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Hitler on Coins Question

TyrockTyrock Posts: 306 ✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
I've read a great deal about the Third Reich, but I can't remember reading anything about why Hitler didn't appear on any of their coins. He was all over their stamps and he made a fortune from Mein Kampf, but he wasn't on the coinage. Seeing what a megalomaniac he was, I'm curious to know why he didn't ask to be on the coinage. . Anyone know?

Comments

  • SapyxSapyx Posts: 2,262 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm not sure of the reason, but he was apparently pretty adamant about it. Perhaps it seemed too "monarchical"?

    I do recall the story that when his puppet in Vichy France, Field Marshal Petain, tried to issue a coin with Petain's portrait on it (5 francs, KM# 901) Hitler was so incensed the French were forced to withdraw the coin even before it was formally released, though millions were minted. I can't find any web or book refernces, so I don't know for sure the story is true, but that coin is now one of the scarcest coins of the "Nazi Occupation" series.
    Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.
    Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"

    Apparently I have been awarded one DPOTD. B)
  • MichiganMichigan Posts: 4,942 ✭


    << <i>I've read a great deal about the Third Reich, but I can't remember reading anything about why Hitler didn't appear on any of their coins. He was all over their stamps and he made a fortune from Mein Kampf, but he wasn't on the coinage. Seeing what a megalomaniac he was, I'm curious to know why he didn't ask to be on the coinage. . Anyone know? >>




    Don't know the answer but going a hunch perhaps because he placed a lot of the imagary of his regime on the Roman Empire and the
    Roman emperors were overthrown on a regular basis that he felt if he placed his image on a coin like they did in the Roman Empire his
    reign would be short as well. Just a guess that is all.
  • UdoUdo Posts: 984 ✭✭
    Actually it was planned to issue coins with Hitler's portrait.

    In 1941 artists were asked to design new 2 and 5 Mark coins with the portrait of Hitler. 13 designs for 5 Mark coins and 7 designs for 2 Mark coins were received. The design of Mr. Müller-Erfurt from Berlin was accepted.

    In 1943 a pattern was presented to Hitler in the great headquarter.
    But Hitler himself decided that coins with his portrait should not be issued until the "Endsieg", the ultimate victory. So they never were issued.


    grammar edit
    imageimage
  • BigAlanBigAlan Posts: 311 ✭
    Hitler was paid for the use of his picture on stamps. Perhaps ther was no money in coins.
    "It is good for the state that the people do not think."

    Adolf Hitler
  • secondrepublicsecondrepublic Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭
    Udo, thanks for the very informative history !
    "Men who had never shown any ability to make or increase fortunes for themselves abounded in brilliant plans for creating and increasing wealth for the country at large." Fiat Money Inflation in France, Andrew Dickson White (1912)
  • TyrockTyrock Posts: 306 ✭✭✭
    Great information. Thanks.
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