1 Mark Silver Coin Germany German Empire
- Real history: over 100 years old
- Nine mints: with mint mark
- 5 g fine silver: fineness 900/1,000
- Real historyMinted between 1873 and 1916 as circulating coin
- Nine mintsFrom Berlin to Hamburg, from Munich to Dresden
- 5 g fine silverSolid material value in proven silver alloy
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Original from the German Empire
What a mark had to bear
1 mark, silver, obverse
Value, year, imperial eagle and a letter for the mint: all of this was laid down by law. A piece of 1 mark weighs 5.56 g, of which 5 g is fine silver.
What the law prescribes
Value, year, eagle and a letter
For the mark and the smaller coins, the coinage act of 1873 laid down what they bear:
“bear on one side the statement of value, the year and the inscription ‘Deutsches Reich’, on the other side the imperial eagle and the mint mark”
The coins from 1 mark down to 1 pfennig were the same throughout the Reich.
DeutschesThe word DEUTSCHES, on the left in the arc
ValueThe value in the oak wreath
YearThe year of striking
Before the mark
By law: a sixth of a thaler, half a mark
The coinage act of 1873 had silver coins of German stamp worth a sixth of a thaler accepted as half a mark, and those worth a third of a thaler as one mark.
The mint mark
A letter tells where it was struck
The mark and the smaller coins also bear a mint mark: a letter that names the mint. A stands for Berlin, J for Hamburg, F for Stuttgart.
“Below, the mint mark J for Hamburg.”
The photo of this piece shows a J. As it comes from different years, your piece may bear another letter.
The gold of the mark
The gold of the German Empire
Twenty and ten marks in gold, 900/1,000: a twenty-mark piece weighs 7.96 grams, of which 7.17 grams is fine gold.
The mark in silver
The silver mark in the hand
For silver coins, the coinage act of 1873 prescribed pieces of five, two and one mark, and of fifty and twenty pfennig. One pound of fine silver was to yield 100 one-mark pieces, so a mark holds 5 grams of fine silver.
“No one is obliged to accept imperial silver coins in amounts of more than twenty marks …”
Meaning: no one had to accept silver coins for amounts over 20 marks.
In the law the half mark is called the fifty-pfennig piece: 400 pieces from one kilogram of fine silver, so 2.5 grams of silver per piece.
The three-mark piece exists since a law of 1908. It took the place of the Vereinsthaler, prohibited since 1907, and holds 15 grams of fine silver.
Rentenmark and Reichsmark
The Reichsmark from 1924
The coinage act of 30 August 1924 introduced the Reichsmark; in October 1924 it came into circulation alongside the Rentenmark, one to one.
Our strikes
What our strikes take up
Our strikes bear the lettering 1 Reichsmark or 1 Mark in an oak wreath. They are newly struck, no Reichsmark of the past and no legal tender of the Reich.
At a glance
- Type
- Original
- Era
- German Empire
- Face value
- 1 mark
- Metal
- Silver
- Fineness
- 900/1,000
- Gross weight
- 5.56 g
- Fine weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 24 mm
- Packaging
- Coin capsule
Gross weight: the weight of the whole coin. Fine weight: the pure metal in it. Fineness: its share in thousandths.
Details from our product data, the coinage acts and the photo. The year and mint mark of your piece may differ from the photo.
Original and new strike
On the left a mark from the German Empire, on the right our strike of 1/200 ounce of fine gold, which takes up DEUTSCHES REICH and 1 MARK in an oak wreath.
One was money throughout the Reich, the other is newly struck: two pieces, one image.
1 mark, original from the German Empire
1 Mark Silver Coin German Empire – A Piece of Living History
Hold a genuine piece of history in your hands! The 1 Mark silver coin from the German Empire uniquely combines historical charm with the timeless value of silver. This coin tells stories from a bygone era – while simultaneously offering all the advantages that make precious metals such an attractive investment.
Historical Significance Meets Silver Value
Between 1873 and 1916, the German Empire minted these impressive circulation coins at a total of nine different mints. From Berlin to Hamburg, from Munich to Dresden – each individual coin bears the mint mark of its origin. With a total mintage of around 130 million pieces, these coins were once everyday currency. Today, they are sought-after collector's items and valuable investment products alike.
"Silver has outlasted every currency. What once served as a means of payment preserves its intrinsic value to this day."
Technical Details at a Glance
- Fine weight: 5.00 g pure silver
- Fineness: 900/1,000
- Diameter: 24.00 mm
- Face value: 1 Mark
- Minting period: 1873 – 1916
- Condition: Bank-grade (circulated)
- Packaging: Coin capsule
The Artistic Coin Design
The obverse of these historic silver coins displays the face value "1 Mark", artfully framed by a magnificent oak leaf wreath. The inscription "Deutsches Reich" and the respective year of issue surround the design, enclosed by an elegant beaded border. Particularly fascinating: the reverse is adorned by the majestic Imperial Eagle. Depending on the year of issue, its depiction varies – up to 1889, a small eagle with a large coat of arms appears, while from 1891 onwards, a large eagle with a small coat of arms on its breast is shown.
Why This Silver Coin Is a Smart Choice
Silver has served as a proven inflation hedge for centuries. Unlike paper money, it possesses an intrinsic value that does not depend on political decisions. The 1 Mark Imperial coin combines several advantages:
- Historical collector's value: Every coin is over 100 years old and an authentic piece of German history.
- Silver content: With 5 grams of fine silver, it offers solid material value.
- Tax advantages: Gains from the sale are generally tax-free after a holding period of at least one year.
- Convenient denomination: Ideal for gradually building up a silver holding.
- High liquidity: Silver can be traded worldwide with ease and converted into cash.
Perfect for Collectors and Investors
This coin appeals equally to two target groups. Numismatists appreciate the historical significance and the various minting variants from nine German mints. Investors, on the other hand, benefit from the stable silver value and the limited availability of historic coins. Because what was once minted will never be produced again.
Silver as Crisis Protection and Wealth Preservation
In times of economic uncertainty, people seek out values that endure. Silver has fulfilled this requirement for thousands of years. It is valued not only as a store of value, but also finds diverse applications in industry – from electronics and solar technology to medicine. This dual demand supports the long-term value of the precious metal.
The 1 Mark silver coin from the German Empire is more than just an investment product. It is a tangible piece of history that you can hold in your hands. A legacy of past generations – and an investment in the future. Secure this unique collector's item now and expand your portfolio with genuine, timeless values!
Product depiction may differ from the final product.
