The history of the German state has always been vibrant and dynamic. One ruler succeeded another; old coins were replaced by new and relevant ones. It would be wrong to talk about Germany and its coins not in the context of the history of the state.
Periodization of the history of Germany. Coins
Coins of Germany can be divided into 5 historical periods:
- German Empire (1971-1918).
- Weimar Republic (1919-1933).
- The Third Reich (1933-1945).
- GDR (1949-1990).
- Germany (1949-1990).
All coins of these periods are of value to real numismatists. Collectors try to collect coins of a certain period or region of Germany, so that as a result a full collection is obtained.
German coin prices are not too high. This allows even novice numismatists to take part in collecting. The most valuable money in German history is the coins of the Third Reich period , which were issued in the occupied territories.
Coins of Germany until 1918
The period of the history of Germany until 1918 is an empire. Over 47 years of its existence, hundreds of thousands of coins were minted. All of them are completely different in their territorial affiliation, face value, price component and the material from which they are made. The direct price of German coins depends on these indicators.
Coins and stamps of Germany until 1918 with a face value of 2-3-5 stamps were minted with portraits of the dukes. The reverse was the same for all coins. It depicted the imperial eagle of the German Empire and the text DEUTSCHES REICH.
Coins of Germany until 1918 are made of gold and silver of the 900th test. The most valuable of them:
- 2 stamps of 1901 (silver);
- 10 marks of 1878 (gold);
- 20 marks of 1872 (gold).
It is noteworthy that the third coin was 9 grams in weight and published in a circulation of up to 100 copies. This indicates a high demand for the coin and its high price in the market.
History of fascist coins in Germany
The history of the Third Reich (1933-1945) is full of drama and richness in historical events. Money and its value cannot be perceived without interest in the historical context.
Numismatists rate the coins of the Third Reich very high and expensive. Coins of fascist Germany were called Pfennig.
The first coin issued by Hitler in 1933 is 4 Reichspfennig. It minted the standard German eagle and the new fascist swastika. She adorned German money until 1945.
In 1933, they stopped minting German money from silver and began to use cheap metals for coins. However, the Germans did not refuse to mint gold coins. It is gold coins of the Third Reich period that are of great value to numismatists. They are in limited quantities and have an average weight of 5 grams of pure gold.
There are very rare coins of the Third Reich with the image on the obverse of Adolf Hitler.
Coins of the Federal Republic of Germany
Once a holistic German state was divided due to political ambitions and military clashes. Now Germany and the GDR existed separately politically and financially. On the territory of the GDR, brands were introduced, and in the Federal Republic of Germany - Pfennig.
The monetary history of Germany (1949-1990) began with the monetary reform in 1949. Pfennigs were approved as the main coin of the republic.
The most valuable coins of the history of the GDR were issued in 1949. These were the first and memorable copies that were minted in a limited edition.
The greatest activity of minting coins in Germany was timed to coincide with the 1972 Olympic Games . They were acquired as a keepsake and as gifts for loved ones. It was a boom and peak of activity for numismatists and collectors. The coin actively diverged not only in the republic, but also abroad.
Coins of the German Democratic Republic
Until 1949, on the territory of the German Democratic Republic, Reichsmarks, wound marks and Union command marks were presented as money. It would be wrong if the three divisions of the national currency were equal to each other in everyday life. It is inconvenient and impractical.
In 1948, a monetary reform was carried out, according to which only German brands and pfennig remained relevant in the GDR. The GDR refused to mint coins made of expensive metals (silver and gold) for serial use. Only commemorative coins of Germany were minted from precious metals.
German brands from the time of the GDR do not have a high cost. The starting price of such coins is 20 rubles. Such a pricing policy will allow even novice coin collectors to engage in collecting.
The most expensive coin from the time of the GDR is the 10 stamps of 1981, which were used as a probe for minting serial coins. It was dedicated to the "700th anniversary of the Berlin Mint" and is made of pure silver.
Commemorative coins of Germany
In the history of Germany there are moments that are captured not only on the pages of textbooks, but also on state money.
In general, commemorative German coins were not issued in large numbers. The exception is the coins that were minted for the 1972 Munich Olympics . Then it was released about 30,000 thousand copies. Due to such a stir and mass around commemorative coins, the price of them is low.
Jubilee coins of Germany are inexpensive and available to a wide range of numismatists.
- 20 stamps of 1971 were issued for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Heinrich. The price is 300-400 rubles.
- 20 stamps of 1972 were issued in honor of Friedrich von Schiller. The price is 300-400 rubles.
- 20 stamps of 1973 were issued in honor of Otto Grotewol. The price is 300-350 rubles.
German commemorative coins are in demand among private collectors of German history even now.
Stamps - benefit or hobby?
A collector is not always the one who does his work disinterestedly and for the sake of pleasure. Now collecting old coins is one of the varieties of business that is actively developing through the Internet.
It is now fashionable to invest not only in securities (in the future, that they will bring money later), but also in coins. It is safe to state a fact - the price of them only increases every year.
Let's think it over. Trial coins of the Third Reich were published in a limited edition and are of great value. At the moment there is no and is not expected to mint additional trial coins of the Third Reich period again. They will only become more expensive. The owners of these coins will only be richer.
Coins, stamps of Germany now are not only a hobby, but also a reasonable investment in the future.
Conclusion
We discussed the difficult historical path of Germany and the banknotes that are associated with the state. The dynamic history of Germany allows you to see a large number of exclusive and commemorative coins on the market that were minted in honor of an event or a great person. They are in good demand among numismatists due to the affordable price and quality. On the Internet you can see dozens of sites with the name "Coins of Germany", which provide the opportunity to make a purchase operation. This indicates the relevance of German coins in the market.
Modern euro-coins in Germany are no less high-quality. Now numismatists are increasingly buying up modern German coins. For them, a separate place in the collector's album has long been ready. Modern coins are now sold in their nominal equivalent. Once upon a time, they will become the history of German monetary affairs, for which customers will be willing to pay more.
Remember that collecting coins is a hobby that can bring you good money. Collect wisely, with interest and profitably.