Saar-Mark
The Saar Mark was at the time of the French Saar protectorate , from 16 June 1947 to 19 November 1947, the currency of the Saarland .
history
The Saar-Mark replaced the Reichsmark on June 16, 1947 , with which it remained interchangeable at a ratio of 1: 1. On November 15, 1947, the government in Paris was legally authorized to introduce the French currency in Saarland. The Saar franc was created , which was not legally an official currency, but its value was equivalent to the French franc and was introduced in Saarland on November 20, 1947. From January 15, 1948, the Saar-Mark lost its status as a legal tender . The currency conversion was done at a ratio of 20: 1. The banknotes denominated in Saar-Mark could be exchanged for Saar-Francs at the banks until June 30, 1948.
Banknotes
The front of the 1, 2 and 5 Mark banknotes shows a bearded and wreathed male head in the classical Greco-Roman style, which can be interpreted as Zeus Meilichios . On the back you can see a woman in antique clothing with field crops in her left hand and the cornucopia in her right hand, which can be interpreted as the nourishing mother goddess Demeter as well as the goddess of peace Eirene . The ornamental border was based on forms of antiquity and the Renaissance . The design of the notes of 10, 50 and 100 marks was based on Art Deco and shows on one side a woman's head with a short blonde hairstyle in profile with a fruit-bearing laurel branch in her hands in front of a field with rose blossoms. On the back is a curly head of a young man who, in a moderate hand position, confronts a wildly neighing horse's head (both in profile) in front of a leafy background. The two youthful figures can be understood as symbolic representations of the young generation growing up in peace. The plants and fruits shown are to be interpreted as symbols of growth and peace. Coins were not issued.
The notes are all bilingual, with French text on one side and German text on the other. Since the notes were only in circulation for around six months and in the post-war period no one could afford to put higher-quality banknotes aside as a collection, notes in good condition always fetch high collector prices. The two highest denominations in particular are sought-after collector's items.
1 Saar mark
2 Saar marks
5 Saar marks
10 Saar marks
50 Saar marks
100 Saar marks
literature
- 125 years of currency history on the Saar: 1859 - 1984; from the royal Prussian Bergswerk-Directionskasse in Saarbrücken to the state central bank in Saarland; 25 Years, 1959 - 1984, ed. from the Landeszentralbank in Saarland, conception and editing: Helmut Cordes and Paul Mylo, Saarbrücken 1984.