I came across these military pay stubs dated 1919 (ok, a little after WW1, during the post war occupation) around 25 years ago. I know they are genuine because they were located in a box with a soldier's song book dated 1917, a few unit patches that match the one on the certificate (also old enough for the era, made of wool), and some letters to a lover from the front dated during the war. Someone had kept these keepsakes together since WW1. Anyway, I know nothing about military pay certificates, but everything I find says they were in use during WW2, but nothing about WW1. These have something about a county fair in Germany, but they are specific to the 90th infantry division (the 90th and its corresponding unit patch on the certificates are definitely U.S., I can assure you that). Can someone tell me about these? Additionally, I emailed PMG to see if they will certify them, but they will not tell me anything unless I send them in and submit them. Their web site lists a book that discusses a bunch of pay certificate varieties, and states they certify only certificates from that book. I cannot find the book anywhere!
These were issued and used at a fair put on by the 90th Division in Berncastel Germany in 1919. They were not general issue notes that were used at anytime other than this. The 90th was made up from National guard units from Texas and Oklahoma. The stylized T O is the division symbol. The denomination Teeohs comes from this also. The division nickname were the Tough 'Ombres. These were issued in denominator at ions of 10, 20, 50 and 100 teeohs. The 50 and 100 are scarce. They are listed in Mehls catalog of German serienscheine notgeld. (Why, I don't know because they don't fit that category of notes.) They are not military payment certificates and you will not find them cataloged anywhere other than Mehl's catalog.
From the auction he linked: Ninetieth Division- Berncastle, Germany 10; 20; 50 Teeohs May 1 -2, 1919. The Ninetieth Division's troops were young men from Texas and Oklahoma. Their insignia is a monogram "TO." The Ninetieth served in France during World War One and then spent 1919 on occupation duty in Germany. To relieve the boredom of occupation duty this division held an American circus and county fair in the Fatherland. Currency for this event was denominated in "Teeohs" and the notes display cowboys and native Americans. This is the first time that we have seen more than a solitary piece from this little known event. The 10 Teeohs grades VF with an approximate half inch edge tear, the 20 Teeohs grades VF with tiny splits at both center top and bottom, and the 50 Teeohs grades XF with a few tiny edge splits.
The auction went for about $335 for a 10, a 20, and a 50. I have four 10s, so I wonder what that would bring!
10s are the most common. Expect 30-40 each if sold separately over time. Most of the price in the Heritage auction went for the 50. I've followed these notes for 10+ years and have only seen 4-5 50s and 3 100s. You might get 100 selling the four as a single lot.
Here is my collection of Teehos and the envelope from the soldier who owned them. They might be for sale but they wont be cheep.
