War emergency money, emergency coins, clearing stamps, substitute currency, emergency money, porcelain coins, clay coins, money substitutes, tokens, coupon marks, cash notes, Reichskassenscheine, promissory notes, bonds, small change substitutes, emergency money notes and other legal tender.

First World War

The German emergency money during and after the First World War can be divided into four periods: In the first period of small denominations, there was usually a shortage of 50 Pfennig and 1 Mark coins. These were practically no longer in circulation due to the mass hoarding of silver Reichsmünzen after the outbreak of war in 1914. With the start of the First World War in 1914, emergency banknotes were first issued in East Prussia. This was followed by 450 issues in 1914-15 throughout the German Empire.

In the second period between 1916-22, base coins also became scarce due to the lack of raw materials. In addition, from October 1918, the foreseeable defeat in the war led to a general hoarding of cash by the population, so that the government called on large industries, cities and municipalities to counteract the shortage by issuing emergency banknotes and emergency coins. A total of more than 580 banks, cities, municipalities, districts and private companies filled the gap and covered the need with their own expenditure. These "circulation issues", intended for normal circulation, were valid until February 1, 1919.

Due to the renewed shortage of money caused by a strike by workers at the Reich Printing Office in July 1922, the third period of emergency money issues began. From the end of July, the first banks and offices began issuing emergency money again, mostly in 500-mark and higher denomination notes. A total of 715 issuing offices participated in these emergency money issues.

New ministerial regulations came into force in August 1923, ushering in the fourth emergency money and final phase of German inflation: hyperinflation. Banknotes and printed checks were now issued, initially in denominations of 100,000 to 5 million marks and in some places up to 100 trillion marks.

Second World War

After the defeat of Germany, the Allied military leadership issued its own currencies in their respective areas of power, but this did not alleviate the shortage of coins. This well-known situation after the war forced the communities to issue emergency money again in order to cover the population's need for small change. Finally, with the currency reform in June 1948, the Deutsche Mark was created and the issue of emergency money was banned.