Collecting Notgeld
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Buying and Collecting Notgeld Banknotes
Notgeld, also known as emergency money, is a fun and inexpensive collection to make. This page will focus on the banknotes, although Notgeld were also issued as coins. These banknotes are colorful and feature many interesting topics for collectors. Their popularity has increased over the last 20 years but Notgelds are still affordable. I am a Notgeld collector (I collect mostly the Serienscheine) and will show you some of my collection as well as some pointers and basic information for those who want to collect and buy Notgeld. I am not a specialist on Notgeld, but you will find many links to the best notgeld websites.
Unless otherwise noted, all the notgeld banknotes photos on this page are from my collection.
This Notgeld webpage was last updated by Fanfreluche on January 26 2012
What is a Notgeld
Notgeld literally means "necessity money" (or emergency money). In Germany, during World War I, metal was needed for weapon and war effort so the central bank gave authorization to towns and local industries to issue paper money to face shortage of metal. These banknotes were to be use locally."Notgeld was mainly issued in the form of (paper) banknotes. Sometimes other forms were used, as well: coins, leather, silk, linen, stamps, aluminium foil, coal, and porcelain; there are also reports of elemental sulfur being used, as well as all sorts of re-used paper and carton material (e.g. playing cards). These pieces made from playing cards are extremely rare and are known as "Spielkarten", the German word for "playing card"."Wikipedia
These first notgelds were so colorful and interesting that they became popular among collectors. So, as good business entities, the German towns continue to print these even after they where no longer needed, from 1918 to 1922. Sets upon sets were produced to fill the collector's demand. Collecting notgeld is nothing new!
You don't Need to Speak German to Enjoy Collecting Notgeld
It sure help when it comes to know more about the little verse on the banknotes, but in this age of internet you can find all the information you want with a little search on the net.
The Pied Piper of Hamelin (Hameln) Notgeld
2 colorful and fun set from my collection
Zu Hameln war einst grosse Not.
Viel Ratzen gab's und wenig Brot.
Sie frassen alles gross und klein.
Das macht die Bürgern grosse Pein
Once upon a time, the town of Hamelin had a huge problem.
Too many rats, too little bread!
The rats fed on everything large and small
causing the townsfolk a great deal of harm.
You can learn more about this legend here:The Pied Piper Of Hamelin
Types of Notgeld
Serienscheine: issued between 1918 and 1922. These are found in mint condition and often were made as sets. They were not meant for circulation, but for collectors. They will mainly depict a city`s cultural heritage: famous people, architecture, lore and legends, historical highlights. They are the colorful ones.Verkehrsausgaben and Grossnotgeld: these were issued for circulation. The ones under 1 Mark denomination are called Verkehrsausgaben and those over 1 Mark are the Grossnotgeld.
Inflation 1922 and 1923: your chance to own a banknote with a face value of 1 million to 1 trillion! Now talk about inflation.
Some collectors also called Notgeld any emergency currency from other countries (such as the British Condor tokens). But for most, Notgeld are German or Austrian.
Halle Zoologischer Garten Notgeld
From my notgeld collection: Halle zoo
This Notgeld set was bought on an online auction, in a bidding war. Really a beautiful set of 5 banknotes, depicting some residents of the Halle zoological garden.
Where Can I Buy Notgeld
Most of my notgeld collection has been bought online. I never bought anything from a "real" store nor at collector's shows because most of the time I know I will get a better deal online. As for all collection, you have to know what it's worth before buying anything, unless of course you really want to have it and price is not a problem. I don't have a notgeld catalog (I will invest in one eventually) but I do research prices online before bidding or buying. Unless it's a piece I really really want, in that case I can bid whatever it takes for me to have it.If you are starting to collect notgeld in general, you may want to start by buying some small lots to get you started. If like me you prefer to buy notgelds on particular topics, you can browse the internet to find what is available on your favorite subjects. I buy notgeld featuring animals, witches, Christmas scenes and anything that is unusual or with an interesting design. Or you can also specialized in a particular region. The main thing is collect what you like.
