Hello, Can anyone tell me a little bit more about this coin in my collection. I have a 1934 Reichspfennig from Germany. When I search for information on this coin online I come across a 1934 10 reichspfennig but with a D and mine is clearly an A. I am assuming this is a difference in mintmarks. Anyone know?????
to CoinTalk Amy. BINGO! Current German mint marks are: "A" for Berlin "D" for Munich "F" for Stuttgart "G" for Karlsruhe and "J" for Hamburg. In the past there were others, including "B" for Bayeruth and Breslau (at different times) "C" for Desden "D for Aurich before Munich began using it "E" for Muldenhutten "G" for Stettin, and "PR" for Dusseldorf. The bronze reichspfennig is KM#37. The 2006 Standard Catalog of World Coins gives the 1934A a value of 10¢ to $10, depending on condition. The coin was minted in the dying days of the Weimar Republic created after the victorious WW I allies forced "democracy" on the former German Empire. It ended soon after Hitler's election as Chancellor and subsequent proclamation of the Third Reich, which was supposed to last 1,000 years, but died with the WW II allies march into Berlin in 1945.
Well, 1934 was the second year of the nazi regime. The Weimar Republic was already dead by that time methinks. Thanks for the inverted commas, by the way. It's not that the pre-WW1 German Empire was a shining example of democracy, but it was certainly not a dictatorship either. And I wonder which kind of "democracy" the allies planned to enforce with that 1918 Versailles Treaty ... Christian
Thank you, Thank you all, I had an idea the coin was from the last of the Weimar Republic, as all my other coins from that period have the swastika on them. You all gave me some great information. Thank you.
The funny thing is,the Nazis still were not totally confident in their popular support among the German people in 1934-35 so they sort of "snuck" these tiny little swastikas onto the coins so as not to be too assertive.By '37 they were big ol honkers on the back.
There was actually some discussion, in 1933 and shortly afterwards, about whether those 5 and 10 Pf should be replaced tout de suite. Many people complained about the supposedly "Jewish" and "masonic" symbols on these coins ... Christian
The Weimar Republic types of 1933-36 are definitely Nazi coins, even though the Swastika is not present anywhere on the coins. Did you know that the Nazis also issued Rentenmark notes as well as the Reichsmark notes? Aidan.
I have thought about this a lot, and I can't help but wonder if the wrong side won in 1918. Or better yet, what would have happened in Europe had Germany largely ignored the assassination of Arch Duke Ferdinand? The German decision to start WWI had to have been one of the dumbest ideas in human history. If there had been no WWI, would there have been a WWII? I doubt it. Would the Soviets have controlled eastern Europe for 40 years? I doubt that also. WWII was arguably the worst series of related events in human history. That little bronze coin was in the middle of it. All of my wife's grandparents and great-grandparents escaped Russia and Germany to avoid the endless succession of European national conflicts. Smart moves.
There were not many governments anywhere in 1934 which we in 2005 would qualify as "Democratic" in our interpretation of the term.
The same situation applies today.Kaiser Wilhelm II was not really a constitutional monarch,as he was a real autocrat,& a man with a very flawed nature.Robert Mugabe is as evil as Hitler,Stalin,Mao Tse Tung & Kim Il Sung put together.No wonder why Zimbabwe is an Outpost of Tyranny. Aidan.
