© Bundesbank

At the outbreak of World War I, Notgeld (“emergency money”) began to be issued in Germany to compensate for a shortage of metal for coinage and the fact that many coins were being hoarded. Such emergency money from 1914 includes a note issued by the Hofapotheke (Court Pharmacy) in Baden-Baden, which was established in 1838 and then purchased in 1887 by Oskar Rössler, a renowned pharmacist, natural scientist, researcher and local historian.

The note is for 9.35 Marks and is made out to the recipient – in this case, Eugen Rössler’s Stadt Baden Hotel – and is personally signed by Dr. O. Rössler. The brief comment written on the reverse Eigenes Papiergeld aus großer Zeit! (“Own paper money from a great time”) is not to be found on every note issued by the pharmacy and therefore represents a special feature of this issue.

[Data record Id. 50830]