Category:
Money

Man inherits 143 Trillion Marks

From the Daily Kennebec Journal - Aug 23, 1928:

Remarkable confidence in the future ability of the German nation to redeem at "a reasonable price" all outstanding German paper marks issued during the World War is found in one of the clauses of the will of a wealthy out-of-State man whose death occurred recently and whose will has been filed with Assistant Attorney General Philip D. Stubbs for the assessment of the Maine inheritance tax on the shares of the Maine corporations in the estate. The will was drawn in June of 1926.

The deceased left an estate of approximately $800,000, aside from one hundred and forty-three trillion German marks which had cost him about $6,000. The will is unique in the fact that the executor is directed to hold these marks until such time as they shall be redeemed rather than to appraise them as practically worthless.

The following clause in the will covers this point:

"In the belief that the German people will ultimately require redemption of all outstanding German paper marks issued during the World War of 1914-1918 at a reasonable price, I direct my said executor and trustee to continue to hold the German paper marks of such issue as may belong to me at the time of my death (amounting to about one hundred and forty-three trillion marks according to the American method of reckoning) until such marks can be sold at about the cost thereof to me, namely about $6000."

Although the article says the trillions of marks were acquired during World War I, that must be wrong. The period of German hyperinflation occurred from 1921-1924.

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jul 07, 2013 - Comments (3)
Category: Money, 1920s

Blue Bills

Montana Public Radio reports about artist Tim Holmes, who's dying money blue and giving it away. He also stamps it with the phrase, "Based on the value of a clean world!" He hopes this will prompt a widespread discussion about environmentalism. Why? Because the money is blue. He elaborates at his website bluebills.us:

Regular green bills express no value. The money we use every day is backed by NOTHING! Its only value is what others think it has. But when two people exchange a Blue Bill, both agree on the value of a clean environment and a healthy community. Every exchange thus is a vote for a clean world! 

So green = "no value" but blue = "clean environment and a healthy community". Got it?

Posted By: Alex - Sat May 11, 2013 - Comments (11)
Category: Art, Money

Parakeet demands tax refund

It's a long-standing tradition in the media to come out with stupid tax stories around April 15. Here's one from 1955.

Jo-Jo Kay the parakeet was paid $615 a year by the Kay Jewelry chain to go around to their stores and say the phrase "It's Okay to owe Kay." Of this money, $20.50 went to income tax and $12.30 to Social Security. However, Jo-Jo claimed $25 in deductible travel expenses and $1 in charitable contributions (given to the zoo). This dropped his total income to $589, which was less than the $600 personal exemption. So Jo-Jo asked for a refund.

The IRS responded by pointing out that Kay Jewelry wasn't paying Jo-Jo the minimum wage, which meant they were liable to have their property (including Jo-Jo) seized as a penalty.

The picture shows Jo-Jo standing on the head of Internal Revenue Commissioner T. Coleman Andrews. [Milwaukee Sentinel — Jun 24, 1955]

Posted By: Alex - Wed Apr 10, 2013 - Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Government, Money, 1950s

What a Life!



Always good to keep your sense of humor in hard economic times.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Apr 07, 2013 - Comments (2)
Category: Money, 1940s, Europe

Parker Brothers Billionaire Game

image

Perhaps it's wise that this 1973 game is no longer manufactured. Hard to imagine it being very popular in today's economy. But if you still want a set, so you can pretend to be part of the 1%, check out the link to Amazon below.

More info here.

And here.




Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 27, 2012 - Comments (9)
Category: Games, Money, Outrageous Excess, 1970s

Dollar Dance



If money could talk.....

Posted By: Paul - Sat Sep 22, 2012 - Comments (6)
Category: Money, PSA’s, Cartoons, 1940s

Follies of the Mad Men #188

image

Subtext: our arcane, byzantine loan policies are as horrifying and deadly as this nausea-inducing hybrid nightmare creature we chose as our new mascot.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 31, 2012 - Comments (7)
Category: Animals, Business, Advertising, Products, Money, Fictional Monsters

ATM Machine Unveiled in 1966

According to Wikipedia, this wasn't the very first ATM, but it was among the earlier, prototype models. I like how the caption presciently refers to the machines as "future monsters." Google news link: Saskatoon Star Phoenix, October 31, 1966.

I'm young enough that I can't remember the first time I used an ATM machine. Their presence was something I always took for granted. But people 50 or older probably remember when these machines started to appear in the 70s.



Better quality picture:

Posted By: Alex - Mon Apr 23, 2012 - Comments (13)
Category: Money, Technology

Pay Phones



What was once normal and not-weird becomes weird with the simple addition of that magical ingredient, "time."

Imagine an era when NYC had "tens of thousands" of payphones!

The other two segments of this video are less strange, but still worth watching.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 06, 2012 - Comments (12)
Category: Communications, Money, Technology, 1940s, 1950s

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Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

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