Introduction
Vernon Goetz collected numerous pieces of European currencies and several coins as his unit crossed the continent. When he edited his diary during the years after the war, he stapled a number of these pieces of currency to his diary pages. The rest (shown below) were stored loosely in his collection of World War II objects and documents.
The currency and coins contained in the diary and shown below are largely German, but there are also several from Belgium and one each from Luxembourg, the Soviet Union, and Canada. The dates of the currency range in time from 1910 until 1944. A number of the German bills were printed during the Weimar era, and the large monetary amounts and images featured on them tell the story of that tumultuous economic period. Other currency Goetz collected was printed by the Allies during their occupation of Germany. The most haunting currency, which Goetz hid behind a piece of old German currency in a picture frame attached to the first page of his diary (see Insert 2b), were two Reichsmark notes from the Buchenwald concentration camp.
———————————————————————————————————-
CURRENCY
2015.002.503
Serial Numbers: 050101017, 050101018, 050101021, 050101022, 050101023
Deutschland: Funfzig Pfennig,
(WWII Occupation currency)
1/2 mark
Deutschland
Serie 1944
Front Image: Ornate framing, floral motif in the background, M in center surrounded by circles and ornate pattern
Back Image: Ornate framing, filigree motif
Front Text: ALLIEIERTE MILITÄRBEHÖRDE, IN UMLAUF GESETZT IN DEUTSCHLAND FÜNFZIG PFENNIG SERIE 1944– (Down sides on left & right)
“1/2 MARK”
Translation: ALLIED MILITARY AUTHORITY, ISSUED IN GERMANY FIFTY PFENNIG SERIES 1944– (Down sides on left & right)
“1/2 MARK”
Back Text: “M” in center of motif
Description: Issued for allied military personnel use in and around Germany during WW2. Printed by the Forbes Lithograph Corporation (Boston, MA, USA). For similar currency, see Diary Insert 13b.
2015.002.504
500 Millionen Mark.
Germany
Unknown.
Front Image: (only text)
Back Image: Man in a suit with a top hat playing an instrument. There’s a large skeleton holding stacks of money, throwing it into the crowd, with 3 other people reaching to grab it. (Entire bill sliced in half, only half of the text is visible)—
Front Text: Die Stadt, zahlt bei der Stadtfaffe, Dorzeiger fünfhunde, Der Zeitpunft, wird öffentlido, 500 M, Uusgegeben auf Grund, Reichsfinanz, Dohwinfel, Der Bürgermeifter; i. D. Translation: Unknown
Back Text: (Around edges) 08 Tausend, ein Pfund Salz 42 Millionen, ein Ei 75 Millionen, ein Liter Milch 152 Millionen, ein Pfund Kartoffeln 40 Millionen, ein Hering 50 Millionen, ein Pfund Brot 210 Millionen, ein Pfund Schw——- (in center) hen Mk., INKEL
Translation: Unknown
Description: German 500 Millionen Mark, Vohwinkel issued in 1923. It was emergency paper money, and was a circulated currency bill . The dance pictured on the bill was a “death dance”.
Complete image of currency courtesy of: Ma-Shops. “Vohwinkel, 500 Millionen Mark 1923 Muster/Probe, GEM UNC.” MA. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.ma-shops.com/mueller/item.php?id=18422.
2015.002.505
Funfundzwanzig Pfennig (banknote)
25 Pfennig
Germany
Den 1 October 1921
Front Image: (in color) The bill features a green background with yellow text outlined in black, with other black small text. There’s an ornate design at the top with a tree and a star
Back Image: (in color). There’s a tall grandfather clock with a scoreboard underneath for a bobsled competition. There’s a man standing in a fur collared coat in front of it. 5 men in a bobsled race on the snow, with a crowd of men and women watching with trees covered in snow in the background.
Front Text: 25 Für kronken Geitf sie bellte kur, 25 mird dir im Schoffe der Natur, Gemeinde Oberhof, Funfundzwanzig Pfennig, Einlofun leitens der Gemeninde Oberhof i. Th., imerhalf eins Jallices nach Aufgabe gemähtfeiffer Oberhof i. Thür, OR Den 1 October 1921 Der Gemeinderorfland, Rich [illegible] 17680
Back Text: 25 Pfg., 25 Pfg. , Notgeld, Bobsleigh in der Kurve, der Gemeinde Oberhof i. Thür. Kurort und Winterfportplat3- 825 m. ü. d. M.
Town: Oberhof Gemeinde
Theme: Personnage
Description: 25 Pfennig banknote from Germany, issued October 1, 1921.
2015.002.506
Reichsbankote 50 mark
Germany
1919
Front Image: Allegorical ideal woman
Back Image: Features floral designs & medallions
Front Text: “Reihe […], Reichsbanknote, Funfzig, Mark, zahl die reichbankhaupt- kasse in Berlin gegen diese, Banknote der Einlieferer, Berlin, den 24. Juni 1919, Reichsbankdirectorium 50, ABP a Nr. 724166”
Back Text: RBD [ILLEGIBLE] RBD, 50, 50
Description: German Reichsbanknote, 50 mark, issued in 1919. The banknote features an allegorical, idealized woman, with a medallion pattern on the back. It featured vivid color on both sides of the bill.
