WORLD PAPER MONEY
BY COUNTRY A to H

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AFGHANISTAN 10,000 AFGHANI BANKNOTE

The 10,000 Afghani was the highest denomination ever issued by Afghanistan.  It was needed due to severe inflation due to the Afghan civil war, in which various warlords and the Taliban were fighting for control of the country.  Starting in 1993, various warlords claiming to represent the Afghan government contracted with banknote printers in Russia and the United Kingdom to print the notes.  Of course, this only made inflation worse.  In 1996 Taliban declared them worthless, however they continued to circulate in many areas of the nation until the notes were replaced in 2002 with new banknotes after the American invasion of Afghanistan. The front features the Friday Mosque in Herat (Masjid-i Jami') and the seal of the Afghanistan Bank which an image of an ancient Greco-Bactrian Tetradrachm minted circa 171-179BC and two cornucopias spilling out coins.  The back depicts the 11th century Qala-e-Bost Gateway.  It is a beautiful banknote issued during a troubled time in a troubled nation.

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ATTRACTIVE 1957 ALBANIA BANKNOTE SET

This complete set of 1957 Albanian banknotes includes the 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Lek.  The lek was named after Alexander the Great whose name is often shortened to Leka in Albanian. The 10 Lek displays the Albanian coat of arms.  The 50 Lek includes a portrait of Skanderbeg, a 15th century feudal lord who led a successful rebellion against the Ottoman Empire on one side and a soldier on the other.  A soldier with a rifle is on the 100 Lek.  Skanderbeg and farmers harvesting hay with a tractor are on the front of the 500 Lek and a woman with a sheaf of wheat is on the back.  The large sized 1000 Lek depicts Skanderbeg and oil derricks on the front and a miner with a jackhammer on the back.  In 1965 Albania did a currency revaluation and the notes were recalled.

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HISTORIC AUSTRIAN NOTGELD NOTES 

With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following World War I, hundreds of local communities briefly issued their own emergency currency, known as notgeld, for use within the town.  These notes are denominated in Heller and usually depict scenes of the issuing community.  They are an inexpensive, interesting and historic collectable. Most of the notes are dated 1920 and most are Uncirculated.  Every lot is different, with few duplicates between lots.

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BANKNOTE OF UPPER AUSTRIA

After the collapse and dismemberment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following its defeat in World War I, coins disappeared from circulation. The state of Upper Austria issued small, low denomination notes to help alleviate the coin shortage. One side of the orange 50 Heller note features the arms of Upper Austria.  The other side is blank.     Both notes are dated 1921 and were issued in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria.

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BLUEBIRD ON BEAUTIFUL BERMUDA BILL

The Bermuda 2 Dollar note features a colorful Eastern Bluebird surrounded by red frangipani flowers on the front.  Sailboats and a butterfly are above the bird and a stature of Queen Elizabeth II is beneath the bird.  The back includes the Royal Navy Dockyard Clock Tower and the statue of Neptune at the Bermuda Maritime Museum.   A thick Optiks security thread featuring a map of Bermuda runs through the note.  The attractive vertical note is dated 2009 and measures 136 x 69mm.

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SCARCE BANKNOTE FROM SHORT-LIVED BIAFRA

After years of persecution by the Muslim majority who controlled Nigeria, the oil-rich and heavily Christian south-eastern portion of the country declared itself the independent Republic of Biafra in May, 1967. The independence was to be short-lived however. After over two years of bloody civil war, in which as many as two million people died, Biafra was forced to surrender to Nigeria in January of 1970.  In 1968 Biafra contracted to have banknotes printed by Casa de Moeda in Portugal.  The undated 1 Pound note is green and features a small palm tree on the front and the Biafran arms on the back.

