Westphalia 1921 5 mark notgeld
This specimen was lot 3898 in Künker Auction 426 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €210 (about US$297 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"STAATLICHE NOTMÜNZEN, WESTFALEN 5 Mark 1921. Tombak. Freiherr vom Stein. R Vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. (state notgeld, Westphalia, five mark of 1921, brass, featuring lord vom Stein. Rare, extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
This is one of an extensive series of notgeld issued by the Landesbank der Provinz Westfalen in 1921-23 in denominations ranging from 5 mark to one trillion mark. We doubt they were intended to circulate, as they are never found worn. This denomination was also struck in aluminum (Funck 599.3) and is much more common thus.
Recorded mintage: 4,035.
Specifications: brass, 38 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Funck 599.4, J. N12.
- Funck, Walter, Die Notmunzen der deutschen Städte, Gemeinden, Kreise, Länder, etc.; Band 1: Standardkatalog der amtlichen Ausgaben 1916-1921, Regenstauf, Germany: H. Geitl Verlag, 2000.
- Jaeger, Kurt, Die Deutschen Münzen seit 1871, Basel: Münzen und Medaillen AG, 1982.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, eLive Premium Auction 426: European and German Coins and Medals from the 16th to the 20th century, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
Links: