Lot 4037

Description

Germany-Poland, Litzmannstadt Ghetto, fifty pfennig (887723), one mark (366095), five marks (661382) and twenty marks (276987), Quittungen (Receipt notes), (Campbell No. 4201, 4202a, 4204a, 4206a(2), Stahl Nos. 35-38, 41-42, 45-6 [p.30-37]). Five marks very good, others extremely fine - uncirculated, scarce. (4)

The Nazi leadership declared that it was illegal for residents of the ghetto to possess hard currency. Because of this edict, the residents were forced to exchange their German and Polish currency for quittungen (receipts) that were to function as currency. The notes were printed by the Manitius Printing house. The text on the face translated reads 'Receipt for (denomination), The Chief Elder of the Jews in Litzmannstadt, M. Rumkowski, Litzmannstadt, May 15, 1940,' The back states the denomination and give a warning against counterfeiting. The Twenty mark issue has a variant in the number by having a comma placed before the number and the serial numbers is 4.5mm high.