1932d 4-reichspfennig
Verfasst: So 21.06.15 04:42
Germany’s 1932d 4-reichspfennig struck in München of bronze, 24.1mm in diameter and weighing 4.9 grams. Coined very near the end of the Weimar republic, this oddly denominated coin was conceived as a depression-fighting tool and was championed by German Chancellor Heinrich Brüning (which is why this unpopular coin was sometimes called a “Brüning thaler”).
The 4-reichspfennig was an attempt—perhaps even a desperate attempt—to deal with the country’s deflationary economy of the early 1930s. German wages were falling, and these coins were introduced in the hope that they might encourage prices to fall as well.
Again, the 4-reichspfennig was not popular with the public, and an unusual strategy was adopted in the struggle to get the coin to circulate: soldiers and government workers each received 2RM worth of these coins (50) as a part of their salaries.
A similar strategy was used unsuccessfully by the Mexicans a half-century earlier with their small copper-nickel coins of the early 1880s, and a similar strategy was used unsuccessfully by the Americans a half-century later with their small copper-nickel dollars in the early 1980s.
The strategy was unsuccessful in Germany also; the 4-reichspfennig was withdrawn beginning 1 October 1933. (Which helps explain why these coppers are usually found in decent shape.)
One more thing about this particular coin…it was produced in München in 1932, just about the time the political movement that had been spawned there was graduating to Berlin. This failed 4-reichspfennig is one of the very small reasons why.
v.
The 4-reichspfennig was an attempt—perhaps even a desperate attempt—to deal with the country’s deflationary economy of the early 1930s. German wages were falling, and these coins were introduced in the hope that they might encourage prices to fall as well.
Again, the 4-reichspfennig was not popular with the public, and an unusual strategy was adopted in the struggle to get the coin to circulate: soldiers and government workers each received 2RM worth of these coins (50) as a part of their salaries.
A similar strategy was used unsuccessfully by the Mexicans a half-century earlier with their small copper-nickel coins of the early 1880s, and a similar strategy was used unsuccessfully by the Americans a half-century later with their small copper-nickel dollars in the early 1980s.
The strategy was unsuccessful in Germany also; the 4-reichspfennig was withdrawn beginning 1 October 1933. (Which helps explain why these coppers are usually found in decent shape.)
One more thing about this particular coin…it was produced in München in 1932, just about the time the political movement that had been spawned there was graduating to Berlin. This failed 4-reichspfennig is one of the very small reasons why.
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