1908 Imperial Germany 100 Marks

This banknote is an example of the 100 mark issue of 1908 from the German Empire.  This Pre-World War I note  features the imperial eagle prominently on the front and several female figures on the reverse.  This is not the first time these motifs were used on the 100 mark note, and in fact the designs were first used on the 1895 issue of the same denomination.

Like the russian 5 ruble note discussed in an earlier post, there are several major varieties of the 1908 issue: one being from the imperial period, and the other being issued during the early years of the Weimar Republic (1918-1922).  The key differentiating feature is the color of the seals.  A red seal (as in the pictured specimen) is from Imperial Germany, while a green seal designates it as being from the post-war printings.  Both of these notes are dark blue on light blue underprint.  The first variety also contains two varieties of its own, one with a long serial number (29mm) and one containing a short serial number (24mm)

A third variety features the mythical figures of Mercury and Ceres along with a different back (Germania holding a sword).  It also contains a watermark of Wilhelm I and the number '100'

The fourth and final variety of this issue features allegorical figures representing navigation and agriculture on the reverse in addition to two red seals on the front. 

The prices for these issues are as follows:

Variety 1 (long serial): VG-$2.5, UNC-$20
Variety 1 (short serial): VG-$60, UNC-$550
Variety 2 VG-$5, UNC-$20
Variety 3 VG-$30, UNC-$350
Variety 4 VG-$25, UNC-$1000

As always, here are the pictures (variety 1)

Obverse:

 


 

 Reverse:

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