Germany's Different Coins Part 1 This "trivia" does not deal with the coinage of the German States, but only with the different coins of Germany dating from the German Empire (aka 1st Reich 1871 - 1918) to the Modern Germany of today. This is the result of one of my "doodling" pastimes. I'm only going to introduce you to business strike (circulation) coins as compositions, designs, denominations, or some other aspect changed. All photos are courtesy of Don's World Coin Gallery unless noted. GERMAN EMPIRE: 1 Pfennig 1873 - 1916 Copper http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km1 1 Pfennig (1873-1889)&query=German* km 1 In 1916 671,000 Copper Pfennig were struck by the Karlsruhe Mint (G mint mark) and another unknown mintage of aluminum composition were struck. All 1917 and 1918 Pfennig are aluminum: 1 Pfennig 1917 - 1918 Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...m24 1 Pfennig (1916-1918)&query=German* km 24 2 Pfennig 1871 - 1916 Copper http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...m16 2 Pfennig (1904-1916)&query=German* km 16 There were no other changes made to the German Empire 2 Pfennig, 5 Pfennig 1890 - 1915 Copper-nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...m11 5 Pfennig (1890-1915)&query=German* km 11 Part way through 1915 the German Empire changed the composition of the 5 Pfennig coins from copper-nickel to iron as follows: Munich (D) 3,516,000 C-N & 2,021,000 Iron Muldenhutten (E) 834,000 C-N & 4,670,000 Iron Stuttgart (F) 1,894,000 C-N & 3,500,000 Iron Karlsruhe (G) 894,000 C-N & 3,676,00 Iron Hamburg (J) 1,669,000 C-N & 2,100,000 Iron Another change took place. The date on the Iron 5 Pfennig was moved from the right on the C-N coins to the bottom on the Iron coins. 5 Pfennig 1915 - 1922 Iron http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Pfennig (1915-1922) iron&query=German* km 19 There many changes to the 10 Pfennig coins: 10 Pfennig 1873 - 1889 Copper http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km4 10 Pfennig (1873-1889)&query=German* km 4 10 Pfennig 1890 - 1916 Copper-nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...(1890-1916) copper-nickel&query=German* km 12 Let me explain something important about these 10 Pfennig pieces: In 1916 the Munich Mint (D) struck 1,128,000 C-N 10 Pfennig coins and 11,609,000 Iron 10 Pfennig coins. Iron coins were minted from 1916 through 1922. From 1917 through 1922 the 10 Pfennig coins were also struck in zinc by some mints. 10 Pfennig 1916 - 1922 Iron Note date is now at bottom bottom: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Pfennig (1915-1922) iron&query=German* km 20 1917-A (Berlin) struck an unknown amount of both Iron and Zinc 10 Pfennig coins. Those Berlin strikes are the only known Zinc 10 Pfennig coins to bear a mint mark. All other Zinc 10 Pfennig pieces don't bear a mint mark: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Pfennig (1916-1922) zinc&query=German* km 26 20 Pfennig 1873 - 1877 Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km5 20 Pfennig (1873-1877)&query=German* km 5 20 Pfennig 1887 - 1888 Copper-nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km9 20 Pfennig (1887-1888)&query=German* km 9 20 Pfennig 1890 - 1892 Copper-nickel (Eagle in Wreath) http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...2)&src=Donn Testa&query=German Empire pfennig 25 Pfennig 1909 - 1912 Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...18 25 Pfennig (1909-1912)&query=German* km 18 50 Pfennig 1875 - 1877 (Beaded Edge) Silver http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km6 50 Pfennig (1875-1877)&query=German* km 6 50 Pfennig 1877 & 1878 (Eagle & Denomination in Wreath) Silver http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km8 50 Pfennig (1877-1878)&query=German* km 8 1/2 Mark Silver http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km17 1/2 Mark (1905-1919)&query=German* km 17 1 Mark 1873 - 1877 (Small Eagle) Silver http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ire km7 1 Mark (1873-1887)&query=German* km 7 1 Mark 1891 - 1916 (Large Eagle) Silver http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...e km14 1 Mark (1891-1916)&query=German* km 14 WEIMAR REPUBLIC 2nd Reich 1919 - 1938 At the end of WWI the Weimar Republic of Germany came into being and efforts to stave off inevitable inflation gave rise to new coin denominations by adding prefixes to the earlier denominations. i.e. adding Renten and Reichs to Pfennig and Mark 1 Rentenpfennig 1923 - 1929 Bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Rentenpfennig (1923-1924)&query=Weimar km 30 1 Reichspfennig 1924 - 1938 Bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Reichspfennig (1924-1936)&query=Weimar km 37 2 Rentenphennig 1923 - 1929 Bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Rentenpfennig (1923-1924)&query=Weimar km 31 2 Reichspfennig 1923 - 1938 Bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Reichspfennig (1923-1936)&query=Weimar km 38 5 Rentenphennig 1923 - 1929 Aluminum-bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Rentenpfennig (1923-1925)&query=Weimar km 32 5 Reichspfennig 1924 - 1938 Aluminum-bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Reichspfennig (1924-1936)&query=Weimar km 39 10 Rentenpfennig 1923 - 1929 Aluminum-bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Rentenpfennig (1923-1925)&query=Weimar km 33 10 Reichspfennig 1924 - 1938 Aluminum-bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Reichspfennig (1924-1936)&query=Weimar km 40 50 Pfennig 1919 - 1922 Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...m27 50 Pfennig (1919-1922)&query=Weimar km 27 50 Rentenpfennig 1923 - 1926 Aluminum-bronze http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Rentenpfennig (1923-1924)&query=Weimar km 34 50 Reichspfennig 1927 - 1938 Nickel http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Reichspfennig (1927-1938)&query=Weimar km 49 1 Mark 1924 - 1925 Silver http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ic km42 1 Mark (1924-1925)&query=Weimar km 42 1 Reichsmark 1924 - 1927 http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...4 1 Reichsmark (1925-1927)&query=Weimar km 44 3 Mark 1922 Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...c km28 3 Mark (1922) reeded edge&query=Weimar 3 Mark 1922 & 1923 Aluminum http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...Weimar Constitution&query=Weimar constitution 3 Mark 1924 (denomination above date / Large Eagle no Wreath) Silver In 1925 this coin was only struck at the Munich Mint (D) http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ic km43 3 Mark (1924-1925)&query=Weimar km 43 1925 3 Reichsmark Silver Struck at all mints including Munich. http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...c km46 3 Reichsmark (1925)&query=Weimar km 46 3 Reichsmark 1931 - 1933 Silver http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...&src=Augusto Jardenil&query=Weimar reichsmark There were no other business strike Drei (3) Mark coins minted. Some commemoratives were made for collectors. As a bonus to you for reading this far here's one of those commemoratives: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...in Flight&src=Daniel B.&query=Weimar zeppelin Circulation 5 Reichsmark coins were produced by all Germany mints from 1927 through 1933. http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...6 5 Reichsmark (1927-1933)&query=Weimar km 56 That's the end of "German Coin Changes Part 1." Go to Part 2. Clinker
Will do, thanks for the post. Let me just add the least popular denomination issued by the German Empire: the 4 pfennig coin. Right, four. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/2/2a/4_Reichspfennige_1932_A_J315.jpg That was issued in early 1932, and taken out of circulation less than two years later. The idea was to control prices, but of course that did not work this way ... Christian
Adding some input is easy if somebody has "built" something that the input can be based on. Sometimes I don't really have anything that I could add to your posts, and I guess that applies to other members too. Nevertheless, most I find interesting! Christian
Christian Whenever you think something needs to be added or corrected, PLEASE say it or add it (including pictires)... Clinker
I am definitely bringing light to an old thread (2010!) but I came across a silver 1925-D Drei Mark (3 Mark) in the older design (KM43-1925D) which is quite rare and collectible. I assume it may be all of them, but it's very interesting that it's got text and design along the edges. Beautiful coin! I wanted to know what prompted the change mid-year to the newer design?
There was no design change; the "newer" one is simply a commemorative coin. With a fairly high issue volume though - because the reason to issue it was a political one. Both the "newer" 3 RM and 5 RM coins (identical designs) say Jahrtausendfeier der Rheinlande. This millennium of the Rhinelands was a somewhat arbitrarily picked anniversary: In 925, Lotharingia became part of East Francia (see here). Not that this would be relevant for Rhineland, except that 1,000 years later much of the area was still occupied by the winners of the 1918 armistice ... The design was based on a suggestion by Konrad Adenauer, then mayor of Cologne. He was also the first chancellor (head of government) of today's Germany (Federal Republic of G., 1949-) by the way. Another side note: In 1930, when the occupation actually came to an end, another "Rhine" issue (3 and 5 RM) commemorated that. Again with a mintage volume that was considerably higher than what was common in those years. Edge inscriptions are pretty common, on both Deutsches Reich coin and issues of the Federal Republic of Germany. Christian
