50 Markkaa, Bank of Finland, Finland, 1918 (Pick 39)

This 50 Markkaa note was issued in Finland by the Bank of Finland, dated 1918. It belongs to the Markka (1860-1963) currency system. Issuing authority and period recorded in the catalogue: Provisional Government (1917-1919). It measures 155 × 93 mm and is printed on paper. The Standard Catalog of World Paper Money lists the type as Pick 39.

Obverse: Blue. Czarist eagle removed from design.. Stylised sailing ship in centre. Denomination in numerals on top left and right corners. Text in Finnish on left, and Swedish on right. Signatures in bottom centre, serial numbers on left and right bottom. Its lettering reads “SUOMEN PANKKI / MAKSAA TÄSTÄ SETELISTÄ / VIISIKYMMENTÄ MARKKAA / KULLASSA”. Translation given in the catalogue: “Bank of Finland will pay for this banknote Fifty Marks in gold”.

Reverse: Lighthouse in centre, above Finnish Lion Arms of Finland, with large numeral 50 on either side. Finnish and Swedish text in top border. Small text in Finnish on left, and Swedish on right. Its lettering reads “SUOMEN PANKKI / FINLANDS BANK / LAKI SUOMEN SUURIRUHTINAANMAAN RAHASTA ANNETTU HELSINGISSÄ 9P:NÄ ELOKUUTA 1877. 1§ SUOMENMAAN RAHALAITOKSEN KANTANA ON KULTA AINOANA ARVONMITTANA.”. Translation given in the catalogue: “[Top] Bank of Finland, in Finnish and in Swedish. [Small lettering on either side] The law on the Grand Duchy of Finland's money enacted in Helsinki on 9th of August 1877. 1§ The Finnish department of finance determines gold as the only standard of v”.

Signatures recorded for the type: Karl Basilier (KB₁) (Member of the Board); Ludvig Hisinger-Jägerskiöld (LHJ) (Karl Basilier (KB₂)); Member of the Board (Fritz Müller (FM)); A. A. Broberg (AAB) (V. E. Thesleff (VET)); Otto Stenroth (OS) (Governor). Issue date recorded in the catalogue: 12 June 1920. Demonetized: 1 July 1945. Identification note: match the value, issuing bank, printed date and Pick number together; dates and signature combinations distinguish sub-varieties, which are not separated in this entry. Details follow the Numista catalogue entry and the Standard Catalog reference it cites; they have not been checked against a central-bank archive.