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50 Pfennig
| Issuer | Stadt Merseburg (City of Merseburg) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1921 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Mark (1914-1924) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Printer | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Printed in violet, black, and ochre, the obverse bears the large bold denomination numerals '50' at left and right flanking a central vignette of a black raven perched within a stylized white oval wreath, rendered in a bold expressionist woodcut style. The upper border carries the Gothic-script legend 'Gutschein d. Stadt Merseburg' within an ochre decorative frame, with the date 'den 1. Mai 1921' along the left vertical margin and validity text along the right. The lower portion shows the series letter, serial number, and two facsimile signatures over the text 'Der Magistrat', with the printer's imprint 'GEBR. PARCUS. MÜNCHEN.' at the very bottom. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Das Schloss 50 Pf. |
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| Comments |
Merseburg's 1921 Notgeld issue was part of the broader municipal emergency currency wave that swept Germany as the Reichsbank struggled to keep small denominations in circulation amid postwar inflation. Gebrüder Parcus of Munich was one of the more prolific Notgeld printers of the period, producing issues for dozens of municipalities — their output is generally well-executed, which partly explains why Merseburg's notes attracted collector interest even during the original circulation period. Notgeld collecting was already a serious hobby by 1921, and some issues were printed in quantities that far exceeded local monetary need.
A. Wessner's design credit is unusual to find explicitly documented for a Parcus commission.