JAPAN

 

 

ALLIED MILITARY CURRENCY FOR OCCUPIED GERMANY

The Allied Military currency for Germany was created by the United States for use in Germany after the defeat of the Nazis. The notes are dated 1944 and have a simple design, with the denomination and legends in German on the front and a large letter “M” for  Mark, on the back.  As the Soviet Union participated in the occupation of Germany, they demanded that they too print a portion of the notes.  After great debate, the United States gave into the Soviet demand, and provided them with glass plates, inks, paper and specimen notes.  The Soviets then proceeded to print vast quantities of the notes, without regard to the wishes of the other allies, fueling inflation in the war-torn country.  There are however a few very minor differences that distinguish the United States issues and the Soviet issues.  The United States issues were printed by Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company (Forbes Printing) in Massachusetts, and contain secret mark:  a tiny letter “F” hidden in the scrollwork.  The plates provided to the Soviets did not have that “F”, so it is lacking on the Soviet issues.  The Soviets did not have serial numbering equipment capable to print nine-digit number, so they combined a three digit and a six-digit block for their printings, which causes a slight gap between the third and forth digits.  Forbes used a dash for the first digit to signify a replacement note.  The samples provided the Soviets were replacement notes, so initially all the Soviet issues had a dash for the first digit of the serial number – until they printed so many notes that they needed all 9 digits.  In 1948 the Allied Military Currency was withdrawn and replaced with the currency of West Germany and East Germany.

 

 

 

WORLD WAR II ERA JAPANESE HOMELAND 10 YEN NOTE  

This undated Japanese 10 Yen note was issued from 1930 until 1943.  In 1943 the reverse was changed to remove the English translation of the denomination. The note continued to circulate until after Japan's surrender in World War II.  The front of the bill features Wake no Kiyomaro, an 8th Century Japanese Buddhist priest and court official.  He helped defend the legitimate imperial line against a monk who had an affair with the Empress tried to claim the imperial throne for himself.  The back of the note depicts Goou Shrine in Kyoto where he enshrined.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER BANKNOTE