Strafturm - Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
N 49° 22.784 E 010° 10.513
32U E 585301 N 5470334
The Strafturm, literally "punishment tower" is depicted on the 25 pfenning coing issued by the City of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Waymark Code: WM13HJV
Location: Bayern, Germany
Date Posted: 12/19/2020
Views: 4
This coin was actually Notgeld, which means "need money" and part of money issued by an institution in a time of economic or political crisis. This was in 1921, per the coin, when Germany was paying reparations for WWI and under financial hardship. Notgeld was a mutually-accepted means of payment in a particular region or locality, but notes could travel widely.
This particular coin was issued by the City of Rothenburg, under authority from the Federal State of Bavaria.
The coin has the historic Strafturm, or punishment tower, where during the middle ages punishment of minor offenses were administered. One amusing anecdote about the tower is:
"The Strafturm, a tower feared bakers who tried to shortchange their customers. When a loaf of bread failed to weigh in at the minimum standard, the baker was taken with his underweight loaf to this tower and lowered outside into the moat. Baker and loaf of bread soaked up water, enough water to make the loaf weigh the minimal standard. Only when the loaf reached the proper weight could the baker be released from further dunkings."
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