Germany 1932-A 4 pfennig

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This type was struck in 1932 at six mints; all dates are common. Numista comments,

"This coin was issued in 1932 amid the Great Depression. Chancellor Heinrich Brüning's government decreed the issuance of this unusual face value on 8 December 1931, hoping that it would replace 5-pfennig coins and thereby help to reduce prices in those times of great economic hardship. The coin was, however, not very well-received by the population as it was awkward to use in a decimal system, and very few orders with the Reichsbank (central bank) were placed by banks and public institutions. Many of these coins circulated only for a short period and quickly returned to the central bank, despite instructions by the government to pay amounts of 2 marks (as a part of wages and salaries) in 4-pfennig coins. The coin was demonetized on 1 October 1933 after little more than a year in circulation. The coin's unpopularity explains its relative scarcity today."

Recorded mintage: 27,100,599 plus proofs.

Specifications: 5 g, bronze, 24 mm diameter, plain edge.

Catalog reference: KM 75, J-315.

Sources:

• Jaeger, Kurt, Die Deutschen Münzen seit 1871, Basel: Münzen und Medaillen AG, 1982.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.

Link to:

• 1932-G 10 pfennig
• 1932-G 50 pfennig
• 1932-D 3 mark, value reverse
• 1932-A 3 mark, Goethe
• 1932-D 3 mark, Goethe
• 1932-G 3 mark, value reverse
• 1932-A 5 mark, oak tree
• 1932-F 3 mark, Goethe
• 1932-D 5 mark, oak tree
• 1932-A 5 mark, Goethe
• 1932-D 5 mark, Goethe
• 1932-E 5 mark, Goethe
• 1932-G 5 mark, Goethe
• 1932-J 5 mark, oak tree
• 1932-J 5 mark, Goethe
• Coins and currency dated 1932
• return to coins of Germany, Weimar Republic (1918-1933)