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THE BANK OF CHINA'S CURSED BUILDING

The Bank of China is the oldest and one of the largest banks in China.  It was founded in 1905 and was named Bank of China in 1912. It was one of four major note issuing banks for the Republic of China.  In 1930 The Bank of China began to construct a new 34-story headquarters on the Bund in Shanghai.  It was built on property that had been confiscated from the Germans during World War I. Perhaps a departing German cursed the property.   It was to be the highest building in the Far East. However, Britisher Victor Sassoon, the owner of the Sassoon House (now Fairmont Peace Hotel) located next door, demanded that no building be higher than his.  The municipal government, under British control, limited the height of the bank building giving it a chopped off appearance.  In 1937 the building was topped out at a height of 15 stories and the bank issued new banknotes to mark the occasion.  The back of the notes depict the Bank of China building along with a partial image of the Sasson House on the left and the Yokohama Specie Bank the right.. The front depicts Sun Yat Sen and have a watermark of the Temple of Heaven.  Unfortunately, the war with Japan broke out the same year which delayed the completion and move into the building.  The bank was not able to move into the building until 1946. In 1949 the bank was nationalized by the Chinese communists. The notes were printed by Thomas De La Rue in London.

Item PM-CN-BOC37 BANK OF CHINA 5 & 10 YUAN NOTES 1937 P80 & P81 XF $5.00

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MULTI-LINGUAL NOTE OF CHINA FEATURES POTALA PALACE IN TIBET

Mao Zedong is featured on the front of this 2005 dated 50 Yuan note from China. The 170 x 50m note also includes a watermark of Mao.  The back depicts the Potala Palace in Lhasa in Tibet. It was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas and the seat of the Tibet government from 1649 to 1959. It has been a museum since then and is a World Heritage Site.  The 13-story building contains over 1000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues.  Also on the back is the denomination written out in Mandarin Pinyin, Mongol, Tibetan, Uighur and Zhuang as well as English. 

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MUSEUM OF GOLD ON COLOMBIA 20 GOLD PESOS NOTE

The back of this Colombia 1983 20 Pesos Oro (Gold Pesos) note depicts golden objects from the Museum of Gold in Bogata.  The museum houses the world's largest collection of pre-Colombian gold relics.  The front depicts Francisco José de Caldas, a Colombian lawyer, scientist, military engineer and inventor who was killed by the Spanish in 1816 during Colombia's war for independence. Though the note is denominated in Gold Pesos, the note was not was not backed by gold and within a few years was virtually worthless. The note measures 140x70mm.

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CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA $10 NOTE

This Confederate 10 Dollar note dated February 17, 1864 were part of the seventh and final series of notes issued by the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.  According to the legend they were "Payable two years after the ratification of a peace treaty between the Confederate States and the United States of America".  With the defeat of the Confederacy in 1865 they were never paid.  The 10 Dollar note depicts horsemen pulling a large cannon, with fighting going on in the background.  Also pictured is Robert M.T. Hunter who served as the Confederate Secretary of State and later as a Confederate Senator.  The back features the denomination in words and numerals.  It is approximately 7" x 3" (180 x 80mm). The notes are hand signed and hand numbered.

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SERBIAN KRAJINA & CROATIA AT WAR 

With the collapse of Yugoslavia, the Serbian portions of Croatia declared independence from Croatia, even before Croatia declared itself independent from Yugoslavia.  The Serbs formed the Republic of Serbian Krajina and had their capital at Knin.  A brutal war broke out, and both Croatia (Republika Hrvatska) and Serbian Krajina suffered from severe inflation as they tried to finance themselves by printing money.  Krajina was defeated in 1995 and reincorporated into Croatia.  From Serbian Kranina we have the 5,000,000 Dinara note dated 1993.   The note features the Knin fortress on a hill on one side, and the Serbian arms on the other.  The Croatian 50,000 Dinara and 100,000 Dinara are dated 1993.  Both feature Croatian astronomer, physicist, mathematician, and philosopher Roger Joseph Boscovich.  Boscovich is famous for his atomic theory.  In 1753 he discovered the absence of atmosphere on the Moon.  The reverse of the notes have the Statue of  "Glagolica Mother Croatia", a marble statue created in 1932 by artist Ivan Mestrovic. The sculpture is of a mother holding on her lap a stone tablet with “History of Croatians” engraved in the old Croatian script.  The original sculpture has been in a "temporary exhibition" in Belgrade, Serbia since 1934.  Serbia has refused to return the statue to Croatia.  A bronze copy is at Zagreb University in Croatia

