Prussia 1821-A pfennig
This specimen was lot 4072 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €32 (about US$45 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Friedrich Wilhelm III. 1797-1840. Ku.-Pfennig 1821, A. Vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. Exemplar der Auktion Möller 25, Kassel 1999, Nr. 842. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick William III, 1797-1840, copper pfennig of 1821. Extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
The production of minor coinage ceased after 1818 as mint officials debated a monetary reform. During 1819-20, the only coinage minted was silver thalers and gold friedrichs d'or. In 1821, the regime introduced a new system, with one thaler = 30 groschen and one groschen = 12 pfennig. The old provincial coinage was abolished along with the medieval system where coins varied in value in different parts of the realm. New or reformed denominations were struck including one pfennig (shown here), two pfennig, three pfennig, four pfennig, half silbergroschen and one silbergroschen. The sixth thaler was added in 1822 and the half and double friedrichs d'or resumed in 1825. This system obtained until German unification in 1871. We don't know why authorities didn't go all the way and introduce a decimal system but neither did any other German state in this period.
Recorded mintage: unknown but common.
Specification: 1.52 g, copper, 17.5 mm diameter, this specimen 1.47 g.
Catalog reference: KM 405, AKS 35; J. 42; Olding 191.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 353: Die Sammlung Axel Tesmer, Teil 2: Prägungen der Könige von Preussen von der Kroning 1701 bis zum Ende der Monarchie. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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