10 mark 1971 specimen
About This Note
This is an uncirculated 1971 East German 10 Mark specimen banknote issued by the Staatsbank der DDR, graded UNC with no visible wear or damage. The note features a striking portrait of an elderly man on the obverse and an industrial-era scene of a woman at a technological control panel on the reverse, both rendered in fine engraved detail. As a specimen note (indicated by the -s suffix in Pick P-28as), this represents a presentation or archival example from the German Democratic Republic's currency system during the Cold War era.
Common. The 10 Mark 1971 (P-28as) was part of the standard circulation series of the German Democratic Republic and was produced in substantial quantities throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. Specimen notes (indicated by the -s designation) were created in limited numbers for presentation and archival purposes but were not hoarded or collected systematically during the Cold War, resulting in relatively good availability today. UNC examples are readily available in the numismatic market at modest premiums over circulated versions, typically in the $15-40 range depending on specimen designation and serial number.
The 1971 date marks this note's issue during the height of the German Democratic Republic's existence, a period emphasizing industrial progress and technological advancement under socialist governance. The imagery directly reflects DDR ideology: the reverse depicts a woman worker at modern industrial controls, symbolizing the regime's promotion of women in technical fields and socialist modernization. The state seal featuring a compass design represents the GDR's official heraldry and commitment to guided progress during the Cold War.
The obverse features a portrait of an unidentified elderly statesman or historical figure in profile facing left, positioned prominently on the right side of the note. The state emblem of the German Democratic Republic—a circular design featuring a compass or divider motif surrounded by a laurel wreath—appears on the left side. The background employs an intricate geometric pattern in tan and pink tones with fine line work. The denomination '10' is displayed prominently in large green text in the lower left, with 'STAATSBANK DER DDR' and 'ZEHN MARK' at the top center. The reverse depicts an industrial-era female worker seated at a sophisticated control panel with multiple dials, switches, and machinery, shown in profile and wearing period-appropriate 1970s clothing with a distinctive collar. A larger version of the state emblem with radiating sunburst lines fills the background, emphasizing technological progress. Fine vertical line patterns provide security detail throughout both sides.
Front side: 'STAATSBANK DER DDR' (State Bank of the GDR); 'ZEHN MARK' (Ten Mark); 'DER DEUTSCHEN DEMOKRATISCHEN REPUBLIK' (Of the German Democratic Republic); '1971' (year of issue); '10' (denomination); Serial number 'AA 000127' appears in upper left and lower right. Back side: 'ZEHN MARK' (Ten Mark); 'DER DEUTSCHEN DEMOKRATISCHEN REPUBLIK' (Of the German Democratic Republic); '10' (denomination); 'WIR BANKNOTEN NAHMEN ODER VERFÄLSCHT ODER NACHGEMACHTE ODER VERFÄLSCHTE SICH VERSCHAFFUNG SIE IN VERKEHR ZU BRINGEN WIRD BESTRAFT' (Counterfeiting or falsifying banknotes or introducing counterfeited or falsified banknotes into circulation will be punished—the standard anti-counterfeiting warning).
Intaglio engraving (recess printing), the standard security printing method for banknotes of this period. The sharp detail of the portraits, fine line patterns, geometric backgrounds, and intricate machinery depiction are characteristic of high-quality engraved banknote production. The Staatsbank der DDR employed East German state printing facilities for currency production; banknotes of this series were typically produced by VEB Giesecke & Devrient or similar state-controlled security printers.
This is a specimen note variant (P-28as) as opposed to the standard issue (P-28a). The serial number 'AA 000127' with the 'AA' prefix and low number sequence is typical of early production runs or specimen sets. The 1971 date is the sole year of issue for this denomination and design under the Staatsbank der DDR, making all 1971-dated 10 Mark notes from this series identical in design and date. No significant varieties (such as signature variants or overprints) are noted for this denomination in the 1971 series.