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DJIBOUTI 40 FRANCS NOTE CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

Djibouti recently released this colorful 40 Franc note to celebrate their 40 years of independence from France. The attractive note won multiple awards for its distinctive and attractive design.  Djibouti is a small nation at the mouth of the Red Sea.  Due to its strategic location, the United States, France, China and Saudi Arabia all have military bases in Djibouti.  The front of the colorful note depicts a Whale Shark swimming through a coral garden. The Whale Shark is the largest species of fish and can weigh up to 47,000 pounds (21,000 kg).  Other fish and shells are visible only when the note it tilted.  The back depicts containerships and cranes.  The note has a watermark of the arms of Djibouti.  The note is 152 x 69mm.

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BEAUTIFUL & IMPRESSIVE EAST CARIBBEAN POLYMER $2 NOTE

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank issued its first Two Dollar note to commemorate the bank's 40th anniversary and it is impressive!  It is a candidate for the International Bank Note Society Banknote of the year.  The bank provides coins and currency for Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.  It went all out on this circulating commemorative note.  The front of the 2023 polymer note depicts famed cricketeer Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, “The Master Blaster.”  Also on the front is a conch shell, the Central Bank building and reflective silver and iridescent gold images of sea turtles and fish swimming in the clear window towards the bottom.  The back features a map of the islands and an underwater scene with colorful tropical fish, corals and a turtle.  Both sides of the note include the bank's 40th anniversary logo. The note glows in multiple colors under ultraviolet (UV) light. It is 132 x 65mm.   It is a lovely banknote for any collection.

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EGYPT'S ANCIENT & ISLAMIC HERITAGE ON BANKNOTE SET

Egypt celebrates both its ancient and its Islamic heritage on its banknotes.  The statue of Nefertiti is on the 5 Piastres note.  The front of the 10 Piastres note depicts the Sphinx and pyramids and the Mohammad Ali (Alabaster) Mosque in Cairo on the back.  The 25 Piastres depicts the Al-Sayida Aisha mosque in Cairo on the front and the arms of Egypt on the back.  The 50 Piastres features the Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo and the statue of Pharaoh Ramses III.  The 1 Pound note depicts the Sultan Qaitbay mosque and the statues at the Abu Simbel Temple.  The Ahmed Ibn Toulon mosque and an ancient Pharaonic wall inscription is on 5 Pound note.  The notes feature a watermark of King Tut and were issued between 2002 and 2020. 

Click Here for Egyptian coins

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GERMAN EMPIRE COIN & CURRENCY SETS

In 1871 Otto Von Bismarck united the 26 independent German States under Prussian King Wilhelm I, forming the Second Reich, also known as the German Empire. During its 47 years of existence, the German Empire became the industrial, technological, and scientific giant of Europe and the world's third largest economy.  It created a colonial empire and possesed the world strongest army.  The Empire disintegrated as a result of Germany's defeat in World War I.  This five-coin set includes the silver 1/2 Mark, minted from 1905 to 1919; the copper-nickel 5 and 10 Pfennig and the copper 1 and 2 Pfennig, which were minted from 1874 to 1916.  All five coins feature the Imperial German Eagle on the reverse and the denomination on the obverse.  The coins grade Fine or Extra Fine.   The set of 3 banknotes consist of the 20 Mark, 100 Mark and 1000 Mark notes dated between 1908 and 1914. The blue 20 Mark featured a crowned imperial German Eagle at the upper right and measures 136x90mm.  The blue 100 Mark includes a large crowned imperal German Eagle on the front  The back features two women holding a large medallion depicting  a woman's head. The large note measures 160 x105mm (6.3" x 4.1"). The brown 1000 Mark note features two allegorical women representing seafaring and agriculture flanking the imperial German arms. The over-sized note is 187mm x 110mm (7.3” x 4.3”). It is printed on special ridged hemp paper containing blue silk threads.  When first issued the three notes could be redeemed for over 12 ounces of gold on demand!   After the start of World War I Germany halted the redemption of banknotes for gold - but kept on printing banknotes.  By 1922 the notes were virtually worthless due to inflation.  It is an impressive and historic currency set.

