50 Heller Eizendorf

Eizendorf is a small commune in Upper Austria, and this 50 Heller note is a product of the Notgeld wave that swept Austrian municipalities between 1920 and 1921 — a direct consequence of the postwar coin shortage that left ordinary commercial transactions nearly impossible. Municipal governments were authorized to fill the gap themselves, producing small-denomination emergency paper in quantities calibrated to local need. Most series were redeemable for a fixed period, after which unredeemed notes became worthless; the high survival rate of many Notgeld issues reflects deliberate hoarding by collectors even at the time of issue.