Buying Notgeld Online
Here`s a few online stores and collectors selling notgeld.
- German Notgeld Collector's Club online store
- This website is maintained by a serious notgeld collector. He did even publish is own reference book. He sells his duplication. I bought once from him. Fast and friendly. Ships from UK
- Kelly's Computer Shop & Coins
- Good selection of notgeld, ships from the USA
Notgeld Lots and Collection for Sale
Large inventory of Notgeld available on Ebay
Hamburg Zoo Notgeld Set
Notgeld set from my collection
A beautiful set from 1922, great saturated colors, very nice!
The Art of Notgeld
Notgeld are little piece of art. Many designs are from the Art Deco and Arts and crafts movements. Although some are very simple, many are tiny piece of workmanship featuring lots of small details: column, friezes, arabesques.The topics are various, each town wanting to show off its more interesting aspects. Among topics often found on notgeld:
-Architecture, notable buildings
-Famous people
-Industry and crafts
-owls
-Demon, devils, witches
-Historical events
Here`s an interesting read about the art of notgeld:
- Order, Disorder and Notgeld
- An interesting read! "Notgeld are invariably items of exceptional beauty, not to mention documents of great social and historical value-peeks into the mind and soul of a nation in collapse. Notgeld rarely dealt with the trauma of the recent war. It was too painful to relive, and Germans preferred to either recall a golden past or anticipate a better future"
Blog Posts About Notgeld
Notgeld depicting Red Cross
Helmstedt Rotes Kreuz
Notgeld Depicting Mines and Mining
Discover beautiful notgelds featuring mines and mining graphic.
curated content from YouTube
The best Notgeld catalogue
Deutsches Notgeld.
I do not have one currently, but will eventually invest in one. Just because a good catalog provides handy information and helps in keeping tracks of what you have and what you want. If you are only starting, a notgeld catalog is not necessary. Interesting yes, useful certainly, but not absolutely necessary. Please also keep in mind also that the good ones are in German.
This is the one I will eventually buy: Deutsches Notgeld: Deutsche Serienscheine 1918 - 1922 by Hans-Ludwig Grabowski and Manfred Mehl.
Comes in 2 volumes, 900 pages, over 4000 illustrations, lots in color, prices in euros, alphabetic listing. Covering the period: 1918-1922. This is an excellent reference book, a good investment in long term.
More Notgeld Catalogs
Buy Notgeld on Auction
Are You a Notgeld Collector?
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Do you Collect Notgeld or Something Else?
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Whistleman
May 5, 2012 @ 5:19 pm | delete
- Great lens!
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AliceAdventures
Jan 28, 2012 @ 11:11 am | delete
- The artwork on Notgeld is beautiful!
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AkitaJitsu
Jan 27, 2012 @ 9:02 pm | delete
- Very interesting! I hadn't heard of Notgeld before. Thanks for sharing!
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Joie Jan 27, 2012 @ 3:02 pm | delete
- I had never heard of notgeld, and was fascinated by its history, as well as the detail in the art. Thank you so much for sharing! And congratulations for making the front page!
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Tipi
Jan 26, 2012 @ 9:13 pm | delete
- Necessity currency is something I can relate to but had never heard of Notgeld and I see you are introducing it quite wonderfully to all of us! What interesting and beautiful pieces of art, delightfully done!
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Edutopia
Jan 26, 2012 @ 6:06 am | delete
- Fascinating lens! I never knew towns did this during the first World War. What a great way to remember the past and to get an insight into how the various local cultures that make up Germany viewed themselves!
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jwcooney
Jan 26, 2012 @ 1:28 am | delete
- I hadn't heard of notgeld before visiting this lens. Very interesting, and the artwork on them is quite beautiful.
