Today we step through the portals of time back to those years of the German Empire (1871-1918) to check out the authorized coinage of those German States beginning with Saxe. There were four Saxe Free German States still in esistance: Saxe-Altenburg (Sachsen-Altenburg) Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha) Saxe-Meiningen (Sachsen-Meiningen) Saxe-Weimar-Eisennach (Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach) They're listed in Alphabetical order so let's begin with Saxe-Altenburg (all photos courtesy of Coin Archives): NOTE: Saxe-Altenburg was a Duchy. Though there were two Dukes of historical significance in the history of Saxe-Altenburg during the life of the German Empire only one Ernst I (Ernst) was in leadership when Saxe-Altenburg authorized the minting of silver and gold coins in denominations over 1 Mark. Our first coin takes us back to 1887 and is a gold (0.2305 ounce AGW) 20 Mark coin struck at Berlin (A mint mark): SAXE-ALTENBURG 1887-A GOLD 20 MARK - ERNST We now fast forward to 1901 when Saxe-Altenburg authorized the production of two silver coins honoring Ernst I's 75th Birthday: Our first 75th Birthday commemorative is this 28mm silver (0.3215 ounce ASW) Zwei (2) Mark coin struck at Berlin: 50,000 for circulation and 500 proofs for collectors. 1901-A SILVER 2 MARK - DUKE ERNST'S 75TH BIRTHDAY The other commemorative is this 38mm silver (0.8037 ounce ASW) Funf (5) Mark coin struck at Berlin: 20,000 business strikes - 500 proofs: SAXE-ALTENBURG SILVER 5 MARK - DUKE ERNST'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY This time we only need to leave 1901 to visit 1903 so we can look at the last coin authorized by Saxe-Altenburg; this 1903-A 38mm silver (0.8037 ounce ASW) Funf (5) Mark coin issued to honor Ernst I's 50 years of Reign (1853-1903). SAXE-ALTENBURG 1903-A SILVER 2 MARK - DUKE ERNST I'S 50 YEARS OF REIGN Now our attention shifts to the 1871-1908 coinage of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha: Climb aboard our time machine so we can zoom back to the Duchy Saxe-Coburg-Gotha during 1895 when Duke Alfred ruled the state so we can see an authorized silver 2 Mark that was struck at Berlin: SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA 1895-A SILVER 2 MARK - DUKE ALFRED Take a look at what else I found; a 1895-A gold 20 Mark SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA 1895-A GOLD 20 MARK - DUKE ALFRED Let's time travel to 1905 so we can see a silver 2 Mark coin issued under the leadership of Duke Carl Eduard: SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA 1905-A SILVER 2 MARK - DUKE CARL EDUARD This same design was struck in 1911 at Berlin, but only in proof (100 minted). I couldn't find a photo Let me point out that two gold coins were struck by Berlin's Mint in 1905: Ah, heres' one of those. This is the 10 Mark coin. SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA 1905-A 10 MARK - DUKE CARL EDUARD This is the 20 Mark: SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA 1906-A 20 MARK - DUKE CARL EDUARD We're now going to 1907 so we can look at a silver 5 Mark issued by Saxe-Coberg-Gotha under the leadership of Duke Carl Eduard: SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA 1907-A SILVER 5 MARK - DUKE CARL EDUARD Time to visit Saxe-Meiningen to examine some of their last coins authorized under agreement of the German Emoire of 1871-1918. This Duchy was under the leadership of two Dukes; Gerorg II from 1866-1914 and Bernherd III 1914-1918. The first coinage occurred in 1901 honoring Georg II's 75th Birthday: Our quest uncovers one of these 75th Birthday commemoratives: The 1905-B Silver 2 Mark: SAXE-MEININGEN 1901-B 2 MARK - DUKE GEORG II 75TH BIRTHDAY And, look here... it's the other 75th Birthday coin; 1901-B 5 Mark piece: SAXE-MEININGEN 1901-B 5 MARK - DUKE GEORG II 75TH BIRTHDAY Let's venture to 1902. Numismatic history tells us two different silver 2 Mark coins were struck in 1902. One of Georg II with a long beard and one with a short beard. I don't know which is which, but here's a 1902 2 Mark - which one it is? SAXE-NEININGEN 1902-B 2 MARK - DUKE GEORG II In 1902 Saxe-Meiningen authorized a silver 5 Mark coin be struck. Two different 1902s were minted; one with GOTT MIT UNS on edge and one without edge text. Here's a photo. Which one it is? SAXE-MEININGEN 1902-B SILVER 5 MARK - DUKE GEORG II This same design was struck in 1908 without GOTT MIT UNS on edge: SAXE-MEININGEN 1908-D SILVER 5 MARK - DUKE GEORG II A three Mark silver coin was, also, struck in 1908 (the design was repeated in 1913): SAXE-MEININGEN 1908-B SILVER 3 MARK - DUKE GEORGE II Before we get to the gold coins of Saxe-Meiningen, let's finish the silver issues. These two