20 korun 1945
“prison money”
About This Note
This is a fascinating example of 20 korun prison camp currency issued by Jachymovské Důlí (Jachymov Mines) in 1945, an unlisted Pick number representing a rare monetary artifact from Czechoslovakia's final wartime period. The reverse features an ornate oval frame containing a large denomination numeral '20' surrounded by corner markers, printed in light green with cream-colored background elements and repeating geometric patterns. In UNC condition with crisp, well-defined printing, this note represents an important piece of Czech numismatic history documenting the prison labor system operated during the German occupation's final months.
Rare. This note represents currency from a specific Nazi labor camp with a limited operational period (final war years) and is unlisted in the Pick catalog, indicating it falls outside standard numismatic references. Prison camp scrip from this era survives in small quantities, and the UNC condition grade adds further rarity value. The historical significance of Jachymovské Důlí and its role in Nazi uranium extraction programs makes surviving specimens particularly collectible among specialized wartime currency collectors.
Jachymovské Důlí (Jachymov Mines) near Horní Slavkov in Bohemia operated as a labor camp under Nazi occupation during World War II, and this currency was used as a scrip system to compensate or control prisoners working in uranium and other mineral extraction. The inscriptions 'Národní Podnik' (National Enterprise) reflect the official veneer given to such operations, while the specific reference to both Jachymov Mines and Upper Slavkov (Horní Slavkov) pinpoints this as currency for the camp administration system. Dating to 1945, this note documents the final period of occupation before Czechoslovakia's liberation in May of that year.
The reverse design centers on a large ornate oval frame containing the denomination numeral '20', with smaller circular denomination markers positioned in all four corners for easy identification. The background employs a repeating geometric pattern rendered in light green and cream tones, which served both decorative and security purposes common to scrip currency of this period. The front side appears to feature minimal or no design elements, consistent with simplified prison camp currency practices. The overall aesthetic reflects the utilitarian nature of wartime camp scrip rather than regular national currency.
BACK SIDE: 'JACHYMOVSKÉ DŮLÍ' (Jachymov Mines), 'NÁRODNÍ PODNIK' (National Enterprise), 'HORNÍ SLAVKOV' (Upper Slavkov - place name), '20' (Twenty - denomination). FRONT SIDE: No visible inscriptions detected in visual analysis.
Letterpress or relief printing, evidenced by the crisp, well-defined impression of the ornate oval frame, corner denomination circles, and text overprints visible in the UNC specimen. The repeating geometric background pattern suggests either relief printing with a repeating block or possibly lithography. No security printer attribution is available for this unlisted Pick number, as production was likely handled by the camp administration or a small local Czech printer under occupation authorities.
As an unlisted Pick number, no standard varieties are cataloged. However, this note may be distinguished by the specific overprint text mentioning both 'Jachymovské Důlí' and 'Horní Slavkov,' which could have variations in placement or typography across different printings. Serial numbers, if present on the obverse (not clearly visible in provided images), may indicate distinct production batches. Collectors should document any differences in geometric pattern registration, text overprint positioning, or color shade variations as potentially significant varieties for this camp currency.
