Württemberg 2 mark coin

2 mark
Coin of William II from 1904
General information
Country	German Empire Kingdom of Württemberg
Value	ℳ2.00
Years	1876–1914
Measurements and composition
Mass	11.11 g
Diameter	28 mm
Thickness	2 mm
Composition	silver (circulation) aluminum (pattern)
Appearance
Shape	round
Alignment	medallic
Obverse	Karl I (1876-1888) Wilhelm II (1892-1914)
Reverse	Reichsadler, value, year
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The 2 mark coin is a coin that was issued by the Kingdom of Württemberg, a historic German state located in what is now Baden-Württemberg. The first series of coins was produced from 1876 to 1888, during the late reign of King Charles I (reigned 1864–1891). A second coin was issued by his agnatic nephew and successor, William II (reigned 1891–1918), from 1892 to 1914. Both pieces had a value equal to 2 German gold mark.

History

Coin of Charles I (1876–1888)

Obverse of a coin of Charles I

The first 2 mark coin of Württemberg was issued in 1876, during the reign of King Charles I. It was then produced periodically until 1888, when production of most 2 mark coins of the German Empire temporarily ceased. The coin is composed of .900 fine silver (90% silver and 10% copper, weighs approximately 11.1111 grams, and has a diameter of 28 millimeters and a thickness of 2. It has medallic alignment and a reeded edge, and like most coins is round in shape. A right-facing bearded depiction of King Charles I is featured in the center of the obverse. The German caption "KARL KOENIG VON WUERTTEMBERG", which translates to English as "Charles, King of Württemberg", is inscribed around the coin's upper rim, starting near the bottom left of the coin and arching upward before ending at the opposite side of the obverse. An "F" mint mark representing Stuttgart is present below the likeness of the king. The Reichsadler (Imperial Eagle) of the German Empire of the time — which consists of a small single-headed eagle with a large coat of arms of Prussia on its breast and the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire above its head — is displayed in the middle of the reverse. Inscribed around the rim to its sides and above it is the German state title "DEUTSCHES REICH" (English: "German Empire"), and featured at the bottom of the coin is the value "ZWEI MARK" (English: "Two mark"). The value is separated from both the state title and the date by an asterisk (*). A beaded border around the rim encircles the contents of the coin's obverse and reverse.

The coin was produced during the years 1876, 1877, 1880, 1883, and 1888. Over five years of production, approximately 2,982,592 examples were produced, in addition to an unknown number of proof pieces struck in 1888. All were minted in Stuttgart.

Mintages
1876: 1,550,014 1877: 1,106,763 1880: 128,943 1883: 73,872 1888: 123,000

Coin of William II (1892–1914)

Obverse of a coin of William II

Following the childless death of Charles I in 1891, his agnatic nephew, William II, became King of Württemberg. He held this position until the abolishment of the German monarchies in 1918. During 1892, the second year of William's reign, production of the 2 mark coin of Württemberg recommenced at Stuttgart. This coin was then minted periodically until 1914, the date the gold mark became replaced by the Papiermark. It has the same composition and measurements as the coin of Charles, and its alignment, edge, and shape do not differ either. Featured in the center of the obverse is a right-facing bearded depiction of King William II, partially surrounded by the German legend "WILHELM II KOENIG VON WUERTTEMBERG", which translates to English as "William II, King of Württemberg". Because the number of characters in the legend is greater, it starts and ends closer to the bottom of the coin than on the 2 mark coin of Charles I. The "F" mint mark of Stuttgart is featured at the very bottom of the obverse, below the likeness of King William. The Reichsadler of the German Empire introduced in 1889 — consisting of a large single-headed eagle with a small coat of arms of Prussia on its breast and the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire above its head — is depicted in the middle of the reverse. Inscribed around the rim above and to the sides of the heraldic eagle is the state title "DEUTSCHES REICH" followed by the date, and below it near the coin's periphery is the value "ZWEI MARK" flanked by an asterisk (*) at either side. Like the coin of Charles, the contents of both sides of the coin are surrounded by a beaded border around the rim.

This coin was produced from 1892 to 1893, in 1896, from 1899 to 1908, and then again from 1912 to 1914. Over eleven years of minting, a total of approximately 10,439,833 examples were struck. Examples in proof quality are known to exist.

In 1913 an aluminum pattern coin marked with a value of 2 marks was produced, but never entered circulation.

Mintages
1892: 177,000 1893: 174,055 1896: 351,031 1898: 144,001 1899: 537,571 1900: 515,885 1901: 591,927 1902: 815,620 1903: 811,383 1904: 1,988,177 1905: 609,835 1906: 1,504,620 1907: 1,504,497 1908: 451,370 1912: 251,224 1913: 5,675 1914: 5,962

References

• Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – GERMAN STATES WURTTEMBERG 2 Mark KM# 626 1876-1888
• Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – GERMAN STATES WURTTEMBERG 2 Mark KM# 631 1892-Common date
• Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – GERMAN STATES WURTTEMBERG 2 Mark KM# Pn60 1913