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Published July 25, 2012 Updated February 13, 2023

Original Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg

“Original Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg” featuring the emergency money of 1921 designed by Otto Pech

Germany A.S.S. Otto Pech Banking & Finance Currency Notgeld Skat Add to Collection

Between 1916 and 1925 many cities issued their own emergency money. This “Original Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg” card game features the emergency money of 1921 designed by Otto Pech ("Pix”). See the Extra Card

“Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg” emergency money of 1921 designed by Otto Pech

The symbol of Skat (a heart enclosing a hand and red flower) appears at the bottom of the Notgeld bill dated 1921.

“Original Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg” featuring the emergency money of 1921 designed by Otto Pech
“Original Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg” featuring the emergency money of 1921 designed by Otto Pech “Original Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg” featuring the emergency money of 1921 designed by Otto Pech

Above: “Original Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg” by Altenburger-Stralsunder AG featuring 50 Pfennig emergency banknotes which were in effect between 1918-1923, designed by Otto Pech. 32 cards (four each of eight banknote designs) + title card.

“Original Skatgeld der Stadt Altenburg” featuring the emergency money of 1921 designed by Otto Pech
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By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.


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