Jester's Challenge #186

1jester

Welcome to Jester's Challenge, an interactive history lesson.

Inspired by many others here on the Darkside forum, I'd like to present what I hope will turn into a great learning experience for all of us. Many members on this World and Ancient Coin Forum have done a formidable job of sharing with us many fascinating and historically important coins. Since looking at coins is also one of my greatest pleasures, I'd like to try to follow in that time-honored tradition and submit for your pleasure and entertainment some world coins I've come across in my short lifetime.

I will pick out a coin on a regular basis, and post it along with the challenge to you to name the coin, its provenance, denomination, metallic content, mintage, any distinguishing characteristics or noteworthy features, and its value. The more information, the better. I'd like as many people as possible to participate, regardless of how little knowledge you might have on the subject. I appreciate comments on every aspect of the coin, including its history, or its role in human history, or info on similar coins in its series, etc. I myself don't presume to know 1/1000 of what you collectively know, hence my challenge to all of you to share your knowledge with the rest of us. Hopefully this exercise will encourage thought, discussion, and most importantly, more friendship.

Thanks for your participation!!!

Here is the one hundred eighty-sixth selection:

tbirde56

Nice notgeld piece!

JamminJ

Wow, that's alot of marks! The coat of arms and legend on the coin both denote the German city of Hamburg.

I thought Germany moved to common curreny throughout the country, rather than different coinsage for the various kingdoms, duchies and cities, after the end of the First World War. Apparently I was mistaken about the hyperinflation/notegeld days.

-JamminJ

1jester

Thanks, Tbirde!

JJ, I don't know much about those days either. But I think the hyper-inflation days started in 1923. Notice the month written on the coin!!

This token is a gift from Spoon. Thanks!

spoon

Hey! I recognize that one!

Yep, Germany gained a unified currency after 1871, aside from 2 marks and above which were minted by some states until 1918. Then after the war notgeld went crazy and even some of the smallest towns printed their own money. It peaked in 1923.. I've got an interesting medal from then about the inflation, too. Lemme dig up a picture...

Shipcoin

Is it also today's coat of arms of Hamburg? I mean exactly the same one?

spoon

Nick, I think they only use the gate in the middle of it now.. but I may be wrong.

Shipcoin

Thanks for the info, Spoon!

tbirde56

A 1/2 million mark piece was also issued. Here's a list of many notgeld coins that exist with info and some pricing. Link.

My meager notgeld page. Link.

Some background on the era and notgeld issues. Link.

Shipcoin

Great exibition, Brad!

1jester

Tbirde is a wealth of information and a tribute to the Darkside. Thanks!

Askari

Inflation was so bad that you had to list the month of issue since even the currency printing could barely keep up with it. These pieces were a local attempt at small change to hopefully help stabilize the local money.