1923 Westphalia German Notgeld 1 Billion Mark Coin
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1923
This object is a 1923 German Notgeld coin from the province of Westphalia, issued during a period of severe economic crisis. Notgeld, or emergency money, was produced by various local towns and provinces across Germany in diverse forms, including banknotes, coins, porcelain, and wood, to serve as currency when the national economy was in turmoil.
This specific example is an oversized, silver-plated nickel coin measuring 60 mm in diameter and 5 mm in thickness. The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Minister Von Stein, a prominent figure in German science and leadership, along with his birth and death years (1757-1831). The coin reflects the extreme hyperinflation that characterized the German economy during the early 1920s, which necessitated the issuance of high-denomination currency such as this 1 billion mark piece.
Its substantial size and commemorative portrait underscore its role as a tangible relic of a pivotal era in German economic history.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Diameter
- 60 mm
- Material
- Silver-plated nickel
- Thickness
- 5 mm
Technical characteristics
- Denomination
- 1 Billion Mark
Design
- Obverse
- Portrait of Minister Von Stein
- Inscriptions
- Minister vom Stein 1757-1831, Deutschland's Führer in schwerer Zeit
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.