Notgeld - Emergen¢y Money
Notgeld - Emergency Money - was in rare cases issued on playing cards.
The secondary use of playing cards turns them into a valuable source of social documentation. Many examples of repurposed playing cards are known from as far back as the 16th century. In rare instances emergency money (notgeld) was issued on playing cards. During and after the First World War, money, especially small change, was in short supply. In Austria the towns of Reichental and Steyregg issued what we know as spielkarten notgeld and in Germany spielkarten notgeld was issued between 1914 & 1923. See some of them in the scans below.
Germany
in Germany, spielkarten notgeld issued between 1914 & 1923 include the towns of Bretleben, Leipzig, Lopischewo, Marienwerder, Roetzenhagen and Stralsund.
Austria
In Austria the towns of Steyregg and Reichental issued spielkarten notgeld made of playing cards in around 1920-1921. Others may also exist. Steyregg pieces had face values of either 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 or 90 heller. They were issued in several different colours with attractive woodcut illustrations.
The notgeld playing card pieces of Reichental were a little different. They had a stampmark on them and an 'auflage' (issue number). Face values were for either 10, 20, 30 or 50 heller. All card suits were represented, with hearts being stamped with the 50 heller value, diamonds with 30, spades with 20 and clubs with the 10 heller value.
Poland
The notgeld issues of 1914 tend to be plainer looking than those issued after WWI. In 1914 there was a real 'necessity' for small change money. The later issues also met a need in the collecting market!
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
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