2018.002.040 [Coin]

This is a golden commemorative German coin that was minted by the Weimar Republic of Germany in 1923. This coin is dated December 1, 1923 and was distributed to inform citizens about the costs of essential grocery goods at the time. On the front face of the coin is an engraving of a man standing over a kneeling, sobbing woman, with a crying girl at his side. Behind the figures is a row of thorns. An inscription above the image reads, "Des Deutschen Volkes Leidensweg," which translates to "the suffering of the German people" in English. The rear face of the coin features a set of engravings detailing the price of essential commercial goods: bread and meat. It lists the price of 1 pound of bread as 260,000,000,000 marks and 1 pound of meat as 3,200,000,000,000 marks. This was at a time when the hyperinflation of the German economy reached its peak. The extreme economic conditions of this time contributed to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the fascist Nazi Party in the 1930s. This content can be used with the following resources: SS.6.23: Compare Iowa to World SS-Econ.9-12.24: Iowa Economy Impact Upon SS-WH.9-12.26: Iowans Influence World History This content can be used to educate students on the global economics of the First World War and how Iowans contributed to the world economy during the 1920s. Students can also find useful comparisons between the economic depression in Germany and the United States during the same period. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item for any copyright restrictions.