Welcome to Germany Coin Changes Part three. Before reading this post please read Germany Coin Changes Parts 1 & 2. After WW2 Germany became a divided country: The German Democratic Republic (Communist East Germany) and The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). The changes shown in this post will be after the Third Reich circulation coins. Each denomination change will include both divisions (West and East) with the East German comparisons stopping in 1991 (last coinage minted in 1990). When comparisons do not include East German coins, none were struck. 1 Pfennig 1948 and 1949 Fed Republic (BANK DEUTSCHERLANDER) Bronze clad Steel: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...1 1 Pfennig (1948-1949)&query=Germany km a101 1 Pfennig 1948, 1949 and 1950 Dem Republic (Cogwheel back of grain sprig) Aluminum: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...many km1 1 Pfennig (1948-1950)&query=DDR km 1 1 Pfennig 1950-2009 Fed Republic (BUNDES REPUBLIK OF DEUTSCHLAND) Copper Plated Steel: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km105 1 Pfennig (1950+)&query=Germany km 105 1 Pfennig 1952 and 1953 Dem Republic (grain sprigs behind hammer and protractor) Aluminum: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...many km5 1 Pfennig (1952-1953)&query=DDR km 5 1 Pfennig 1960-1975 Dem. Republick (denomination flanked by oak leaves) Aluminum: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km8.1 1 Pfennig (1960-1975)&query=DDR km 8.1 1 Pfennig 1977-1990 Dem Republic (smaller design features): http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km8.2 1 Pfennig (1977-1990)&query=DDR km 8.2 Compare these 2 Pfennig Fed Republic coins to 2 Pfennig coins of the former Germanies. Dem Republic didn't strike any: 2 Pfennig 1950-1968 Fed Rep Bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...06 2 Pfennig (1950-1968)&query=Germany km 106 2 Pfennig 1969-2009 Fed Rep Bronze Clad Steel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...m106a 2 Pfennig (1969+)&query=Germany km 106a 5 Pfennig 1948-1950 Dem Rep (rev. cogwheel behind grain sprig) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...many km2 5 Pfennig (1948-1950)&query=DDR km 2 5 Pfennig 1949 Fed Rep (BANK DEUTSCHER LANDER) Bronze Clad Steel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...c km102 5 Pfennig (1949)&query=Germany km 102 5 Pfennig 1950-2001 Fed Rep (BUNDES REPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND) Brass Plated Steel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km107 5 Pfennig (1950+)&query=Germany km 107 5 Pfennig 1952 and 1953 Dem Rep (rev. grain sprigs behind hammer and protractor) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...many km6 5 Pfennig (1952-1953)&query=DDR km 6 5 Pfennig 1968-1975 Dem Rep (rev. Denomination flanked by oak leaves) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km9.1 5 Pfennig (1968-1975)&query=DDR km 9.1 5 Pfennig 1976-1990 Dem Rep (smaller design features both sides) http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km9.2 5 Pfennig (1976-1990)&query=DDR km 9.2 10 Pfennig 1948-1950 Dem Rep (rev. cogwheel behind grain sprigs) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...any km3 10 Pfennig (1948-1950)&query=DDR km 3 10 Pfennig 1949 Fed Rep BANK DEUTSCHER LANDER Brass Clad Steel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km103 10 Pfennig (1949)&query=Germany km 103 10 Pfennig 1952 and 1953 Dem Rep (rev. grain sprigs behind hammer and protractor) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...any km7 10 Pfennig (1952-1953)&query=DDR km 7 10 Pfennig 1963-1990 Dem Rep (rev. Denomination divides leaf and date) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...y km10 10 Pfennig (1963-1990)&query=DDR km 10 10 Pfennig 1950-2001 Fed Rep (BUNDES REPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND ) Brass Plated Steel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km108 10 Pfennig (1950+)&query=Germany km 108 20 Pfennig 1969-1990 Dem Rep http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...y km11 20 Pfennig (1969-1990)&query=DDR km 11 50 Pfennig 1949 and 1950 (rev. man and cart in front of tall buildings with tall smokestacks) Aluminum-Bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Germany km4 50 Pfennig (1950)&query=DDR km 4 50- Pfennig 1949 Fed Rep (obv. BANK DEUTSCHER LANDER rev. woman planting oak seedling) Copper-Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km104 50 Pfennig (1949)&query=Germany km 104 50 Pfennig 1950-1971 Fed Rep (BUNDESREPUBLIC DEUTSCHLAND) Copper-Nickel (Reeded Edge) http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...1950-1971) reeded edge&query=Germany km 109.1 50 Pfennig 1958 Dem Rep (Small coat of arms) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...g (1958) small coat of arms&query=DDR km 12.1 50 Pfennig 1968-1990 Dem Rep (Larger coat of arms) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...8-1990) larger coat of arms&query=DDR km 12.2 50 Pfennig 1972-2001 Fed Rep (Plain Edge) Copper-Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...nig (1972+) plain edge&query=Germany km 109.2 1 Mark 1956-1972 Dem Rep (rev. Big, fat denomination flanked by leaves) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...rmany km13 1 Mark (1956-1972)&query=DDR km 13 1 Mark 1972 Dem Rep (rev. Large 1 flanked by oak leaves above MARK) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km35.1 1 Mark (1972)&query=East German* mark 1 Mark 1973-1990 Dem Rep (rev. Large, Thick denomination flanked by leaves) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...y km35.2 1 Mark (1973-1990)&query=DDR km 35.2 Mark 1950-2001 Fed Rep Copper-Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km110 1 Mark (1950-1997)&query=Germany km 110 2 Mark 1951 Fed Rep (obv. Eagle rev. Denomination flanked by leaves, grapes and grain sprigs w.date above) Copper-Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...blic km111 2 Mark (1951)&query=Germany km 111 2 Mark 1957-1971 Fed Rep (obv. Eagle above denomination rev. Max Planck) Copper-Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Mark (1957-1971) Planck&query=Germany Planck 2 Mark 1957 Dem Rep ( rev. Large 1 flanked by leaves above DEUTSCH above MARK date below) http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...st Germany km14 2 Mark (1957)&query=DDR km 14 2 Mark 1969-1987 Fed Rep (rev. Konrad Adenauer) Copper-Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...k (1969-1987) Adenauer&query=Germany Adenauer 2 Mark 1970-1987 Fed Rep (Theodor Heuss) Copper-Nickel Clad Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... 