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50 Pfennig Stadtsparkasse, B
| Issuer | Stadtsparkasse Bielefeld |
|---|---|
| Year | 1921 |
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| Value | 50 Pfennigs (50 Pfennige) (0.50) |
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| Obverse description | Letterpress note in vivid red and blue, centred on a diamond-shaped panel bearing the bold denomination '50 Pf' above the issuer name 'Stadtsparkasse Bielefeld' in Gothic script, followed by a payment clause and magistrate signature. Six circular medallions arranged around the border carry blue-printed heraldic and civic vignettes — including a rampant lion, a city gateway, and guild symbols. Vertical marginal text panels read 'SPARKASSENVERWALTUNG' and 'VON ALLEN ÖFFENTLICHEN KASSEN' in the left and right margins respectively. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse repeats the red and blue letterpress colour scheme, centred on a black diamond panel bearing a bold silhouette composition of a blacksmith figure driving away demons, an allusion to the 700th anniversary of Bielefeld. Surrounding circular medallions carry further civic vignettes including the Theater Schillerplatz and craftsmen's scenes, with the denomination '50 Pf' repeated in two of the roundels. Marginal inscriptions read 'Schmiedlied von Bielefeld' and '700 Jahres Fest', while rhyming guild verses in Gothic script arc around the central vignette and the series letter 'B' appears at the lower border. |
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| Comments |
Bielefeld's municipal savings bank issued an extraordinary volume of notgeld between 1921 and 1923, and this 50 Pfennig piece sits within the broader Stadtsparkasse series that became one of the more systematically catalogued local issues in Westphalia. The "B" designation distinguishes this from parallel issues within the same denomination and series, a subdivision that reflects how frequently the Stadtsparkasse had to reprint as inflationary pressure eroded the real value of each batch almost immediately after release.
Bielefeld is also where the famous linen notgeld was later produced — the 1923 fabric notes that are now among the most recognizable emergency currency in any collection.