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miaponzo
Jan 25, 2012 @ 1:15 am | delete
- Wow.. those are really cool.. I collect loads of things.. :) Illuminati Cards, coins, Native American stuff.. and loads more! :) Blessed!
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---Chazz
Jan 22, 2012 @ 11:47 pm | delete
- Thanks for an interesting lens and for introducing me to Notgeld.
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aesta1
Jan 9, 2012 @ 4:53 am | delete
- Very interesting. Have not heard of notgeld before.
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davespeed
Dec 19, 2011 @ 3:36 pm | delete
- You sent me to school today! I knew nothing about Notgeld before finding your lens. Very interesting!
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fugeecat
Dec 7, 2011 @ 12:19 am | delete
- I've never heard of it before. The artwork is beautiful on most of these.
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Rhidawn
Nov 19, 2011 @ 10:56 am | delete
- I've never heard of notgeld before. I must say I did enjoy looking at the pictures on them!
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WeirdStuff
Jul 5, 2011 @ 6:19 am | delete
- Very interesting, never heard about it before. How did they prevent inflation? (free competition of currencies?)
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Poison_kitty
Jun 18, 2011 @ 9:00 am | delete
- Ive never seen notgeld before, although my nan had a fine collection of coins from when my grandad was in the merchant and royal navy during and after the war. Absolutely fascinating!
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Ladymermaid
Jun 18, 2011 @ 8:18 am | delete
- I had never heard of Notgeld before. It is very beautifully unique currency. Wonderful once again to see your treasures. I have many too but most have been given away over the years. I collect for the thrill of the hunt and then pass them along.
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thesuccess
Apr 24, 2011 @ 5:26 am | delete
- I'll look out for these now!
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ViolinStudent
Mar 21, 2011 @ 11:19 am | delete
- I don't have a single specimen. I do collect U.S. coins, and have written about some of them here on Squidoo. This was a very interesting lens. A good starting place for the hobby. Thanks for the page!
-Art
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yourgoldenfuture
Mar 9, 2011 @ 12:55 pm | delete
- the times where this money was in use were really bad ones for the people...the lens is very interesting...this money robbed the normal ppl of their posessions...
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JeremiahStanghini Feb 26, 2011 @ 4:18 pm | delete
- Just wanted to let you know your forum signature was a good place for a link to this lens... It's how I found it! ;-)
With Love and Gratitude,
Jeremiah
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thesuccess
Feb 26, 2011 @ 3:41 am | delete
- I lived in Germany but had never heard of these, great niche lens.
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darciefrench
Feb 20, 2011 @ 4:45 pm | delete
- Congrats on your purple star!
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DogToys
Feb 20, 2011 @ 11:59 am | delete
- Very interesting, had never heard of it.
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mismatch
Feb 20, 2011 @ 11:41 am | delete
- Hi fanfreluche, I never knew about the Notgeld, only the Not.
Im Not schmeckt der Wurst auch ohne Brot?
I wish I had money to buy money. I enjoyed learning about the Notgeld
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cinstress
Feb 19, 2011 @ 6:01 pm | delete
- very interesting
I learned something new
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kab
Feb 11, 2011 @ 10:28 am | delete
- Never heard of it. Love the artwork!
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Brian
Jan 30, 2011 @ 2:43 pm | delete
- I collect notgeld and love to get complete sets of towns where my family lived before they came to the states. I think that its shows the rich heritage unique to the areas in the illustrations.
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LauraMarie Jan 16, 2011 @ 1:21 pm | delete
- This is a new concept to me!! I do collect a few things including Cherished teddies and crystal
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2muchtrash
Jan 14, 2011 @ 3:39 am | delete
- Never heard of Notgeld! Wow, what an interesting item to collect. I can see your fascination with them as they really are works of art. SquidAngel Blessed!
