23/08/2025
Hi**er's coins – small pieces of metal from a big and dark history:
Did you know that during World War II, N**i Germany issued millions of coins—filled with symbolism, propaganda, and a surprising array of metals? Most of us have probably seen an old coin with an eagle and a sw****ka and thought, “Is that real? Is it worth anything?” The answer is often yes —and maybe .
Here are some fascinating facts about the coins of the Third Reich that you might not have known:
1. No Hi**er on the coins
Despite his harsh rule, Adolf Hi**er never adorned the coins of N**i Germany. It was a conscious choice – Hi**er considered money a “necessary evil” and did not think it was worthy of placing his portrait on them. Instead, the symbols spoke for themselves: the German eagle , often standing on a wreath with a sw****ka in the middle. A clear signal of who was in control.
2. From silver to scrap: The metal shortage of war
Before the war, many coins were made of cupro-nickel, bronze and even silver – especially the 2 and 5 Reichsmark. But as the war progressed, the metals found more "important" uses: weapons and military equipment. This meant that the coins were made of what was now available:
Zinc :
Used for 1, 2 and 5 Reichspfennig – dark and heavy coins that often corrode today.
Aluminum :
Used for 10 and 50 Reichspfennig – very light coins that feel like toys.
Iron :
Some coins from the last years of the war were cast in iron – and rust visibly to this day.
💡 Fun fact : The zinc coins could actually discolor people's fingers if you carried them in your pocket for a long time!
3. Code letters on the coins
Below the year you will always find a small letter – it indicates which mint the coin was minted in. Here are some examples:
In Berlin
D Munich
F Stuttgart
G Karlsruhe
J Hamburg
There are coins with all these letters – and collectors are looking for rare combinations of year and mint.
4. The inflation that never came
Unlike Germany during the First World War, where
such extreme hyperinflation (such as 1 billion mark banknotes!), N**i Germany did not experience the same type of inflation during World War II . The economy was tightly controlled, and the state maintained artificial stability – including by limiting consumption and abolishing competing currencies in the occupied territories. But internally, the quality of the coins still deteriorated – which makes them easy to date historically.
5. Lagergeld – coins for prisoners
The N**is also produced their own type of "counterfeit currency" for use in concentration camps and prisoner-of-war camps. It was called Lagergeld ("camp money"). These could only be used in the camps' own "shops", and had no real value - neither outside the camp nor in society. They served mostly to control and monitor the behavior of prisoners.
Today, these objects are extremely sought after by collectors and historians – but also eerie reminders of how money was used as a psychological weapon.
Do you have one yourself?
If you have inherited some old coins from grandparents or found one at a flea market, look for:
Years between 1933–1945
The text "Deutsches Reich" or "Großdeutsche Reich" (the latter in the last year of the war)
An eagle with a sw****ka
A small letter below the year
Then you have a piece of world history in your hand.
