How to collect the Third reich coins?

Hello,

I am collecting coins from the Third reich era and so far I have 20 out of 26 coins listed in Krause catalog (together with military coinage and coins during the allied occupation of Germany).

However, beside these coins I found out in the same catalog that there are some coins listed in part of Weimar Republic but which were nevertheless struck during the Third reich period (in 1933 and later). For example:

1 RF KM37
2 RF KM38
5 RP KM39
10 RP KM40
50 RP KM49

There are two coins (3 RM G, KM74 and 5 RM J, KM56) which were last time struck in 1933 and quite expensive and hard to find as well.

Which would be the proper way of collecting coins from the Third reich period? Should I focus on coinage which was actually used during this time or stick to the catalog? For example, I see that Pfennigs above were struck as late as 1938 (thus certainly used), however the Marks were struck only one time in 1933 and never again. Any missing coins from this period in the Krause catalog?

Thanks.

 

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Keep in mind that Third Reich coinage is still illegal to own in some countries, and that affects their availability.

 

However you want to be honest. It's your collection. A lot of people start with a base collection and end up adding on additional pieces/objectives to it. There's not right or wrong answer though as long as you enjoy it

 

I agree with the above posters.... Collect what you want! I personally love German Coins... German States, Weimar, 3rd Reich, etc. Currently, I'm collecting the German 1 Mark Coins from 1950 thru possibly the 90's.

@blackarrow If you have specific coins you need... PM me and I may be able to help... I truly have a crap-ton of German Coins.

 

Same as the others - there is no right or wrong way to collect the coins, it is up to you to decide what gives you satisfaction.
Personally I would want to have examples of all the different mint letters as well as the different dates, but I would probably leave out the Zinc coins because I find that metal unpleasant to handle. Once I had that lot well sorted I would extend backwards into the Weimar, the early Empire and then into the numerous German States of the 19th century. This last would tease me the most - even though British coins are my home territory, I cannot resist the designs on the State coins and I have a growing selection of 5 Mark coins from these.

 

I have some Third Reich coins. Germany has several mintmarks and for me to get them all would be too tedious so how I collect is by year and denomination.

 

Really? Where? Just curious ...

 

I read an article some years ago on it - one example given was France. Seems they're not "over it" yet.

 

Do you have much in the way of German states coinage?

 

It’s a tough question, but one you’ll have to ultimately decide. Frankly, I’d just stick to coins struck by the third Reich, if that was my focus. But do what you like.

 

Never heard of such a thing. Some WW2 artifacts may well be illegal to sell there, but coins?

As for the OP's question, I second the suggestion to collect "what you like". @blackarrow , you may decide that all German coins which were legal tender at some point between 1933 and 1945 should be part of a Third Reich collection, go ahead and do that. If in your opinion coins that were minted in those years, regardless of when they were first issued, should be in such a collection, collect only those. If you want only those with, say, text in Fraktur and/or with a swastika, focus on those. It's your collection, and there are good reasons for each of these options.

 

Me too. I have several many myself.

 

What @V. Kurt Bellman is referring to is the ban in France on selling nazi memorabilia. The question here is whether that transfers into coinage or not. Here's an example of it coming into play: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27028990

 

Don't think that affects coins. If it did, a few people I know or sort-of-know would be in trouble.

 

Could it be one of those laws still on the books in France that is now stale and unenforced?

 

I think it’s really the application of it is narrow and does not include coins. However, I haven’t seen anything covering the last few years.

 

Could be, as in: I have no idea. The case that @Seattlite86 referred to (BBC article) might be a little different as the auction house canceled an auction due to protests, not necessarily because it was against the law.

What I did find is this article from the Code Pénal. But I don't see how that would affect coins: "The fine (...) shall be imposed, except for the purpose of a film, show or exhibition with a historical reference, to wear or display in public a uniform, badge or emblem reminiscent of uniforms, insignia or emblems which have been worn or displayed either by members of an organization declared criminal pursuant to Article 9 of the Statute of the International Military Tribunal annexed to the London Agreement of 8 August 1945, or by a person convicted by a French or international court of one or more crimes against humanity provided for in Articles 211-1 to 212-3 or mentioned by Law No 64-1326 of 26 December 1964." (machine translation)

In 2008 there was also a bill or proposal in the Sénat, about selling/auctioning such items. But apparently that did not become law. Well, I did not read the entire Penal Code but did not find that text in the portion of the law that the bill refers to.

As for selling or using nazi uniforms, badges, etc., we have similar regulations in Germany; they usually affect post-1945 replicas though, not historical artifacts. And yes, I understand that Americans deal differently with such issues regardless of whether they are nazi memorabilia collectors or not.

Christian

 

By the way. Let’s see some photos!

 

What he "said", @blackarrow

 

I was in Paris recently and bought a SS Dagger/ Signal Newspapers. I even went to a militaria boutique across from the Louvre. They had stuff from all periods in history, even 14th century. They had Daggers/ Swords/ Uniforms/ Decorations/ most $$$$$$$ from Third Reich period. Third Reich material is very highly collectible, muchmore then allied counterparts. Collectors are not interested in the darkside of the Third Reich, but in the military aspect. The Waffen SS/ Luftwaffe/ U-Boot/ Paratroopers/ Heer had aces/ set records that will never be broken in the anals of military history. Their decorations/ uniforms where beautifully designed, their coinage sucked big time.