sundance

Notgeld: gorgeous German currency from the preinflationary years, 1914-1923

From the outbreak of World War I until a few years after it, German and Austrian savings banks, municipalities, and other institutions tried to sidestep rampant inflation by printing local currencies known as notgeld, German for “emergency money” or “necessity money.” Flamboyantly designed and wildly colorful, the bills were soon coveted by collectors, and they still are today. Flickr user lliazd has posted a set of more than 1,800 notgeld scans, and they’re simply stunning. Iliazd’s Flickr set also features a well-written introduction. Here’s one from his collection: