German coin question

NickDanger

My Standard Catalog of World Coins (2013) lists the Third Reich coinage as being minted from 1933 to 1945.
But it also lists Wiemar Republic coins minted until 1938.
I was under the impression that the 3rd Reich commenced in 1933 with Hitler's rise to power.
So my question is should the Wiemar coin minted from 1933 on be considered 3rd Reich coinage?

JCMhouston

It seems to me that the Weimar Republic ended at the latest in 1934 when Hindenburg died, but 1933 would work for me as well.

Sapyx

The difficulty is that when the Nazis took power, they didn't change the designs of the coins straight away. So "Weimar" coin designs continued right through until 1938, for some denominations (eg the nickel 50 pfennig). There's no logical reason to partition them in the catalogue.



Krause classifies any coin design which commenced after 1933 as "Nazi". As a general rule, the coins with the swastika on them or which use the officially sanctioned "Fraktur" script are "Nazi", the coins without these features are "Weimar". The first swastikas to appear on German coins were the tiny decorative ones on the "first anniversary of Nazi rule" commemoratives of 1934.

NickDanger

The reason I ask is that I am trying to assemble a type set of Nazi era coinage in circulated condition VF or better.
It isn't a particularly difficult or expensive undertaking as all but a few commemorative issues are readily available and quite inexpensive.
My take on this is that the so-called Weimar coinage that was issued after 1933 or 1934 are perforce Nazi era coinage, irrespective of the Krause Catalog's listings.

STLNATS

I think a strong case could be made that the Weimar Republic at least technically lasted until the death of Paul v. Hindenburg in 1934. From Wikipedia:



Hindenburg remained in office until his death at the age of 86 from lung cancer at his home in Neudeck, East Prussia, on 2 August 1934. On August 1, Hitler had got word that Hindenburg was on his deathbed. He then had the cabinet pass the "Law Concerning the Highest State Office of the Reich," which stipulated that upon Hindenburg's death, the offices of president and chancellor would be merged under the title of Leader and chancellor (Führer und Reichskanzler).[26] Two hours after Hindenburg's death, it was announced that as a result of this law, Hitler was now both Germany's head of state and head of government, thereby completing the progress of Gleichschaltung ("Co-ordination"). This action effectively removed all institutional checks and balances on Hitler's power. Hitler had made plans almost as soon as he took complete power to seize the powers of the president for himself as soon as Hindenburg died. (emphasis in bold is mine)



Under this approach you could choose to include or not include the 1934 coinage and the 1933 coinage could be considered "forerunners" if you wish to include them too. Just my 2 pfennig.

NickDanger

Originally posted by: STLNATS
I think a strong case could be made that the Weimar Republic at least technically lasted until the death of Paul v. Hindenburg in 1934. From Wikipedia:

Hindenburg remained in office until his death at the age of 86 from lung cancer at his home in Neudeck, East Prussia, on 2 August 1934. On August 1, Hitler had got word that Hindenburg was on his deathbed. He then had the cabinet pass the "Law Concerning the Highest State Office of the Reich," which stipulated that upon Hindenburg's death, the offices of president and chancellor would be merged under the title of Leader and chancellor (Führer und Reichskanzler).[26] Two hours after Hindenburg's death, it was announced that as a result of this law, Hitler was now both Germany's head of state and head of government, thereby completing the progress of Gleichschaltung ("Co-ordination"). This action effectively removed all institutional checks and balances on Hitler's power. Hitler had made plans almost as soon as he took complete power to seize the powers of the president for himself as soon as Hindenburg died. (emphasis in bold is mine)

Under this approach you could choose to include or not include the 1934 coinage and the 1933 coinage could be considered "forerunners" if you wish to include them too. Just my 2 pfennig.

I agree that the Republic died along with Herr Hindenburg.
I'm inclined to include Weimar coinage types dated 1934 or later in my 3rd Reich type set.
Only a few coins were issued in that date range, the 1, 2, 5, 10 & 50 Reichspfenning.
But the more I look at the catalog, the more interested I become in earlier Weimar coinage. After my 3rd Reich set is complete, I may move on to a nice circulated type set of Weimar coins. They made some truly beautiful coins - love the 3 & 5 Mark Zeppelins!