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Margo_Arrowsmith
Jan 11, 2011 @ 9:18 am | delete
- Fascinating and beautiful
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chemknitsblog
Dec 22, 2010 @ 7:44 am | delete
- I had never heard of Notgeld until I read this lens. These look like they would make a beautiful collection! I collect lucky penny keychains when I travel, but those come now where CLOSE to what you've shown here.
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ajgodinho Dec 18, 2010 @ 3:40 pm | delete
- Interesting lens on an unique topic. This is the first time I'm hearing about Notgeld currency. I collect coins and bank notes, but I'm no serious collector. I've been to several countries and have been able to collect different currency notes. As well, my dad passed on his collection of coins to me. The Notgeld currency notes are colorful indeed. **Blessed by a Squid-Angel**
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Cari_Kay
Dec 18, 2010 @ 12:05 pm | delete
- Okay, I speak some German but have not heard of collecting these banknotes before now. What a fun and very interesting collection idea. You have me seriously considering this :)
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MTF-briguy
Dec 17, 2010 @ 2:03 pm | delete
- Have to say Notgeld is very unique and interesting banknotes!
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hotbrain
Dec 14, 2010 @ 8:35 pm | delete
- Very informative lens! Angel blessed :)
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mysticmama
Dec 4, 2010 @ 2:46 pm | delete
- What a great subject, very cool! :)
~ Blessed by a Squid Angel >*
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rwoman Nov 28, 2010 @ 12:11 pm | delete
- I learned something today! Thanks.
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pompom210
Nov 25, 2010 @ 1:30 am | delete
- Hi Fanfreluche,
Thanks for a fascinating lens! :O)
Oh, I HAVE things that I love, but I've never had the training to actually be a collector. It took forever before I heard, for example, about buying two of everything--one to enjoy & one to store. Also, there's understanding how to store, how to display, etc.
I have lots of books & strong opinions about them. I also keep some Hello Kitty stuff that I just love! Hahaha! :D
I'd love to collect something as historical & whimsical & interesting as Notgeld! Wonderful lens, Sweetie!
Sunshine & Blessings,
Giovani
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darciefrench
Nov 5, 2010 @ 7:09 pm | delete
- I collect books- great lens, very lovely to read through. Angel blessed.
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Betsi_Goutal
Nov 2, 2010 @ 10:48 am | delete
- Thanks so much for introducing me to this fascinating subject! I love old paper, but I'd never heard of notgeld - you learn something new every day! :)
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arncyn
Nov 1, 2010 @ 7:14 pm | delete
- Beautifully done lens on Notgeld! I've never heard of it before so I really appreciate this well-done introduction. (: ~Blessed~
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oztoo
Oct 31, 2010 @ 3:40 pm | delete
- Great lens topic. I've never heard of them before but they would certainly make an interesting collection.
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TapIn2U Oct 31, 2010 @ 1:13 pm | delete
- Now this is something new. This will make a really rare collection. Unique ideas you have here. Hey, your Tweets were one of the ones I followed from Twitter when I found Squidoo. I have just finished my first Lens and now have great ideas to add thanks to you. Sundae ;-)
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0ctavias0fferings
Oct 30, 2010 @ 9:47 am | delete
- Excellent lens, great subject. Lensrolling to my Small Collectables group of lenses.
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JaguarJulie Oct 30, 2010 @ 9:09 am | delete
- Oh, how interesting this is! Recently, I have gained a greater appreciation for "necessity money" or emergency money ... thanks for the information so nicely presented.
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BevsPaper
Oct 30, 2010 @ 9:08 am | delete
- Notgeld is a new term for me...wow they really are pretty darn cool! Great idea for a topic.
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jptanabe
Oct 30, 2010 @ 8:57 am | delete
- I'd never heard of Notgeld before, but these designs are wonderful. Now I'm interested!
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About this Notgeld Collector
This Notgeld webpage was last updated by Fanfreluche on January 26 2012
by collectors-corner
Notgeld, I love collecting those whimsical banknotes
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