r/WorldCoins

Any ideas what this is?

Yes, how many of encountered the coins while stationed in Germany. Often thinking the Not Geld “ Not Money” later wondered what these coins were.

The actual term for the coins is NotGeld translation for this term is Emergency Money, yes emergency money, fancy that. During the The Great War, better known as the First World War Germany experienced shortages of circulating coinage.

There were several factors responsible for shortages in circulation of almost all denominations of coins, such as hoarding of precious metals known as hard currencies such as the silver Half and One Mark coins. Another demand on circulation coinage was Copper. With the outbreak of war Germany’s importing of the strategic metal stopped, and all of the metal was needed for the weapons industry.

With so many Cities across Germany finding themselves stressed for conducting basic commerce brought on by severe shortages of small change. Many City’s, Jurisdictions, Savings Banks, and Free States, turned to private industry for minting Emergency Coins, Notgeld.

In the early years of World War One many of the Emergency issues had Kriegs Geld on them, that represented the issuance of War Money. Kriegs Geld was soon changed by most issuing jurisdictions to Notgeld, which lasted throughout the rest of the war.

A new strain on general commerce was being seen throughout Germany after the war ended. With Germany‘s requirement of repatriation payments for causing the war. Faced with problems of how these payments were to be made, the new German government‘s answer was…just print more money.

Soon, the concept of simply printing new banknote for repayment of the war presented a problem, value. The value of the newly printed banknotes became worth less than the day before it was issued, thus, requiring additional money being printed. Soon the value of German banknotes became worthless, resulting in Hyperinflation.

With Hyperinflation came the issuance by nearly everyone issuing their own Notgeld. What was once the issuing of both small denomination coin and paper money, soon became an increasingly heavy demand for larger, and larger denominations to be issued. This resulted in very few issuing jurisdictions continuing Notgeld coinage issues. What few that did continue issuing Notgeld such as the issues of Hamburg, and Westphalia witnessed denominations into the Millions of Marks. Those millions of mark coins soon had even higher denominations being issued in the Billions of mark denominations being struck.

Today these coins are sought out by collectors worldwide, yet most of those who collect them haven’t a clue as to just what they have. The purpose of this Reddit post is to welcome everyone to join r/GermanNotgeldCoins and share and learn about these little coins we refer to as Notgeld Coins. The information shared will cover the identification and different denominations, and types issued. Also when subtypes exist, identifying features that distinguish these coins will also be explained.

So, if you’re interested in learning about German Notgeld Coins, I welcome you to join r/GermanNotgeldCoins

This is a 1962 1 cent from Malaya and British Borneo. The obverse features the denomination, and the reverse features 2 crossed Malay kris swords. It is composed of bronze, and this example weighs 1.92g.

This is a 1945 1 cent from British Malaya, the obverse features King George VI, and the reverse the denomination. This coin is composed of bronze, with this example weighing 4.20g. I think this is a lovely example of a non-circular coin. These coins were minted at the Royal Mint.

This is a 1957 1/4 of a shilling, from the Bailiwick of Jersey. The obverse features a crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, and the reverse the coat of arms of Jersey. This coin is composed of nickel brass, and my example weighs 4.64g.

Altena-Olpe (Westfalen) Handelskammer F-12.2 1918 50pf. No subtypes

I’ve been collecting world coin for a while now, the app I use (Maktun) states I have 3957 coins from 347 countries. At this point there’s a few countries over the last few hundred years that I know I don’t have, but that’s about it. I’d like to, politely, challenge this community to try and name a country from the last 300 years to see if I can expand my potential collection.

If you name I country and I have it, I post a picture of what I have (when I can… can’t be posting 24/7, sorry)
If you name a country I don’t have, you have my everlasting thanks, maybe an award, idk.. bonus fictional points if you include a picture…

Rules of the game:
Restricted to the last 300 years (1726 at the time of posting)

Has to have produced coinage (no tokens, medals but numismatic collectible only still counts)

Has to have a verifiable KM#

Various individual German states don’t count. I know, I know, but… most catalogues lump German states as one entity. Unless it’s a really cool looking/historically remarkable, but not $$$$ example. I know this will be a point of contention but some jurisdictions shared/honored other jurisdictional coinage, and I’m just not in a place to go down that swirling rabbit hole right now. (However, strong advocations still entertained)

Ready… Set… Go…

“Jubilee Head”
Recently added this to the collection. I’ve got a few vintage silver dollars and some francs but was lacking in crowns.

