The Pfennig (Pf) (plural
Pfennige), is an old German coin or note, which existed from the 9th century
until the introduction of the euro in 2002.
While a valuable coin during the Middle Ages, it lost its value through the years and was the minor coin of the Mark currencies in the German Reich, the former Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany), and after the German reunification in the present Federal Republic of Germany until the introduction of the euro. Pfennig was also the name of the subunit of the Danzig mark (1922–1923) and the Danzig gulden (1923–1939) in the Free City of Danzig (German: Freie Stadt Danzig; Polish: Wolne Miasto Gdańsk).
As a currency sign the letter 'd' for 'denarius' in German kurrent script was used: ₰. This abbreviation has nearly fallen out of use since the 1950s, with the demise and eventual abolition of the Reichsmark with its Reichspfennig. The symbol is encoded in Unicode at U+20B0 ₰ german penny sign (HTML: ₰).
Etymology
The British penny is etymologically related to the 'Pfennig', the Swedish penning, which was also model for the Finnish penni (1860–2001), the Polish fenig (1917–1918) and the fening of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1998–today).
The etymology of the Pfennig is not completely clear, but seems to rely on the way coins were minted during the Middle Ages: the base material were thin flat metal discs. The value was embossed from one side, creating a pan (German Pfanne)-like coin.
In some German countries (such as Prussia and Bavaria), coins had similar but different names, as Pfenning, Penning, Pending, Pfanding and Penny. This was for better handling due to different currencies (of different states within the Deutscher Bund) used simultaneously.
While a valuable coin during the Middle Ages, it lost its value through the years and was the minor coin of the Mark currencies in the German Reich, the former Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany), and after the German reunification in the present Federal Republic of Germany until the introduction of the euro. Pfennig was also the name of the subunit of the Danzig mark (1922–1923) and the Danzig gulden (1923–1939) in the Free City of Danzig (German: Freie Stadt Danzig; Polish: Wolne Miasto Gdańsk).
As a currency sign the letter 'd' for 'denarius' in German kurrent script was used: ₰. This abbreviation has nearly fallen out of use since the 1950s, with the demise and eventual abolition of the Reichsmark with its Reichspfennig. The symbol is encoded in Unicode at U+20B0 ₰ german penny sign (HTML: ₰).
Etymology
The British penny is etymologically related to the 'Pfennig', the Swedish penning, which was also model for the Finnish penni (1860–2001), the Polish fenig (1917–1918) and the fening of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1998–today).
The etymology of the Pfennig is not completely clear, but seems to rely on the way coins were minted during the Middle Ages: the base material were thin flat metal discs. The value was embossed from one side, creating a pan (German Pfanne)-like coin.
In some German countries (such as Prussia and Bavaria), coins had similar but different names, as Pfenning, Penning, Pending, Pfanding and Penny. This was for better handling due to different currencies (of different states within the Deutscher Bund) used simultaneously.
The first issue of Eastern coins was released in
1948, showing the name "Deutschland", and consisted of aluminium 1, 5
and 10 Pfennig denominations, depicting a wheat sprig on top of a cogwheel,
with aluminium-bronze 50 Pfennig coins added in 1950 depicting a factory.
The first German deutschemark coins were issued by the Bank deutscher Länder in 1948 and 1949. From 1950, the inscription Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany) appeared on the coins.
The 1952 series of the smaller coins depict a
compass and hammer in addition to wheat.
Starting with the 1 Pf. in 1960,
followed by the 10 Pf. in 1963, and the 5 Pf. in 1968, the old style coins were
gradually replaced with new coins depicting the state name "Deutsche
Demokratische Republik."
This copper-plated steel coin of 2
gram has a diameter of 16.5 mm and thickness of
1.38 mm. The coin was minted in the Era of Germany-Federal Republic of
Germany before Euro (1949-2002) and the head of the state was Richard von
Weizsacker Of Germant (1984-1994).. The obverse of the coin reads BUNDESREPUBLIC
DEUTSCHLAND .1991, designed by Adolf Jager and the reverse reads 1 PFENNING
(face value between two rye stalks) F(mint mark), showing the theme of an Young oak tree with five leaves on horizontal line
representing The young nation with the 5 old duchchies Swabia, Franconia,
Saxony, Thuringia and Bavaria, designed by Frankfurt Ammain
The mint mark A indicates Berlin, D
–Munich (Munchen in German), F –Stuttgart, G –Karlsruhe, J –Hamburg. This coins
mint mark is F (Stuttgart). This coin was first issued in 1950 with about 2,970,968,420
were minted (in mint marks D,F,G,J) and lastly issued in 2001 with about 1,040,000
coins. This coin was minted in 1991 with about 1,300,225,000 coins (for the
first time mint mark A was used).
From 1
January 2002, euro banknotes and coins are legal tender in all EU member states
participating in monetary union. This has nullified the legal tender status of all
payment media denominated in Deutsche Mark. The Bank has called in for exchange
all DM coins (which have been withdrawn from circulation) - with the exception
of the 2 DM coin first issue.
The coin was demonetized in
12-31-2001 when Euro was introduced in 2002. So all the coin about 4500 tonnes
of coin were melted down, so there is shortage of old German pfenning coins and
the most examples of this coins can be seen only in private hands.
About 15,428,458,552 coins were minted. Now the peak value of the coin is $ 4.
I have a 1991 (f) 10 pfennig coin, is it worth anything?
ReplyDeleteIf it's a double die it's for something.... I have a 1799 silver coin with a double year mark. I'm looking for a buyer
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