Federal Republic of Germany 5 Deutsche Mark, silver
Also known as: Funf Deutsche Mark
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1951-1974
Issuing entity
Federal Republic of Germany (1949-1990)The Federal Republic of Germany 5 Deutsche Mark in silver is a circulating coin struck between 1951 and 1974, also referred to as the Fünf Deutsche Mark. It stood as the largest circulating denomination in West Germany before the currency transitioned to base metal, and it was subsequently joined by an extensive series of silver commemorative five-mark pieces.
The coin formed part of the official currency of the Federal Republic of Germany, within which each Deutsche Mark was divided into 100 pfennigs. Issued under the central banking oversight of the Bank deutscher Länder and later the Deutsche Bundesbank, the silver five-mark piece circulated as high-denomination coinage during the post-war economic era.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 2
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Currency administration was initially led by the Bank deutscher Länder before passing to the Deutsche Bundesbank in 1957. The silver five-mark coin circulated as West Germany's highest-denomination coin from its initial release in 1951 until 1974, when circulating five-mark production switched from silver to base metal.
Design
- Obverse
- Federal eagle
- Reverse
- Denomination with the legend of the federal republic
Identification
- Mint mark
- Letter mint mark identifying the striking mint
- Recognition pointers (from background sources)
- Displays the Federal eagle motif on the obverse. Shows the denomination accompanied by the legend of the federal republic on the reverse. Bears a letter mint mark indicating the specific striking mint. Struck in silver with issue dates spanning from 1951 to 1974.
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Research required
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Recorded
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Weight and fineness to be transcribed from a verified catalogue or Bundesbank publication
- Mint mark letters and their mints to be tabulated
- Commemorative type list requires transcription