German currency in foreign states
The German Mark and Pfennig were not only used as currency in Germany. Beginning in the end of the 19th century, Germany began to mint coins for colonies and occupied territories. That started with the so-called 'Deutsch-Ostafrikanische-Gesellschaft', roughly translated meaning 'German-East-African-Society', that in a way privately ran a colony in a region which today is split up between the countries Tanzanzia, Burundi, Ruanda and Mozambique. German East Africa remained a German colony until 1918, when Germany lost all its colonies due to the Treaty of Versailles.
German colonial coins
But Africa was not the only foreign territory, that Germany possessed in that time. In Asia there was the colony of Kiautschou were two different coin-types were minted. Even the most scarce colonial coins were minted in an Asian colony: German New Guinea. The Pfennig and Mark coins that have been minted for this territory are commonly regarded as some of the most beautiful German coins, showing a very detailed image of a bird of paradise. Furthermore, the German Empire occupied several territories during WW1. Therefore, military coinage was minted for several eastern parts: the coins of the 'Oberbefehlshaber OST'.
Today, some German colonial coins even are among the scarcest and much sought-after coins that have been minted in Germany until 1918. Take your time and have a look at our catalog in which you can check out the details and get an overview on the field of German colonial coinage.