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LAST BANKNOTE OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE  

This attractive 50 Mark note is the last note of the German Empire. It is dated June 23, 1919, some seven months after Germany's defeat in World War I and less than 7 weeks before the signing of the new constitution in Weimar which formally ended the German Empire and ushered in the weak and chaotic Weimar Republic. The large, green note measures 153x102mm and features an allegorical figure of a woman against a starry background.

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HIGH-GRADE WEIMAR GERMAN BANKNOTE

These 1 and 2 Mark notes dated March 1, 1920 were some of the first notes issued by Germany's Weimar government after World War I. They were needed to help relieve the serious coin shortage that developed in Germany during and after World War I.  The notes were technically were not legal tender but a non-interest-bearing loan to the government. that did not stop people from accepting them as the low denomination notes were needed to purchase essential goods.  When first issued the 1 Mark note could buy about a pound of flour or half a dozen eggs.  The notes include an embossed seal and are printed on watermarked paper. They are quite reasonably priced for historic high-grade notes that are a century old.

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LOW AND HIGH DENOMINATION GERMAN MUNICIPAL NOTES

Germany’s hyperinflation is clearly demonstrated in these municipal emergency banknotes.  The low denomination notes issued around the end of World War I were needed because of a shortage of small change. The second issue, done just a few years later in 1923 was needed because inflation was so bad that cities printed their own money to pay their workers.  From the City of Frankfurt is a 25 Pfennig dated November 1, 1919. It would buy about 1 loaf of bread.  A view of the city is on the back.  The Frankfurt 100 million Mark note is dated September 28, 1923.  It would buy about 2 loaves of bread.  The back of the note depicts the Imperial Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew on the left and St. Paul’s Church on the right.  Both were severely damaged in World War II.  From the City of Marburg is a 50 Pfennig note dated between 1918 and 1921, shortly before the end of World War I.  It depicts the Town Hall and St. George’s Column (now a fountain) on the front and the city emblem on the back. The Marburg 20 Milliarden Mark (20 Billion Mark) note is dated October 27, 1923.  It pictures St. Elizabeth’s Church and a monument on the front and is blank on the back.  They are fascinating historical symbols of Germany’s hyperinflation.

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GRAPE HARVEST ON NOTE FROM SCHWEICH, GERMANY

The Association for Trade and Commerce in the German town of Schweich issued this emergency (notgeld) 50 Pfennig note dated January 10, 1920.  The town, located on the Mosel River in western Germany, is noted for its wine.  The front of the note includes vignettes of a man carrying a basket of grapes on his back and a woman picking grapes.  The back shows the grapes being dumped into barrels on wagons.  The note is 58mm x 85mm.  Unlike many later made for collector notgeld notes, this circulated extensively within the community due to a shortage of coins.

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 ST. MARTIN'S  EVE FEAST NOTE FROM NORDHAUSEN

St. Martin's Day, also called Old Halloween, takes place November 11.  It marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter.  In Germany it was celebrated with feasting, bonfires, processions and small gifts for children. The back of this 1921 dated 25 Pfennig note from the German city of Nordhausen depicts three men drinking and feasting on a traditional St. Martin's Goose along with two St. Martin candles, a cooked goose and fish on platters. Below is a poem which roughly translates as "With a sip of Korn (a strong liquor produced in Nordhausen), A slice of meat, That’s the way the Nordhauser people celebrate with a St. Martin's goose feast".  The front of the note features the Nordhausen coat of arms.  The colorful note is 84x55mm.

