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500 000 000 Mark
| Issuer | Stadtgemeinde Düren (City of Düren) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1923 |
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| Reference(s) | Merkelb.2#31-32 |
| Obverse description | Brown and cream Notgeld dated 20 September 1923, centred on a bold letterpress denomination panel reading '500 MILLIONEN MARK' within a decorative frame, surmounted by the legend 'Dieser Gutschein über'. To the right, an oval vignette presents a crowned medieval queen in bust portrait set within a guilloche border, above a cartouche inscribed 'STADT DÜREN'; the left margin carries a vertical circulation stamp in a framed panel. The lower section bears a facsimile signature of the Oberbürgermeister, a serial number in red, and a large numeral underprint reading '500.000.000'. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Printed in olive-green and golden-yellow tones, the central vignette presents a view of the Düren town hall and market square enclosed within elaborate guilloche scrollwork borders. To the left, a bold oval cartouche bears the municipal coat of arms of Düren — an eagle and lion quartered — beneath the inscription 'STADT DÜREN'. The denomination '500 000 000' appears in large numerals along the lower margin, with a red handstamp at centre. |
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| Comments |
Düren was one of hundreds of German municipalities that assumed emergency currency functions during the hyperinflation of 1923, but the denomination here reflects the most acute phase — by late summer and autumn of that year, the Reichsmark had collapsed so catastrophically that half a billion marks represented, briefly, a bus fare or a loaf of bread. Local Notgeld at these denominations wasn't a curiosity; it was a necessity, filling a vacuum left by a central banking system that could no longer print and distribute fast enough to meet daily demand.
The Merkelbach reference numbers 31–32 suggest this type was issued as a pair, likely differentiated by date, serial prefix, or a minor printing variation.