Nazi Era Coinage/Currency Where to Start

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss.

As for the topic (since you wish to keep the thread alive). I am a collector of Third Reich coins and my advice would be to start with a type set and try and find the best quality pieces you can. Also...decide what you want to include in the set. For example...do you only want to include Third Reich designs or all coins produced under the Third Reich? The reason I ask is...the Nazis came to power in 1933 but some coin designs continued with the Weimar design for a few more years. In my collection, I include Weimar design coins from 1933 onward because they were produced under the Nazis. Also, following the defeat of the Third Reich...there was occupation coinage that featured a very similar design (just the swastika removed) that was produced until 1948. Again, in my collection I include these because they were produced as a direct response to the Third Reich.

If you would like to see some images of my coins I would be happy to post them.

As for dealers. I highly recommend Ron Guth. He was a very nice person and an honest dealer. I have dealt with him many times in the past. You can find his website here: http://germancoins.com/

 

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Just now reading this, haven’t logged on in a couple days... Know that I willbe praying for you in the weeks and months to come; wishing you and your familystrength.

 

Thank You.

Ok. I will check this site and go from there. I have now decided where i want to start yet. I will be starting soon.

Thank You. Everyone is so kind.

 

I really think a Type Set is a great place to start. It gives you some variety and from there you can basically expand as you like. Here are some examples from my collection:

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Wow. These are great. Thanks for the pics. I think this is where i will start. Thank You.

 

If you have any specific questions...feel free to ask. I don't personally have a complete type set...but I have quite a few coins. I can post other photos...or labeled photos if you need reference images. Just so you know, the first coin I posted was a occupation piece and they are difficult to find at times and when found they are normally very corroded as the zinc used was terrible quality. Mine is PCGS MS62 is the finest example I have ever seen.

 

I’ve always wondered exactly how these coins were used CamaroDMD. I understand that they were occupation coins, but why did they only make 5 & 10 reicshpfennigs? What about all the other denominations?

 

Yes, it would be interesting to know exactly what coins were circulating in Germany from mid-1945 to mid-1948. Even the small denomination (½ mark and higher) paper money did not appear until 1948.

One other tip for the OP. Photocopy and study and take to coin shows the two (Krause) pages of pattern coins, Third Reich and after (Pn series, old numbers #PN354 to #PNB386, etc.).

You might just find one in a junkbox, or a GI's estate, someday, and some are worth a fortune.

 

During 1945-8 the Weimar era coins circulated, as did the Nazi era and post-Nazi Allied Occupation era coins with the Swastika removed. Most of the 1945-8 coins are pretty scarce though, really with inflation they did not have a whole lot of value anymore. The rarest examples were minted in the Russian zone in Berlin and in Muldenhutten - the latter are very rare.

In 1948 all earlier monies were demonetised and called in at 10:1, with depreciated provisions for savings accounts etc. Until the changeover most circulation was made up with paper money and not so much coins.

Curiously I found a Nazi era 1 pfennig from 1942 in a roll search of cents the other day, frankly I shuddered when I saw the narsty thing. I can deal with pre-1933 and post 1945 coins in my collection - but that era just doesn't have any collecting appeal for me.

 

Interesting - the stamps of this period show no inflation at all. The 1946 "numerals" ran from 1pf to 84pf, plus a 1mk for packages. The 1947-48 "workers" series ran from 2pf to 84pf, plus mark values for packages; the 3 and 5 mark are very rare genuinely postally used. The BiZone overprints of the numerals and workers ran from 2pf to 84pf, plus 1-2-3-5 mark for packages. The final series of everyday stamps, the buildings of 1948, ran from 2pf to 90pf, and the letter rate remained a low 20pf in the third year after V-E Day.

The first issues of the Federal Republic (7 Sep 49) were 10pf and 20pf, then 20pf and 30pf, and then back to 2pf to 90pf for the 1951-52 posthorn series. Just a little perspective on the cost of living. Of course, maybe postal rates were intentionally held very low, or even subsidized.

 

You know, I'm still trying to completely figure this out myself. They are called Reichskreditkassen and they were designed for circulation in territories the German's were occupying. My understanding is they first circulated in Poland. From what I have read, they ended up not really needing them as the German military just used the local circulating money. They also had banknotes for 50pf, and 1, 2, 5, 10, 50 marks.

 

Interesting find. I have always found the strong feelings about these coins quite interesting. Some people have no appeal towards them because of the era from which they came...to others (like myself), they serve as reminders of a dark time in our history and should be remembered. That is why I collect them.

 

extremely well struck nice stuff.

 

Postal fees do not reflect the true value of the mark, as do not wages, wich were officially fixed on pre - war bases. The real money in those black .-marked - days where Lucky Strike , Camel and Cesterfield.

Curiously the small changes was needed anyway. I once read an article by a german numismatist who said that imediatly after the war was over a shortage of coins started to occour, whilst i the last days of the Nazi era pfennigs often where abandond because they had no value any more.

 

I have a sort of interest in the post-war swastika removed reichspfennig coins myself, particularly the Berlin and Muldenhutten ones that were made in the Soviet Zone.

Regarding the value of stamps - those were a fixed price control item that inflation did not affect. Basic foods and stuff that was much more difficult to regulate prices on were a completely different story.

 

Wow. i'm reading so much good stuff. Thank You all for posting and please keep it coming. Im looking up and reading up on a lot of stuff i'm reading.

 

Have you acquired any Third Reich coins yet Famous Tetsuo? Are you still doing a type set?

 

Not the best photo...but here is one from Berlin. It's a 1948-A.

 

I havent yet been able to start on them. collecting info for the time being. I'm still not finished with US Proof Sets. But once i finish Proof i will start on Third Reich

Very nice.

 

The Hoard

I was digging through my coins today to find something, and thought I would take some pics of my coins from the Third Reich. As far as a type set goes, I have every coin type except the nickel 50 Reichspfennig.

Here are my 5 & 2Reichsmarks, including every year and mint mark of the KM94 5 Reichsmark.

Some more notable 5 & 2 Reichsmarks. One day I need to have these slabbed.

Here are my Reichskreditkassen coins. I’ve seen examples like these sell for high dollar. The zinc needs to have a dark tone, little/no wear.

While this looks like I’m Third Reich crazy, my foreign silver collection is twice this size, and my US silver is crazy big. I’m just too lazy to pull coins out of airtites to photograph correctly. I think I’m done collecting these unless another Schiller or Luther comes along for the right price. Currently I’m working on the German Empire/States silver coins, and foreign bullion (Panda’s, Britannia’s, Philharmonic’s,Koala’s, ect…).