World War I Set

Haidrunn

I'm starting to put together a set of circulating coins (no gold) for the countries involved in WW I. Specifically minted from 1914-1918. When I look at the countries involved the main players are listed as the Allied countries and the Central Powers. The Allied powers are listed as Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy and the US. For the Central Powers there is Austria, Hungary, Germany, Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria. Would you consider Bulgaria an actual player and if so, what coins would fit the criteria above? I've already discovered finding a 1 Rouble coin and the Hungarian 2 Korona will be difficult so what coins/countries should be or not be included?

SaorAlba

Namvet69

Are you gonna include Notgeld coinage?

Haidrunn

No. I would consider the Notgeld issues to be later after the war or towards the end of it at best. I have thought about a separate collection of the porcelain coins made in Germany but those were made in the early 20s. Just trying to figure out which coins would have truly circulated during the war years and then creating a capital plastics type holder to contain them. I have access to a laser so that part is the easy part.

Sapyx

In the "frontline countries", very few coins would have "truly circulated". A lot of coins were hoarded once the war started, hence the need for notgeld and similar emergency money as well as increased supply of paper money issues.

Another country to add to the list would be Belgium, an "innocent victim" of the war; it was Germany's invasion of Belgium (to try to get around French frontier fortifications) that brought Britain into the war, and several of the more famous or infamous WWI battlefields were in Belgium. Almost all of Belgium was annexed by Germany shortly after the war began, so during the war period, Belgian coins were issued by the German occupiers.

Two other series of coinages to look out for are German-occupied Poland (the Regency) and "German Occupied East" for territory annexed from Russia.

Also adding to the list would be the British dominions (Canada, Australia, Newfoundland, South Africa, Ireland, India, etc), all of which fought in the War, as well as Japan, which in WWI was on the Allied side and who contributed to the war effort by annexing the German colonies in the Pacific.

@Haidrunn said:
Would you consider Bulgaria an actual player and if so, what coins would fit the criteria above?

The case of Bulgaria's participation in WWI is unusual. Prior to WWI, Bulgaria was an international pariah state owing to it's previous warmongering against all of its neighbours. Nobody wanted Bulgaria for a friend, but in WWI everybody needed allies, so eventually the Central Powers agreed to Bulgaria's preconditions for alliance. They did help tip the balance of power towards the Powers in the Balkans, and provided a much-needed direct rail link between Berlin and Istanbul. Unfortunately for the Bulgarians, they were unable to leave the alliance once their territorial demands were achieved and so found themselves on the losing side, through no direct fault of their own.

As for coins, well, anything made from 1915 to 1918 would qualify. The 1916 1 lev coin was minted in large numbers but withdrawn and melted down before issue, leaving few survivors. Counterfeits of this coin outnumber genuine surviving examples.

Deathstar_69

@Haidrunn said:
I'm starting to put together a set of circulating coins (no gold) for the countries involved in WW I. Specifically minted from 1914-1918. When I look at the countries involved the main players are listed as the Allied countries and the Central Powers. The Allied powers are listed as Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy and the US. For the Central Powers there is Austria, Hungary, Germany, Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria. Would you consider Bulgaria an actual player and if so, what coins would fit the criteria above? I've already discovered finding a 1 Rouble coin and the Hungarian 2 Korona will be difficult so what coins/countries should be or not be included?

Great project! I’d consider Bulgaria a key player in WWI, and their coins, like the 1 Leva, would fit. For the Central Powers, look for Austria-Hungary’s 1 Korona and Germany’s 1 or 2 Mark coins. Russian Rubles and Ottoman Piastres can be tricky but worth seeking out.

Good luck with your set!

1960NYGiants

https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/edu-home/edu-topics/583-the-world-at-war/5048-participants-in-world-war-i.html

Haidrunn

So if I figure this right, I'm looking at about 79 coins that were minted during the war years of 1914-1918. Here's what I come up with - Anything missing?
Great Britain: ½ & 1 Penny, 3 & 6 Pence, 1 Schilling, 1 Florin, Farthing, Half Crown
France: 1, 2,5,10,25,50 Centimes, 1 & 2 Franc
Belgium: 1,2,5,10,25,50 Centimes, 1 Franc
Russia: ½,1,2,3,5,10,15,20,50 Kopecks, 1 Ruble
Italy: 1,2, 5, 20 Centesimi, 1,2,5 Lira
USA: 1, 5,10,25, 50 Cents
Austria: 1,2,10,20 Heller, 1 Corona
Hungary: 1,2,10,20 Filler, 1 & 2 Korona
Germany: 1,2,5,10,Pfennig, ½,1,2,3,5 Mark
Ottoman Empire: 5,10,20,40 Para, 2,5,10,20 Kurus
Bulgaria: 5,10,20,50 Stotinki, 1 & 2 Leva

SaorAlba

Japan was also a participant in WWI on the side of the Entente/Allies and invaded the German possessions in Asia and the Pacific region.

JCH22

Perhaps Serbia, the first domino following the assassination of Franz Ferdinand?

Greenstang

How about the British Empire paticipants. Canada ,Australia, New Zealand, South Africa , India all had major rolls in the batttles. Turkey also fought on the side of the Axis.

johnjohn10

The only other thing to consider is in Germany the minor coins up to the 1 mark were the same for all Germany. The 2.3 and 5 mark coins were German State specific. I did not count them all but there has to be close to ~25 of those. Probably, the best would be to just include the 2, 3 and 5 marks from Prussia since that was the largest state and home state of the Kaiser.

neildrobertson

@johnjohn10 said:
The only other thing to consider is in Germany the minor coins up to the 1 mark were the same for all Germany. The 2.3 and 5 mark coins were German State specific. I did not count them all but there has to be close to ~25 of those. Probably, the best would be to just include the 2, 3 and 5 marks from Prussia since that was the largest state and home state of the Kaiser.

You might be able to talk yourself out of the larger silver and gold entirely since they had effectively stopped being minted by 1914. Althogh they were undoubtedly still in circulation during the war.