The History and Significance of Reichsmarks

The Reichsmark was the official currency of Germany from 1924 to 2002, but its history dates back to the German Empire in 1873. It was introduced as a replacement for the Mark, which was the currency used during that time.

The Reichsmark was initially pegged to the US dollar at a rate of 1 dollar to 4.2 Reichsmarks. This exchange rate was used until the 1930s.

In 1933, the Reichsmark was revalued, and the exchange rate was changed to 1 dollar to 1.4 Reichsmarks. This revaluation was an attempt to stabilize the German economy after the global financial crisis of the 1930s.

The Reichsmark was introduced in 1924 as a replacement for the Papiermark due to the severe inflation in Germany during the 1920s.

To give you an idea of just how severe the inflation was, the exchange rate between the old Papiermark and the Reichsmark was 1 ℛ︁ℳ︁ = 10ℳ︁, which is equivalent to one trillion in American English and French, or one billion in German and other European languages.

The Reichsmark was put on the gold standard at the same rate as the German mark, with the U.S. dollar worth 4.20 ℛ︁ℳ︁, which helped stabilize the economy and smooth the transition to the new currency.

The Reichsmark was introduced in 1924 as a permanent replacement for the Papiermark, which was necessary due to the 1920s German inflation.

The exchange rate between the old Papiermark and the Reichsmark was 1 ℛ︁ℳ︁ = 10ℳ︁, which is equivalent to one trillion in American English and French, but only one billion in German and other European languages.

To stabilize the economy and smooth the transition, the Papiermark was not directly replaced by the Reichsmark, but by the Rentenmark, an interim currency backed by the Deutsche Rentenbank.

The Reichsmark was put on the gold standard at the rate previously used by the German mark, with the U.S. dollar worth 4.20 ℛ︁ℳ︁.

Expansion Outside the Reich was a clever move by the government to finance state projects without officially abandoning the gold standard of the Reichsmark.

Shell companies were created to issue bonds outside the Reichsmark, which was a significant step in expanding the country's economic influence.

These companies were authorized to issue bonds, which were nominally exchangeable at a 1:1 rate for Reichsmarks, but were then discounted by the Reichsbank.

This created a secret monetary expansion, allowing the government to finance its projects without formally renouncing the gold standard of the Reichsmark.

The Reichsbank's discounting of these bonds made the expansion possible, and it's a testament to the government's resourcefulness in finding ways to finance its projects.

The Reichsmark had a complex minting system, with multiple mints producing coins across Germany and Austria. The mints were located in Berlin, Vienna, Munich, Muldenhütten, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, and Hamburg.

Each mint had its own identifiable letter, making it possible to identify the mint that produced a particular coin. The mint mark was often found on the left side of the coin, just under the date.

Here's a list of the mint marks and their corresponding locations:

The Reichsmark was divided into 100 Reichspfennig, making it easy to understand and use in everyday transactions.

The Reichsmark was the official currency of Germany from 1924 to 1948, with a value of 100 Reichspfennig equal to 1 Reichsmark.

The Reichsmark was used in various forms, including a special issue for the Wehrmacht from 1942 to 1944, which was valued at 1 military Reichspfennig equal to 10 civilian Reichspfennig.

A Reichspfennig is worth 1⁄10 or .10 of a Reichsmark, with a mass of 3.52 g, diameter of 21 mm, and thickness of 1.5 mm.

The Reichsmark was minted in various locations, including Berlin, Vienna, Munich, Muldenhütten, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, and Hamburg.

Here is a list of the mint marks used on Reichsmark coins:

The Reichsmark was replaced by the Deutsche Mark in 1948, with a ratio of 1 Deutsche Mark equal to 1 Rentenmark for the first 600 ℛ︁ℳ︁, and 1 Deutsche Mark equal to 10 Rentenmark thereafter.

Mint marks are an essential part of identifying the origin of coins. Each mint location had its own identifiable letter, which is found on the coin.

