Coin Set of the Imperial Era under Wilhelm I. (1871-1888)

Coin Set of the Imperial Era under Wilhelm I. – six originals from a founding epoch

With this set, you hold a tangible piece of German history in your hands: six original circulation coins from the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm I. (1871–1888), the founder of the Empire and first German Emperor, who was also King of Prussia. Minted on the basis of the Imperial Coinage Acts of 1871 and 1873, these pieces document the birth of the first common German currency in Mark and Pfennig – a milestone in German economic history.

These six coins await you

The set brings together the complete range of small change from that era – from reddish copper to bright copper-nickel to fine silver:

• 1 Pfennig – bronze, 2.0 g, 17.5 mm (Jaeger 1)

• 2 Pfennig – bronze, 3.33 g, 20 mm (Jaeger 2)

• 5 Pfennig – copper-nickel, 2.5 g, 18 mm (Jaeger 3)

• 10 Pfennig – copper-nickel, 4.0 g, 21 mm (Jaeger 4)

• 50 Pfennig – 900 silver, 2.78 g, 20 mm (Jaeger 7/8)

• 1 Mark – 900 silver, 5.56 g, 24 mm, with oak wreath (Jaeger 9)

All denominations bear the inscription "DEUTSCHES REICH" on the value side, along with the respective face value and year of issue, while the reverse features the majestic imperial eagle. The early strikes of this era show the small eagle with a large breast shield – a typical distinguishing feature of the years under Wilhelm I., which was not replaced by the larger eagle until 1891. The depicted years of issue, such as 1874 and 1876, take you directly back to the early days of the young Empire.

An Empire on the rise

Following the founding of the German Empire in 1871, the Mark created a unified currency for all of Germany for the first time, overcoming the patchwork of numerous regional currencies. The small denominations from 1 Pfennig to 1 Mark were the everyday money – the money of the "common man" at the weekly market as well as in the counting house. Unlike the gold and silver coins of the individual federal states, they were designed uniformly across the Empire and bore no ruler's portrait, only the imperial eagle. Thus these pieces passed through countless hands – in an era when Germany rose to become an industrial nation and inventions such as the automobile changed the world.

Gold is humanity's oldest currency and has outlasted all others – yet even the simple circulation and silver coins of the Empire tell of trust in lasting values.

For collectors and lovers of history

This circulated ware comes in authentic, used condition – each coin bears the traces of decades of circulation and thus a piece of lived history. Conditions and years of issue naturally vary, which is what gives each set its individual character. The ensemble is delivered decoratively on a high-quality blister card, designed with historical images and background information on the era of Kaiser Wilhelm I. and Chancellor Bismarck.

Why this set convinces

• Six original coins from the era of the Empire's founder Wilhelm I.

• Three metals united: bronze, copper-nickel and 900 silver

• Tangible evidence of German monetary and economic history

• Ideal introduction to the popular collecting field of the German Empire

• A wonderful gift idea for numismatists and history enthusiasts

Whether as the foundation of a collection or as a tangible memento of a formative era – this coin set combines historical appeal with the quiet, enduring value of genuine precious metals. Secure an authentic testament to the German Imperial era, bundling the fascination of an entire epoch into just six coins.