2 Mark (1970-1987) Heuss&query=Germany Heuss 2 Mark 1974-1990 Dem Rep (Latge 2 above Large MARK above date) Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...rmany km48 2 Mark (1974-1990)&query=DDR km 48 2 Mark 1979-1993 Fed Rep (Dr. Kurt Schumaker) Copper-Nickel Clad Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...979-1993) Schumacher&query=Germany Schumacher 2 Mark 1988-1997 Fed Rep (Ludwig Erhard) Copper-Nickel Clad Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Mark (1988-1997) Erhard&query=Germany Erhard 2 Mark 1990-1997 Fed Rep (Franz Joseph Strauss) Copper-Nickel Clad Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ark (1990-1997) Strauss&query=Germany Strauss 2 Mark 1994-2001 Fed Rep (Willy Brandt) Copper-Nickel Cad Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Mark (1994-1997) Brandt&query=Germany Brandt 5 Mark 1951-1974 Fed Rep (rev. Large Eagle obv. denomination above date and Edge Lettering ENIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT) Silver http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km112 5 Mark (1951-1974)&query=Germany km 112 5 Mark 1975-2001 Fed Rep (Denomination within Rounded Square) Copper-Nickel clad Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...0.1 5 Mark (1975-1997)&query=Germany km 140.1 Germany became a member of the European Union and began issuing Euros in 2002. The 1 , 2, and 5 Eurocents have a common reverse photo courtesy Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EUR_0.01_(2002_issue).png The three coins have a common obverse too (German oak twig) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eur.de.002.gif 10, 20, and 50 Eurocent common obverse design: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EUR_0.20_(2007_issue).png The common reverse design (Brandenburg Gate): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eur.de.010.gif 1 and 2 Euro common obverse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EUR_2_(2007_issue).png 1 and 2 Euro common reverse (German Eagle): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2_Euro_coin_De.gif Hope you enjoyed the comparisons... Clinker
Aah, familiar pieces, Clinker - coins that I used or use pretty much every day. So this time I did not really learn anything new, but for others that will be different. While I primarily collect the coins from my country (Federal Republic of Germany, founded in 1949), I do have quite a few from other/older German countries. That includes German states (got very few only), the German Empire, the German Democratic Republic, and "peripheral" issues like Danzig or Saarland. Just a side note: The GDR Mark coins lost their legal tender status in July 1990, when the country adopted the (West) German Mark. The pfennig denominations continued to circulate until the end of June 1991. Oh, and the Federal Republic of Germany did not exactly "become" a member of the European Union but was one of the six founding members (1957, "EEC" back then). Shortly before the introduction of the euro (Jan-1999) the mints stopped making DM and Pf coins, except for collector sets, and started making euro and cent pieces ... which, as you mentioned, did not circulate until Jan-2002. By the way, all coins that have ever been issued by the Federal Republic can still be redeemed at the original DM/€ conversion rate. (The only exception is the 2 DM coin dated 1951; that was taken out of circulation after a few years only as people mixed it up with the 1 DM coins.) So you could bring a 5 DM coin to a branch office of the central bank and get €2.56 for it. Or take a 1 pfennig coin and get ... nah, not worth the effort. Christian
To my friend, Christian I was stationed in Berlin from October 1956 through September 1957 (while the Wall was still dividing the city) and was treated royally by all citizens over 25 years old who had experienced the rise and fall of Nazism. Clinker
Great! Well, in a way the allied "occupation" of Germany in 1944/45 was also a liberation, at least in the Western zones. And in Berlin at that time, the Airlift was well remembered. Now the actual Wall was built later (1961). You may know Billy Wilder's movie "One, Two, Three" (with James Cagney) which I think is just great ... except back then it was not a commercial success: It was filmed in exactly that year, and when they started making it, you could still get through the checkpoints. While they were making it, the Wall was built, and suddenly the movie was kind of anachronistic. Errm, back to coins. The 20 pfennig piece from the GDR (East G.) is quite interesting in my opinion as all the denominations from 1 Pf to 2 M were aluminum coins ... except the 20er. Why? Apparently the public payphones were initially unable to handle to handle those light alu coins. The GDR also had 5 M coins - one issued in 1969 (a commem but the mintage was three times the population) and one made 1971-1990. However, many were melted down later. As for the coinage from the Federal Republic of Germany, it is interesting that you list all the names of the politicians (Adenauer etc.) depicted on the 2 DM coins. After all, just like US coins the pieces do not actually show the names. Another oddity is the "year gap". All pfennig denominations have a frozen date (1950) until 1958 (2 Pf) or even 1966 (1, 5, 10 Pf). That is why "fifty year old coins" were very common until the euro changeover. By the way, while it is correct to say that the DM/Pf coins were made until 2001, the circulation coins were produced until 1996 only. Anything Mark and Pfennig made between 1997 and 2001 was for sets, and thus collectors, only ... Christian
Hi Grey Ghost Thank you for reading and letting us know. I collect my birth year coins (1935) in silver so I have the 1935 mint marked 5 Mark Potsdam Church and Hindenburg in my collection... Clinker
