucharest after the fall of the city in December 1916, operating under direct control of the occupying Central Powers authorities. These notes were issued to manage the Romanian economy during occupation, effectively displacing the existing Banca Națională currency in the occupied territories.
With over twelve million printed, this denomination circulated widely among a civilian population already dealing with requisitions, food shortages, and the general disruption of wartime occupation. The inflationary pressure these notes contributed to left lasting damage to Romanian monetary confidence well into the 1920s.