Editing Notgeld (section)

==Germany==
Dr Arnold Keller, historian and [[orientalism|orientalist]], classified German {{lang|de|Notgeld}} into different periods. Keller edited a magazine called {{lang|de|Das Notgeld}} during the "collector phase" of {{lang|de|Notgeld}} issuance. He compiled a series of catalogs in the years afterward. Although incomplete in many cases, his work formed the foundations of the hobby.

==={{lang|de|Notgeld}} in World War I===
[[File:Notgeld Burghausen 1918 50 Pfennig Vorderseite.jpg|thumb|{{lang|de|Notgeld}} 50 {{lang|de|[[pfennig]]}} banknote issued by the southern German city of [[Burghausen, Altötting|Burghausen]] in 1918]]
{{lang|de|Notgeld}} was released even before Germany entered [[World War I]]. On 31 July 1914 three notes were issued by the {{lang|de|Bürgerliches Brauhaus GmbH|italic=no}} of Bremen<ref>{{cite book |first=Courtney |last=Coffing |isbn=0-89005-438-X |title=Perspectives in Numismatics |publisher=Chicago Coin Club |year=1986 |url=https://archive.org/details/perspectivesinnu00need |url-access=registration }}</ref> (a brewery). This was due to hoarding of coins by the population in the days before war was declared. The first period of {{lang|de|Notgeld}} continued until the end of 1914, but mostly ceased once the German {{lang|de|[[Reichsbank]]|italic=no}} made up for the shortage with issues of small denomination paper notes and coins of cheaper metal.

As the war dragged on, acute monetary shortages could not be met by the German central bank, leading to a new period of {{lang|de|Notgeld}} beginning in 1916. Additionally, the non-precious metals used to mint lower value coins were needed to produce war supplies. Dr Keller arranged this period into two catalogs: {{lang|de|Kleingeldscheine}} for issues of less than 1 Mark face value and {{lang|de|Grossgeldscheine}} for values 1 Mark and higher. This period of issue came to a close in 1919.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Eiland |first=Murray |date=2010 |title=Heraldry on German Notgeld |url=https://www.academia.edu/8125755 |journal=The Armiger's News |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=1–3, 12 |via=academia.edu}}</ref>

===World War I prison camp money===
Although camp money used by [[prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] was different from {{lang|de|Notgeld}}, collectors inevitably lumped this material into the hobby. The period covered the entire war, 1914–1918. This field of collecting may include World War II issues, though this covers only notes circulated in [[concentration camps]], as the German {{lang|de|[[Luftwaffe]]|italic=no}} in charge of prisoners of war prepared a general issue of notes for all camps under their direction.

===Collector series===
[[File:Mainz 50 Pfg 1921.jpg|thumb|50-{{lang|de|pfennig}} {{lang|de|Notgeld}} issued by [[Mainz]], 1921]]
Though the production of {{lang|de|Notgeld}} was initially amateurish, with many set by typewriter or even handwritten, collectors soon appeared on the scene to take hold of the expired 1914 stock. With the next wave of issues in the latter half of the war, {{lang|de|Notgeld}} production was handled by professional printers. These issues incorporated pleasing designs, and a new reason for hoarding came into being.

As the issuing bodies realized this [[demand]], they began to issue notes in 1920, well after their economic necessity had ended. They may have been motivated by the success of Austrian collector {{lang|de|Notgeld}} earlier in the year (see below). Notes were issued predominantly in 1921 and were usually extremely colorful. These depicted many subjects, such as local buildings, local scenery and folklore, as well as politics. Many were released in series of 6, 8, or more notes of the same denomination, and tell a short story, with often whimsical illustrations. Often, they were sold to collectors in special envelope packets printed with a description of the series.

Keller published information on releases in his magazine {{lang|de|Das Notgeld}}. Often, he used his publication to criticize issuers for charging collectors more money for the series than their face value.

