Prussia 3 Mark, Wilhelm II
Also known as: Preussen 3 Mark
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1908-1914
Issuing entity
Kingdom of PrussiaThe Prussia 3 Mark of Wilhelm II is a subsidiary silver coin struck between 1908 and 1914 for the Kingdom of Prussia within the monetary system of the German Empire. Struck to imperial standards, the piece served as legal tender up to 20 marks within the gold standard and was valid for circulation across all imperial states.
Produced in.900 fine silver, each piece measures 33 millimeters in diameter and has a statutory weight of 16.667 grams, containing 15 grams of pure silver. In accordance with imperial coinage laws, the obverse carries the portrait of the Prussian monarch, while the reverse features the standardized Imperial German eagle bearing the imperial title, date, and denomination.
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
A law of 19 May 1908 authorized new subsidiary 3-mark pieces, extending the existing provisions for 2- and 5-mark state coinage. Under imperial coinage legislation, constituent federal states struck higher silver denominations featuring their local sovereigns on the obverse while sharing the common imperial reverse design. Prussian circulation pieces were produced in very high numbers until the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, when the German Empire abandoned the gold standard and normal coinage production was curtailed.
Design
- Obverse
- Portrait of the ruling king of Prussia
- Reverse
- Imperial German eagle with denomination
Identification
- Mint mark
- Single letter mint mark indicating the striking mint
- State attribution
- Read the obverse legend, which names the Prussian ruler
- Recognition pointers (from background sources)
- Check the obverse for the portrait of the Prussian ruler Wilhelm II and the accompanying legend naming the king. Verify the reverse features the standard Imperial German eagle design with the denomination of 3 Mark and the imperial inscription. Examine the edge for the incuse lettering 'GOTT MIT UNS' separated by arabesques and an iron cross rather than a milled rim. Confirm physical dimensions of a 33 mm diameter and a weight of 16.667 grams struck in .900 silver, alongside a single-letter mint mark.
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, diameter and fineness to be transcribed from a verified edition of a standard German catalogue
- Mint mark letters and their mints to be tabulated from a verified source
- Catalogue numbers (Jaeger, KM) require transcription