1 rupee 1915

Common. The 1915 1 Rupee Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Bank interim banknotes (Pick P-11a) were issued in substantial quantities as emergency wartime currency and survive in reasonable numbers today. While these are historical notes of interest to collectors of German colonial currency and World War I memorabilia, they are not scarce or rare. Serial number 71562 suggests a mid-to-high range production run. Notes of this type and denomination are regularly encountered in the numismatic market and are affordable for most collectors, typically trading below $50 in similar condition.

This interim banknote represents emergency wartime currency issued by the German colonial bank during the early years of World War I in German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika). The note's inscription emphasizing that 'the value of this banknote is fully deposited with the Imperial Government of German East Africa' reflects attempts to maintain confidence in colonial currency during a period of global conflict and economic disruption. The dual-language text (German and Swahili) reflects the colonial administrative reality of German East Africa, with signatures from Daressalam, the colonial capital, and Tabora, demonstrating the geographic reach of the banking system.

The obverse features the German imperial coat of arms—a double-headed eagle beneath a crown, bearing an ornate shield—positioned in the upper left corner, serving as the primary decorative and identifying element of this interim issue. The denomination 'Eine Rupie' is prominently displayed, with the Arabic numeral '1' provided for clarity. The note is printed in monochrome (black text on tan/beige paper) in a simple, functional design typical of emergency wartime currency. The reverse contains legal text in two languages (German and Swahili) affirming the currency's backing by the Imperial Government, anti-counterfeiting warnings, and a newspaper credit line. The serial number 71562 appears symmetrically on both sides. Two 'E' marks flank the central text on the reverse, likely printer's or controller's marks. No portraits or specific landmarks are depicted; the design emphasizes legal authority and administrative legitimacy rather than pictorial imagery.

FRONT SIDE: 'Interims-Banknote' (Interim banknote) | 'Die Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Bank' (The German East African Bank) | 'zahlt bei ihren Kassen im D.O.A. Schutzgebiet dem Einlieferer dieser Banknote ohne Legitimationsprüfung' (pays at its counters in the D.O.A. protected territory to the depositor of this banknote without legitimation verification) | 'Eine Rupie' (One Rupee) | '1' (denomination) | 'Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Bank Zweigniederlassung Daressalam' (German East African Bank Branch Daressalam) | 'In Vollmacht: gez.: A. Fröhling' (By authority: signed: A. Fröhling) | 'Daressalam/Tabora' (place of issue) | '1. November 1915' (date) | 'Kraft besonderer Ermächtigung' (By special authorization) | 'Walal' (signature). BACK SIDE: 'Der Gegenwert dieser Banknote ist bei dem Kaiserlichen Gouvernement von Deutsch-Ostafrika voll hinterlegt' (The value of this banknote is fully deposited with the Imperial Government of German East Africa) | 'Kadri ya noti hii imewekwa sahihi katika Kaiserliches Gouvernement von Deutsch-Ostafrika' (Swahili translation of same) | 'Wer Banknoten nachmacht oder verfälscht oder nachgemachte oder verfälschte sich verschafft und in Verkehr bringt, wird mit Zuchthaus nicht unter 2 Jahren bestraft' (Whoever counterfeits or forges banknotes or procures counterfeit or forged notes and puts them into circulation shall be punished with hard labor for not less than 2 years) | 'DEUTSCH-OSTAFRIKANISCHE ZEITUNG DARESSALAM' (German East African Newspaper Daressalam) | Serial number '71562' (appears twice).

The note employs letterpress printing, a standard technique for banknote production in 1915. The sharp, clear impressions of the German imperial coat of arms and the crisp black text on the aged paper are characteristic of high-quality letterpress work. No evidence of advanced security printing techniques typical of later 20th-century banknotes is visible, which is consistent with World War I-era colonial currency production. The printer is not explicitly identified on the note itself, though German East African colonial banknotes of this period were typically produced by German printing houses.

This note is Pick P-11a, identified as an interim banknote (Interims-Banknote) issued November 1, 1915, signed by A. Fröhling, with an additional signature appearing as 'Walal' at the bottom left of the obverse. The serial number 71562 is recorded on both front and back. Varieties for this Pick number may include different signature combinations and serial number ranges; the specific combination observed here (Fröhling and Walal signatures) may represent a particular issuing authorization variant. The presence of the newspaper printer's mark ('DEUTSCH-OSTAFRIKANISCHE ZEITUNG DARESSALAM') on the reverse may also indicate a specific printing batch.