The mint mark can be found in different locations depending on the coin denomination. For example, on the silver 2 ℛ︁ℳ︁ and 5 ℛ︁ℳ︁ coins, the mint mark is found under the date on the left side of the coin.

Some mint marks are scarcer than others due to the limited production authorized by the government. Not all mints were allowed to produce coins every year, and some were allocated a greater production than others.

Here's a list of some of the mint marks and their corresponding locations:

Understanding the mint marks can help you identify the origin and value of a coin.

The mintage of coins can vary significantly from year to year, and even between different mint marks. In 1940, the highest mintage was 212,948,000 for the 1940 A coin.

The mintage of coins can be affected by various factors, including demand and supply. The 1940 B coin had a mintage of 76,274,000, which is significantly lower than the 1940 A coin.

A rare coin is one that has a low mintage, making it harder to find and more valuable. The 1943 J coin had a mintage of only 1,821,000, making it a rare find.

The mintage of coins can also be affected by wartime production. In 1943, the mintage of the 1943 A coin was 157,357,000, while the mintage of the 1943 J coin was only 1,821,000.

Here is a summary of the mintage of some notable coins:

Coins with low mintage can be highly valuable, making them a sought-after find for collectors. The 1945 E coin had a mintage of only 4,897,000, making it a rare find.

The Reichsmark was a widely used currency in Germany during the Third Reich period. It was divided into smaller units, with 100 Reichspfennig making up 1 Reichsmark.

In circulation, the Reichsmark was used for everyday transactions, with various denominations available. One of the most notable denominations was the 5 Reichsmark note, which was issued to commemorate the 1st anniversary of Nazi rule in Germany.

Reichsmark notes had distinct designs, with the 5 Reichsmark note featuring an eagle dividing the date and denomination below. The obverse side of the note also included the legend "Deutsches Reich 5 Reichsmark".

The Reichsmark was minted in various locations, including Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg. Each mint had its own unique mark, such as the letter "A" for Berlin or "D" for Munich.

Here's a list of some of the notable mint marks:

The Reichsmark was also used in concentration and prisoner of war camps, with special issues of currency being issued for use within these facilities.

In the Third Reich, a Reichsmark was the official currency, and it was used for all financial transactions. It was divided into 100 Reichspfennigs.

People with certain occupations were exempt from paying taxes in Reichsmarks, but instead paid in kind, such as in goods or services.

During World War II, Germany established fixed exchange rates between the Reichsmark and the currencies of occupied and allied countries. These rates were often set to give economic benefits to German soldiers and civilian contractors.

In May 1940, the exchange rate between the Belgian franc and the Reichsmark was set at Fr100 for every 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁. Just a few months later, in July 1940, the rate was increased to Fr125 for every 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁.

The exchange rate between the Reichsmark and the French franc was also set in May 1940, at Fr200 for every 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁. In Luxembourg, the exchange rate was set at Fr40 for every 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁ in May 1940, but was later increased to Fr100 in July 1940.

Here is a list of some of the exchange rates established by Germany during World War II:

The exchange rate between the Reichsmark and the Dutch guilder was set at ƒ6.66 for every 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁ in May 1940, but was later increased to ƒ7.57 in July 1940.

The Occupation Reichsmark was a special currency issued by the Reichskreditkassen for circulation in occupied territories during World War II. It was used alongside the currency of the occupied countries.

Coins were issued in 5ℛ₰ and 10ℛ₰ denominations, with holed, zinc coins struck in 1940 and 1941. Banknotes were issued in denominations of 50ℛ₰, 1ℛℳ, 2ℛℳ, 5ℛℳ, 20ℛℳ, and 50ℛℳ.

The coins were originally planned in large numbers, but production was stopped in August 1940 due to the Wehrmacht's reduced need for them. As a result, mint marks are now quite rare, except for 1940 5 A and D, and 1940 10 A.

Here are the various denominations of banknotes issued during this period: