Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Deutsche Mark 1988-2001, KM# 170, Germany, Federal Republic, Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany, 40th Anniversary of the Deutsche Mark
  • 2 Deutsche Mark 1988-2001, KM# 170, Germany, Federal Republic, Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany, 40th Anniversary of the Deutsche Mark
Description

The first Deutsche Mark 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.

Obverse

The coat of arms of Germany displays a black eagle with red feet, beak and tongue on a golden field. This is the Bundesadler or "Federal Eagle", formerly the Reichsadler or "Imperial Eagle". It is a re-introduction of the coat of arms of the Weimar Republic (in use 1919–1935) adopted by the Federal Republic of Germany in 1950. The current official design is due to Tobias Schwab (1887–1967) and was introduced in 1928.

The German Empire of 1871–1918 had re-introduced the medieval coat of arms of the Holy Roman Emperors, in use during the 13th and 14th centuries (a black single-headed eagle on a golden background), before the emperors adopted the double-headed eagle, beginning with Sigismund of Luxemburg in 1433. The single-headed Prussian Eagle was used as an escutcheon to represent the Prussian Kings as dynasts of the German Empire. The Weimar Republic introduced a version in which the escutcheon and other monarchical symbols were removed.

BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND
1994
F
2 DEUTSCHE MARK

Reverse

Portrait of Ludwig Erhard. Dates 1948-1988 represent the 40th Anniversary of the Deutsche Mark.

Ludwig Wilhelm Erhard (1897–1977) was a German politician and the second Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) from 1963 until 1966. He is often famed for leading German postwar economic reforms and economic recovery ("Wirtschaftswunder," German for "economic miracle") in his role as Minister of Economics under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer from 1949 to 1963. During that period he promoted the concept of the social market economy (soziale Marktwirtschaft), on which Germany's economic policy in the 21st century continues to be based. In his tenure as chancellor, however, Erhard failed to win confidence in his handling of a budget deficit and his direction of foreign policy, and his popularity waned. He resigned his chancellorship on 1 December 1966.

Engraver: Franz Müller

·DEUTSCHE MARK·
1948 1988

Edge

The "Deutschlandlied" (English: "Song of Germany") has been the national anthem of Germany since 1922. Since World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany, only the third stanza has been used as the national anthem. The stanza's beginning, "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" ("Unity and Justice and Freedom") is considered the unofficial national motto of Germany, and is inscribed on modern German Army belt buckles and the rims of some German coins.

EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT

2 Deutsche Mark

KM# 170 Jaeger# 445 Schön# 167
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Cupronickel
Weight 7 g
Diameter 26.75 mm
Thickness 1.79 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mints
Bavarian Central Mint (D)
Berlin State Mint (A)
Hamburg Mint (J)
Karlsruhe State Mint (G)
Stuttgart State Mint (F)

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