50 Pfennig Oldenburg notgeld with dolmen

This notgeld is from Oldenburg and has the value of 50 Pfennig. It shows a landscape with trees at the side and rocks in the centre, the sun is shining at the top. The inscription in German reads: 'Ehr' Deiner Bluemelein, pfleg' ihre Triebe, blau und rot bluehen sie, die Frendschaft und die Liebe; wie Deine Eichen stark, wie frei des Meeres Flut, sei deutscher Maenner Kraft Dein hoechstes Gut!' and translates as: 'Honour your little flowers, take care of its shoots, friendship and love flower in red and blue. Strong like an oak tree, free like the sea's tide, the force of German men should be your best asset!' This is one of sixty notgeld or 'emergency money' banknotes in the reference collection of packaging material which belonged to the designer Charles Hasler. Notgeld were produced by German towns, villages and municipalities from the end of the First World War until the mid 1920s, when the state bank (the Reichsbank), struggled with wartime metal shortages and post- war hyperinflation. The highly decorative notes soon became collectors items - and still remain to this day. They are double-sided and printed with their monetary value, information about the village, town or province of issue and some colourful illustration.