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ATTRACTIVE AND COLORFUL GERMAN NOTGELD NOTES

These attractive, colorful small (most less than 4 inches - 90cm long) were issued by communities throughout Germany during and after World War I.  They quickly became a popular with collectors and by 1921 many thousand different types were produced.  They have a wide variety of themes, including fairy tales, local history, monuments, and political satire.  Every lot is different, however there may be duplication between lots.  They are a fun and fascinating collectible and remarkably inexpensive considering they are over 100 years old!

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GERMAN WEIMAR REPUBLIC 100 MARK BANKNOTE

The Weimar Republic was formed after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I.  Its early years were a tumultuous period of uprisings, riots and massive inflation.  It is named after the city where the new German constitution was written and adopted in August, 1919, and lasted until the rise of the Nazis in 1933.    The 100 Mark note features two images of the head of the “Bamberg Horseman”. The horseman is an impressive 13th century sculpture in the Bamberg Cathedral.  The Bamberg Horsman depicts a famous king, however which king it is is a matter of debate. The note is dated November 1, 1920, measures 162x108mm and includes the red Weimar Republic crest.

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EMERGENCY BANKNOTE FROM THE CITY OF GOTHA 

Because of the severe inflation that followed World War I, prices were rising faster than the German government could print money.  Many towns and companies resorted to printing their own currency.  This 100 Mark note was issued by the City of Gotha, Germany.  It is dated September 30, 1922.  It is a simple, uniface note that pictures a bishop from the town’s arms. 

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SILK MONEY FROM BIELEFELD, GERMANY

During the economic chaos after World War I, numerous towns in Germany issued their own money.  One of the most unusual of these issues were the silk notes, called "stoffgeld" from Bielefeld.  The notes are about 4.5" x 3.25" (115 x 82mm) and are made from two pieces of silk stitched together.  The 25 Mark is dated 1921. The front commemorates both the 700th anniversary of the founding of the city, its return to German control in 1814 after it had been under French rule by Napoleon.  The back includes a series of small cartoons and a satire verse. The 50 Mark is dated 1922.  The front tells how the city cares for their elderly. The image shows bringing a bag of money and carrying a bag of worries from an elderly couple. The back has small images of women washing, ironing and making clothing.   The silk notes are a popular and unusual form of money.

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THE FAMOUS GERMAN "VAMPIRE NOTE" 

This large ( 180 x 100mm - approx. 8” x 5”) 10,000 Mark note dated January 19, 1922 is often called the "Vampire Note"  If you turn the note sideways and look carefully (and have a good imagination) you will see a vampire on the neck of the German.  The nose of the vampire is pointed towards the neck of the man.  This was an allusion that the heavy reparations that Germany had to pay France following World War I. It France represented sucking the lifeblood out of Germany. 

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POPULAR GERMAN 100,000 MARK INFLATION NOTE

This 100,000 Mark note dated February 1, 1922 is one of the most popular of the German inflation notes.  The large (190 x 115mm) note features a cut from Hans Holbein the Younger's portrait "The Merchant Georg Gisze".  At the time the painting was done in 1532 Georg Gisze was a prominent Hanseatic merchant who managed his family's trading office in London. Some sources indicate the portrait was done for his betrothed who lived in Danzig (Gdansk), as they probably had never met.  German painter Han Holbein the Younger had a successful career in London, with commissions from Sir Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn and as a court painter of Henry VIII.  The painting is now in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.  The back of the brown, black and lilac note features the denomination within guilloche patterns.  It is an historic note from the beginning of the German hyperinflationary period. 

