Catalog
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| Issuer | Federal Republic of Germany |
|---|---|
| Year | 1948 |
| Type | Fantasy banknote |
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| Obverse description | Blue-printed Kinderspielgeld (children's play money) note with a central vignette of a classical allegorical female figure standing on a pedestal, one arm raised, rendered in an engraved style. Guilloche rosettes bearing the numeral 10 flank the central vignette at left and right, with serial number prefixes at upper left and right. The legend KINDERSPIELGELD appears in a banner along the top border. |
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| Reverse description | Reverse is entirely unprinted, presenting a plain cream-buff paper surface with no design, lettering, or ornamental elements. |
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| Comments |
The 1948 10 Mark was issued under the Bank Deutscher Länder — the precursor institution to the Bundesbank — as part of the currency reform of 20 June 1948, one of the most consequential monetary events in postwar European history. Every German resident received 40 Deutsche Mark at a rate of 10 old Reichsmark to one new Mark, with larger holdings converted at far less favorable rates. The reform was designed explicitly to wipe out the inflationary overhang of the Nazi war economy and the black market it had sustained.
These notes were printed by the American Banknote Company in the United States, shipped to Germany, and held in secret before distribution to prevent speculation ahead of the changeover.