*ungrateful treasonous guerrila fighter shown for scale*

Hey everyone! I'm u/stevesvoice, a collector with over Fifty Years experience collecting everything that’s German Coin issues from 1875 till The reunification of East and West Germany. I have also been collecting and studying the Emergency issues of World War One, often called NOTGELD MÜNZEN. With my experience as founding moderator of r/germannotgeldcoins.

This is our new home for all things related to the sharing & studying the emergency coinage issued during, and after World War One. The primary purpose of this page is the Promotion of CORRECT Notgeld information. We're excited to have you join us!
All are welcome to join and share information

What to Post
Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about [please post using the Walter FUNCK …F number system] when possible. And if you don’t have access to a catalog, not a problem…post anyway and I’ll help you identify the coin.
Community Vibe
We're all about being friendly, constructive, and inclusive. Let's build a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting. *abuse of any kind will not be tolerated*

How to Get Started

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below

, and enjoy being a member of r/GermanNotgeldCoins.

1. Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation

, where we all can learn something about the emergency issues called Notgeld.

1. If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join

, and together let’s make this the authority community world wide for all Notgeld enthusiasts.

1. Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, so feel free to reach out to me to apply.
2. German translations of terms found on coins, as well as terms, and descriptions necessary for verification of different types of the same issue, or subtypes.
3. Learning how to determine the condition, and grades of Notgeld Coins. Something that’s currently missing with only the two grades of Very Fine & Extra Fine provided in Standard Catalogs.
4. The eventual listing of all my over 2,500 different Notgeld listings of W.FUNCK in as high grade as possible. For aiding all collectors in the identification of German Notgeld Coins, and eventually establishing estimated values by grade.
5. Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/germannotgeldcoins amazing.

The Peace of Augsburg was an agreement signed in 1555 that ended religious conflict between Catholics and Lutherans throughout the Holy Roman Empire.

This established the principle of cuius regio, eius religio “whose realm, his religion”, allowing each prince to choose whether their territory would be Catholic or Lutheran without any external pressures.

This is a nice example of the small circulating commemorative coins issues across many different German states in the 1700s, will need to dip this in some acetone to get rid of PVC damage though.

The first republic of Haiti was formed in 1804 after enslaved Haitians defeated the French forces in the Haitian Revolution, declaring independence under Jean-Jacques Dessalines.

The new republic faced international isolation, economic hardship, and political instability following France's forced reparations from Haiti in exchange for diplomatic recognition.

I like the full arms on the obverse, as well as the ouroboros encircling the denomination.

Bonn 52.4 1918 10 Pfennig has two distinct varieties, which do you have?
F-52.4a has the Bridge Abutment or heavy stones the bridge is built on are round masses.
F-52.4b the Bridge Abutment is depicted as two stones.
r/GermanNotgeldCoins

Aachen 1.11Aa 1920 50 pf Notgeld, with a mintage of 623,725 coins struck in Iron, coin rim has 21 flattened areas. The key point necessary in identifying this variety of coin is found on the reverse side of coin in the word KRÄNTCHE, the upper stroke of the K is longer as shown on photo #3.
r/GermanNotgeldCoins
r/StevesCollections
“…”

ALZEY (Hessen) Stadt F-14.1b, 1917 10 Pfennig, zinc. Mintage of 30,000 coins Heinrich Arid, Nürnberg Germany.
The way of distinguishing between F-14.1a & b.
On the reverse side. Of coin the number 1 in the value of 10 is the key to determining which variety is which. a) The top slop of the 1 is nearer to the K.
b) The top slop of the 1 is nearer to the R.
* the K & R are beginning of KRIEGSMÜNZE
r/GermanNotgeldCoins

Love seeing every else’s collections so wanted to share this.

I collect new and old coins from where I live (uk) but this is my collection so far that’s of old (mostly old) coins from places other than the uk.

USA, Singapore, Egypt, Ireland, South Africa, Greece and more!

Originally started as my grandad lived in different countries so he had coins from all over and it created an obsession with me lol

This is a 2 1/2 cents from Curacao, and was minted in the last year of Wilhelmina as Queen. It is composed of bronze, and this example weighs 3.9g. The obverse features a crowned, rampant Dutch lion, and the reverse the value.