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GERMAN SET OF 9 GERMAN NOTES 1 MARK - 2 MILION MARK 1920-1923INFLATION ERA NOTE SET

This set of nine banknotes issued by the German government vividly illustrates the 1920-1923 hyperinflation.  This set includes the 1 and 2 Mark dated March 1, 1920. The notes were needed because all silver 1 Mark coins had disappeared from circulation.  The large-size (162 x 108mm) 100 Mark note is dated November 1, 1920 and depicts the head of the Bamberg Horseman.  It was worth about $1.50 when first issued.  Also included is the 500 Mark dated July 7, 1922;  1000 Mark dated September 15, 1922; 5000 Mark dated December 2, 1922 and 20,000 Mark dated February 20, 1923. The magnificent, large 100,000 Mark is dated February 1, 1923, features a cut from Hans Holbein the Younger's portrait "The Merchant Georg Gisze".  The last note in the collection is the 2 Million Mark note dated August 9, 1923.  It was worth less than a dollar when introduced and would be virtually worthless in less than a month.
The notes grade Fine to Almost Uncirculated.  It is an impressive and historic collection showing what happens when government spending gets out of control.

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10 MILLION MARK!

This Uncirculated German 10 Million Mark note is dated August 22, 1923.  This was during the height of Germany's Post-World War I hyperinflation.  When first issued it could buy a few eggs.  By November it was virtually worthless.  The note is printed on watermarked paper.  In order to speed up production of notes, it is printed on one side only.  It is a reminder of what happens when government does not control its spending.

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CLICK HERE to see our exhibit on the coins and notes of the German Hyperinflation

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NAZI GERMAN CURRENCY

The following notes were used in Nazi Germany throughout World War II and remained legal tender until 1948. The notes bear two dates: the date the note was first authorized, and the date the issuing bank was authorized to issue currency. The Reichsbank was first authorized to issue cufrrency on August 20, 1924.  Unlike coins, the date is not the year the note was printed. These Reichsbank notes were supposedly backed by gold, but could not be redeemed for gold.

FIRST BANKNOTE ISSUED BY NAZI GERMANY   

NAZI GERMAN 20 REICHSMARK NOTE FEATURES AUSTRIAN MAIDEN

NAZI GERMAN 1 & 2 RENTENMARK NOTES  

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NAZI GERMAN CONVERSION FUND NOTES USED TO PAY JEWS

Jewish and other refugees fleeing Nazi Germany would sometimes be paid for their confiscated property with these Conversion Fund Notes, (called Konversionskasse fur Deutsche Auslandsschulden.) The notes were not legal tender nor were they transferable. Redemption of the notes was difficult, if not impossible.  In most cases their owners found them to be eventually worthless. The original issue is dated 1933.  The 1934 has two red guilloches overprinted on the left side of the 1933 notes, with the lower guilloche containing the date 1934. The large sized notes measure 200 x 115mm.  The notes are Uncirculated and perforated "ENTWERTET" (CANCELLED). They are historic and rarely seen items.

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WORLD WAR II GERMAN MILITARY CURRENCY

Wehrmacht military currency was used by Nazi Germany to pay its troops during the final months of World War II. The notes are dated September 15, 1944. Soldiers were paid in military scrip while in transit. When a soldier arrived at his post the notes could be converted to the local currency or occupation notes. The notes all have similar designs. The front includes a small Eagle holding a Swastika and the inscription "VERRECHNUNGSSEN FUR DIE DEUTSCHE WEHRMACHT" (Clearing notes for German Armed Forces) The back of the note includes regulations and instructions on how to use the notes. They are interesting and historic pieces of World War II military history.

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BETHEL FOUNDATION CURRENCY FROM GERMANY

The Bethel Foundation (Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen Bethel) was founded in 1867 in Prussia to care for epileptics.  Its mission has expanded to care for mentally ill and other challenged people.  It is headquartered in the Bethel district of Bielefeld and has facilities in eight German states serving 200,000 people per year.  It issued its first currency in 1908.  After World War II it was the only private institution in West Germany authorized to issue its own currency.  The notes are accepted at Bethel facilities and selected merchants.   This four-note set of Bethel currency includes the 50 Pfennig, 2, 5 and 20 Mark notes dated from 1957 to 1973.  In 2002 the notes were replaced with Euro denominated currency. 

