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500 Mark
| Issuer | Magistrat der Reichshauptstadt Berlin |
|---|---|
| Year | 1922 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed entirely in blue and displays a large historical cartographic vignette of Berlin, rendered as an early city plan or map, occupying the full central field. The large numeral "500" is superimposed over the map as a bold underprint. A decorative guilloche border frames the composition, with the denomination "500" repeated vertically on both side panels. A Gothic script inscription at the top reads "Berlin im Jahre 1737", referencing the historical date of the depicted city map. |
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| Signature(s) | Heft and S. Hartung |
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| Comments |
Berlin's city government issued its own emergency currency during the hyperinflationary spiral of 1922, when the Reichsbank simply could not print fast enough to meet demand. Municipal and commercial notgeld at this denomination was a stopgap — Berlin's Magistrat stepping in where the central bank had failed to keep small and mid-range transactions liquid.
The dual signature of Heft and S. Hartung reflects the Magistrat's treasury authorization structure rather than any banking function. Worth noting: by late 1922, a 500 Mark note was losing purchasing power faster than it could physically change hands.