2015.002.507 (A-B)
Reichsbankote 50 mark
Germany
July 25 1923
Front Image: Features small nazi eagle encircled twice at the bottom, ornate text (different fonts)
Back Image: (blank)
Front Text: Reichsbankote, Fünfzig Millionen Mark, 50, zahlt die Reichsbankhaunthkasse in Berlin gegen diese Bankote dem Einlieferer. Vom 1. September 1923 ab kann diese Bankote aufergufen und unter Umtausch gegen andere gesetzliche Zahlungsmittel eigezogen werden — Berlin, den 25 Juli 1923, Reichsbankdirertorium, [illegible] 7p . 466973//17A.017831—- 50 Millionen (printed largely behind all other text in ornate font, all caps)
Back Text: (none)
Description: German Reichsbanknote in the denomination of 50 mark. It was printed on July 25, 1923.
2015.002.508
Reichsbankote 1000 mark
Germany
September 1922
Front Image: features two small seals
Back Image: decorative imagery with 1000
Front Text: Tausend Mark, Zahlt die Reichsbankhauptkasse in Berlin, gegen diese Banknote dem Einlieferer, Vom 1. Januar 1923 ab kann diese Banknote ausgerufen und unter, Umtausch gegen andere gesetzliche Zahlungsmittel eingezogen werden, Berlin, den 15.September 1922, Reichbankdirektorium
Back Text: MARK 1000 MARK
Description: German Reichsbanknote, 1000 mark from September 1922. Bill features bright color and ornate embellishment.
2015.002.509
1 Chervonetz, Russian
Front Image: Black, Arms at upper left center. Portrait of Vladimir Lenin at right.
Back Image: Black on blue and multicolor underprint., Denomination at center, flanked by face value in multiple languages.
Front Text: 1 ОДИН 1, Билет, Государственного Банка Союза ССР, 1 ОДИН ЧЕРВОНЕЦ
Банковские билеты обеспечиваются золотом, драгоценными металлами и прочими активами Государственного Банка, 1 1
Translation:
1 ONE 1. Banknote of the State Bank of the Union of SSRs (Soviet Socialist Republics)
1 ONE CHERVONETZ, Banknotes are backed by gold, precious metals and other assets of the State Bank, 1 1
Back Text: 1 ОДИН ЧЕРВІНЕЦЬ, ერთი ჩერვონესი, BIR CERBONЬS, BIR CERVONS, BIR CERVON, 1, 1937, АДЗИН ЧЫРВОНЕЦ 1, ՄԵԿ ՋԵՐՎՈՆԵՑ, BIR CERVONS, JAK, CERVONS, BIR CERVON, ОДИН ЧЕРВОНЕЦ
Translation:1 ONE CHERVONETS, 1937
COINS
2015.002.510
German Coin
Germany
Front Image: [impossible to see]
Back Image: spotted one swastika
Front Text: 10 reichspfennig
Back Text: [illegible]
Description: Coin was illegible.
2015.002.511
Canadian Coin
Canada
Front Image: Side portrait of Elizabeth II, wearing laurel around her head
Back Image: Caribou with antlers
Front Text: Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina
Back Text: None
Description: This coin was minted in 1960. It features Queen Elizabeth II, and a caribou on the back. The presence of this coin in his collection indicates that Goetz continued to add items to his diary artifacts long after the war had ended.
2015.002.512
German Coin
Germany
1942
Front Image: Laurel leaves at the bottom
Back Image: Eagle resting upon a swastika inside a circle, surrounded by text
Front Text: 10 Reichspfennig
Back Text: Deutches Reich 1942 (along circumference)
Description: German Coin minted in 1942 by the Third Reich. It was worth 10 Reichspfennig. The coin was minted in Berlin, which can be verified by the “A” on the reverse side of the coin, on the bottom between the laurel leaves. The coin was made of Zinc. On the obverse, it features an eagle above a swastika within a wreath. On the reverse, it features the denomination with leaves below.
2015.002.513
Belgian Coin
Belgium
1944
Front Image: 2 laurel leaves on left and right edges, with date between them
Back Image: Laurel leaves on bottom, text above
Front Text: 2 FR 1944
Back Text: Belgique Belgie
Description: This coin was worth 2 Francs, and was Allied Occupation Coinage. It was minted in 1944 in Philadelphia, as the blank planchets of the 1943 steel cent were used for minting the Belgium 1944 2 Franc coins. They were minted at the Philadelphia Mint for the liberation of Belgium. This coin is made of Zinc clad steel, and was engraved by John R. Sinnock, the eighth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1925 to 1947.