These collector-only sets, which were never intended to circulate, were known as {{lang|de|Serienscheine}} (pieces issued as a part of a series). Quite often, the validity period of the note had already expired when the {{lang|de|Notgeld}} was issued. As such, they are usually found in uncirculated condition, and are most favored by collectors all over the world.

===1922 and 1923: Hyperinflation===
[[File:Notgeld fritz quant 10 millionen mark.jpg|thumb|{{lang|de|Notgeld}} for 10 million Mark from Trier, Germany (1923), view of Trier. Design by [[Fritz Quant]], after a copperplate print by [[Matthäus Merian]] (1646)]]
In 1922, due to uncontrolled printing of money, [[inflation]] started to get out of control in Germany, culminating in [[inflation in the Weimar Republic|hyperinflation]]. Throughout the year, the value of the mark deteriorated faster and faster, and new money was issued in higher and higher denominations. The {{lang|de|Reichsbank|italic=no}} could not cope with the logistics of providing all these new notes, and {{lang|de|Notgeld}} was again issued—this time in denominations of hundreds and then thousands of Marks.

[[File:5milmkbk.jpg|thumb|A 5 million mark coin, issued by the [[Westphalia|Province of Westphalia]] during the hyperinflation of 1923]]
By July 1923, the {{lang|de|Reichsbank|italic=no}} had totally lost control of the economy. {{lang|de|Notgeld}} flooded the economy; it was issued by any city, town, business, or club that had access to a printing press, in order to meet the ever-increasing rise in prices. Even {{lang|de|Serienscheine}} were being hand-stamped with large denominations to meet the demand. By September, {{lang|de|Notgeld}} was denominated in the tens of millions; by October, in billions; by November, trillions.

On November 12, the {{lang|de|Reichsbank|italic=no}} declared the Mark to be valueless, and ceased all issuance. By now, {{lang|de|Notgeld}} was being denominated in the form of commodities or other currencies: wheat, rye, oats, sugar, coal, wood, quantities of natural gas, and kilowatt-hours of electricity. These pieces were known as {{lang|de|Wertbeständige}}, or notes of "fixed value". There were also {{lang|de|Notgeld}} coins that were made of compressed coal dust. These became quite rare, as most of them were eventually traded with the [[coal merchant]] issuer for actual coal and some may have even been burned as fuel.

==={{lang|de|Goldmark Notgeld}}===
In January 1924, the {{lang|de|Reichsbank|italic=no}} fixed the value of the new {{lang|de|Rentenmark}} in gold. One [[U.S. dollar]] was now equivalent to 4.2 {{lang|de|Rentenmark}} (or 4.2 trillion old {{lang|de|Papiermark}}, which were permitted to be exchanged beginning 30 August 1924). Until that date, a few municipalities issued {{lang|de|Notgeld}} with denominations of 4.2 Mark or multiples or fractions of that. After that date, {{lang|de|Goldmarkscheine}} of regular denominations were briefly issued, until the {{lang|de|Reichsbank|italic=no}} forbade any further interference in the economy by local authorities.

==={{lang|de|Bausteine}}===
During the [[Interwar period]], local municipalities and civic groups capitalized on the public memories of {{lang|de|Notgeld}} by issuing certificates aimed at collectors, to raise funds for various building projects. These "Building Blocks" ({{lang|de|Bausteine}}) tended to be of relatively high face value and issued in very limited numbers.

==={{lang|de|Notgeld}} after World War II===
The {{lang|de|Reichsbank|italic=no}} kept strict control of the economy during World War II, and forbade local authorities from independently meeting money shortages. After Germany's defeat, the [[Allied Military Government for Occupied Territories|Allied Military Control]] issued [[Allied Military Currency|currencies]] for each of their respective areas of control, but did not alleviate coin scarcity. The dire situation after the war forced municipalities to once again issue {{lang|de|Notgeld}} to help the population meet small change needs.  Finally, the Currency Reform of June 1948 created the {{lang|de|[[Deutsche Mark]]}} and prohibited issuance of {{lang|de|Notgeld}}. Apart from commemorative pieces issued sporadically, the era of {{lang|de|Notgeld}} in Germany came to a close.