Thorn — the German name for Toruń — had been incorporated into the newly created West Prussia province following the First Partition of Poland in 1772, and by 1918 the city was bracing for another transfer of sovereignty it could see coming. This notgeld issue appeared as the German military economy collapsed and small change vanished from circulation, hoarded or melted. The city would be ceded to the reconstituted Polish state under the Treaty of Versailles just one year later.
Zinc was the only practical option by late 1918; copper and nickel had long since been requisitioned for war production.
Thorn — the German name for Toruń — had been incorporated into the newly created West Prussia province following the First Partition of Poland in 1772, and by 1918 the city was bracing for another transfer of sovereignty it could see coming. This notgeld issue appeared as the German military economy collapsed and small change vanished from circulation, hoarded or melted. The city would be ceded to the reconstituted Polish state under the Treaty of Versailles just one year later.
Zinc was the only practical option by late 1918; copper and nickel had long since been requisitioned for war production.