This entry is the beginning of a two-part series on the 50 mark issues of 1918, of which there are two major varieties. Both of these notes have been given nicknames over the years, and today I will focus on the so called "Mourning Note". The name is likely in reference to Germany's 1918 defeat in the first world war. Overall, this note seems to have a relatively basic design and reminds me personally of the notes from the Weimar Republic of the 1920s more so than it does of the issues of Imperial Germany.
In any case, this note comes in three varieties, which are differentiated by the watermark. Variety one has a watermark 'J', variety two has a watermark 'A', and variety 3 has a watermark 'B'. All three of these varieties command substantially higher prices than the notes I have previously discussed, with the first variety having an approximate retail price of $100 in 'very good', $200 in 'very fine', and $350 in 'uncirculated'. The second and third varieties should be available at about the same price as one another: $80 in 'very good', $150 in 'very fine', and $300 in 'uncirculated.
I need barely say that the price of these notes means that only the collector knowledgeable in grading should consider purchasing; there are plenty of other, cheaper, notes for inexperienced collectors to hone their grading skills on.
As always, here are the pictures:
Obverse (front):
Reverse (back):
