World Banknotes

Lot 4053    SESSION 14 (4.30pm Thursday)    World Banknotes

Estimate $80
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $110

GERMANY - CZECHOSLOVAKIA, Theresienstadt Concentration (Ghetto) Camp, one to one hundred kronen notes, issued 1943, the values from twenty to one hundred with full numbers, (Campbell No. 4111-4117, Stahl, No.76-91, [p.48-57]). Some with slightly stained edges, nearly extremely fine. (7)

All of the Theresienstadt notes are dated 1.1.1943, two years after the Ghetto was established. They were issued by the "Council of Elders" and signed by its committee head, Jacob Edelstein. This currency had no real economic value, while food and clothing stores existed in the Ghetto, goods were purchased by trading in special coupons issued periodically. These camp notes were part of a grand facade, geared towards impressing the Red Cross and other foreign visitors frequenting the Ghetto. Despite their limited use the notes were printed in large quantities from 159,000 for the 50 kronen note to 2,000,000 for the one krone note. Large quantities of these notes were found after the war.