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SCARCE, UNRELEASED BANKNOTES OF EAST GERMANY

These scarce 200 and 500 Mark East German notes are rarely seen in any collections. They are the highest denominations ever printed by East Germany and were some of the last banknotes ever printed by East Germany. The notes were dated 1985, however the East German government collapsed before the notes were released into circulation. After the collapse of East Germany the notes were put into storage in old Nazi bunkers. A very limited number of notes were "liberated" from a bunker by teenagers who found a hidden entrance to the bunker, before the German government destroyed all of the remaining notes. The front of 200 Mark note features a family standing in front of a government apartment complex. The back pictures a group of young school children and their teacher.  The 500 Mark pictures the East German Arms and the Staatsrat building in Berlin. 

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GOLDBACK NOTES

Goldback Aurum notes are a voluntary local currency made of 24 karat gold! Each wafer-thin note is coated with a protective plastic coating so it can be circulated without the gold tearing. They are issued in increments of 1/1000 troy ounce of gold in order to allow for small purchases. Each 1 Goldback note contains 1/1000 troy ounce of gold and measures 66x117mm.  The notes are printed on one side only, with intricate multi-color allegorical 19th century style designs.  In 2023 South Dakota became the fifth state to have a Goldback note. The 2023 South Dakota note depicts Pax or Peace as a Lakota Sioux woman in traditional regalia performing the hoop dance.  Also in the design is Bear Butte, a sacred mountain also known as Mato Paha, an eagle, buffalo, wolf, a traditional Cancega drum and a Prairie Crocus.   Also available are the 2023 issues from Wyoming, New Hampshire, Utah and Nevada  and a few prior year issues.  The designs for each state are unchanged year to year.

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BRITISH ARMED FORCES CURRENCY

To try to control black market activities and currency speculation where British troops were stationed overseas Great Britain paid troops with a special currency called British Armed Forces Special Vouchers. The notes were only to be used in military canteens.  They were first issued for use in occupied Germany following World War II.   The set of three 1 Pound notes, consisting of the Second Series 1 Pound note which was introduced in Germany in 1948, the Third Series 1 Pound note which was briefly used during the Suez Crisis in 1956 and the Fourth Series1 Pound note, which printed in 1962 at the height of the Cold War. 

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ANCIENT GREEK COIN ON UNCIRCULATED OLD GREEK BANKNOTE

This 10 Drachmai note of the Kingdom of Greece is dated April 6, 1940, exactly one year before Nazi German troops invaded Greece and Yugoslavia.  The front of the features an ancient Greek coin depicting Demeter, the goddess of harvest and grains. The note replaced the 1930 silver 10 Drachmai coin that depicted the same design. The back depicts the main building of the Academy of Athens, Greece’s top university. The neoclassical building was started in 1859 but not competed until 1887.  For many years it housed the national numismatic collection before being turned over the newly formed Academy of Athens in 1926.  The note was printed by Giesecke & Devrient in Germany and is 83mm x 53mm.

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HELL BANK NOTES

Hell Bank notes, also called "Spirit Money" are used in funeral ceremonies in many far-eastern countries to provide money and goods in the afterlife for the dead person. The term "hell" just designates the place where the dead go, and does not carry the negative connotations that it does in the Christian world. A wide variety of notes have been produced, and make an interesting and inexpensive area to collect. We assembled a collection of 8 different Hell Bank Notes from China and Vietnam. It includes both traditional style notes exchangeable for goods in the afterlife and modern, multi-color currency style notes.

For further information about Hell Bank Notes visit
Satan's Own Bankers: Chinese Hell Money

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FOR MORE PAPER MONEY, PLEASE CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING:

World Paper Money by Country I to Z

INDIAN HUNDI NOTES

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