A Quick Guide to Original WW II German Currency
Nazi Germany authorized the minting of 23 different coins at six different mints from 1939 to 1944. They also printed military money called Reichsmark along with banknotes for many of the countries in Europe that they occupied. Learn more about starting or adding to your collection of World War II German currency with items available on eBay, including coins and banknotes.
Are there any commemorative coins produced by Nazi Germany available? Yes. One of the earliest coins produced by Hitler was a 1934 commemorative coin paying tribute to the 450th birthday of Martin Luther. This European coin shows the Imperial Eagle on its obverse and Luther's likeness facing left on its reverse. This financial item has the lettering "Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott" on its side. It is available in two different sizes:- The 25-millimeter diameter Reichsmark: This coin is struck in 0.625 silver.
- The 29-millimeter diameter Reichsmark: This coin is struck in 0.90 silver.
The next year, Hitler ordered the minting of the 2 and 5 Reichsmark Schiller 175th birthday commemorative coin. It showed the likeness of Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller on its reverse, the Reichsadler on its obverse, and the same lettering on its side.
What coins are available that were made during Hitler's reign?The German government released several bank coins during World War II, including:
- Reich Sadler without swastika: 1 Reichsmark with the Reich Sadler without the swastika from 1934 to 1939 in nickel.
- Potsdam Church: 2 Reichsmark with Potsdam church with the date 21 Marz 1933 on its reverse in 1934, and 5 Reichsmark without the date in 1934 and 1935 in silver.
- Hindenburg: 5 Reichsmark with Hindenburg on its reverse made in silver.
- Hindenburg and Reich Sadler over swastika: 2 Reichsmark with Hindenburg on the reverse and the Reich Sadler holding a swastika on the obverse made from 1936 to 1939 in silver.
- Reich Sadler with large swastika: The government made Reich pfennig coins from 1936 to 1940 in various denominations and from different materials, including copper 1 Reich pfennig, copper 2 Reich pfennig, bronze 5 Reich pfennig, bronze 10 Reich pfennig, and nickel 50 Reich pfennig.
The German government issued several Reichsmarks including:
- 100 Reichsmark: Featuring a large swastika underprint, the front of this bill shows the portrait of Justus von Liebig, while the back shows two allegorical figures.
- 50 Reichsmark: The front of this cash note features a portrait and underprint of David Hansemann, while the back features the goddess Mercury surrounded by two small children.
- 20 Reichsmark: The front of this banknote features Ernst Werner Siemens, while the back features children holding tools, surrounding a worker who is holding a hammer.
- 20 Reichsmark: Another one features a young Austrian woman on its front and an Alpine lake on its back.
- 10 Reichsmark: The front features Albrecht Thaer, while the back of the money shows two children and a woman carrying a sickle.
- 5 Reichsmark: The front bears a young man, small eagle, and swastika, while the back features a woman with a sickle and a man with a wood plane along with Brunswick Cathedral and the Brunswick Lion statue.