silver issues were authorized by Bernhard III's leadership and they commemorate the death of Georg II in 1914: One is this 1915 2 Mark: SAXE-MEININGEN 1915-B SILVER 2 MARK - DEATH OF GEORG II The 3 Mark bears the same designs and devices, but I couldn't find a photo. Let's examine the gold coins. Both 10 and 20 Mark gold coins were struck in gold. Here's photos of a few of these: Some 10 Mark Gold Pieces SAXE-MEININGEN 1898-D 10 GOLD 10 MARK - DUKE GEORG II SAXE-MEININGEN 1902-B GOLD 10 MARK - DUKE GEORG II SAXE-MEININGEN 1909-D 10 MARK - DUKE GEORG II SAXE-MEININGEN 1914-B GOLD 10 MARK - DUKE GEORG II Here's a Few 20 Mark Gold Pieces: SAXE-MEININGEN 1900-B GOLD 20 MARK - DUKE GEORG II SAXE-MEININGEN 1905-B GOLD 20 MARK - DUKE GEORG II SAXE-MEININGEN 1910-B GOLD 20 MARK - DUKE GEORG II SAXE-MEININGEN 1914-B GOLD 20 MARKS - DUKE GEORGE II That said we now turn our attention to the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach who fell under the leadership of Grand Duke Carl Alexander from 1853-1901 then to Grand Duke Wilhem Ernst from 1901-1918: Let's see if we can find a few of those issued while Carl Allexander was Grand Duke: Here, look at this 1898 28mm silver (0.3215 ounce) Zwei (2) Mark Struck at the Berlin Mint (A mint mark on obverse near 6:00 o'clock): SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH 1898-A SILVER 2 MARK - GRAND DUKE CARL ALEXANDER During the German Empire's first year of existence (1871) Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach authorized this 1871 gold (0.2305 ounce) 20 Mark coin: SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH 1871-A GOLD 20 MARK - GRAND DUKE CARL ALEXANDER And in 1895 the Grand Duchy authorized this 1895 gold 20 Mark: SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH 1895-A 20 MARK - GRAND DUKE CARL ALEXANDER When Wilhelm Ernst became Grand Duke in 1901 the Duchy authorized the minting of this silver 2 Mark coin: SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH 1901-A SILVER 2 MARK - GRAND DUKE WILHEM ERNST In 1903 Silver 2 Mark and 5 Mark coins were authorized to commemorate Grand Duke Wilhem Ernst's marriage to his first wife, Caroline. Here's a photo of the 5 Mark: SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH 1903-A SILVER 5 MARK - FIRST MARRIAGE In 1908 the Grand Duchy authorized 2 and 5 Mark silver coins to commemorate the 350th Anniversary of Jena University featuring Freidrich I, the Magnanimous on the coins' obverses: Here's a photo of the 2 Mark: SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH SILVER 2 MARK - JENA UNIVERSITY 350TH ANNIVERSARY Here's a photo of the 5 Mark: SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH 1908-A 5 MARK - JENA UNIVERSITY 350TH ANNIVERSARY In 1910 the Duchy authorized a silver 3 Mark coin to honor Grand Duje Wilhem Ernst's marriage to his second wife, Feodora: SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH 1910-A SILVER 3 MARK - SECOND MARRIAGE In 1915 Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach authorized a silver 3 Mark coin to commemorate the Centenary of the Duchy by placing the busts of Grand Dukes Wilhem Ernst and Carl August on the obverse. SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH 1915-A 3 MARK - GRAND DUCHY CENTENARY Only one gold coin was authorized by Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach under the leadership of Grand Duke Wilhem Ernst and that one is a 20 Mark piece. I couldn't find a photo. Hope you enjoyed... Clinker
Now that is a very comprehensive overview, Clinker! And as for that beard ... The beard is pretty long on both varieties. But in one case it "touches" the ring of beads (that is called the longer beard), in the other case the beard is 1.5 mm away from that ring. The image shows this "shorter" beard. Also, this piece is interesting from an orthographical point of view: Well, the duke's name was Wilhelm, with two Ls. Except the coin says WILHEIM, with the second L actually being an I. By the way, there were five "Sachsen" states in the German Empire: the four you covered here, plus the kingdom of Saxony. In today's Germany there are three states that have Sachsen/Saxony in their names (Sachsen, Niedersachen, Sachsen-Anhalt). Except that the four Saxes today are in neither of the three but mostly in Thuringia, hehe. Christian
i look forward to your post about german states clinker, they are superbly written an very informative. as a collector of german states i find them very useful as a guide and especially when chris adds his comments as well.
I think a map showing the geography of the regions in scope would be interesting also... maybe a link to it or something in future posts would a good content adder.. Really good stuff.
