Commemorative coins of the German Democratic Republic

Value side of the only bronze-colored GDR commemorative coin

Image side

The commemorative coins of the German Democratic Republic were produced by the Mint of the GDR from 1966 to 1990 with 122 different motifs. Four of them had the currency denomination MDN (Mark of the German Central Bank) , all the other Marks . They consisted of different alloys with coin values ​​of 5, 10 or 20 marks.

The rarest commemorative coin of the GDR is a gold minting of the 20-mark piece on the 150th birthday of Karl Marx . It was a one-off production of the 75th anniversary of the Council of State Walter Ulbricht embossed and that of the State Bank presented. The copy is now in the German Historical Museum in Berlin .

The coin with the highest circulation had a value of 5 marks and was made from a bronze-colored alloy of copper and nickel. With over 50 million copies, their number was more than three times as high as the GDR's population of around 16 million.

11 commemorative coins made of nickel silver also had high minting numbers of well over a million copies and thus no collector value. The 5-mark coin from 1971 - Berlin, capital of the GDR (Brandenburg Gate) - had the highest mintage with over 18 million pieces. These 11 commemorative coins were also used as circulation coins .

Silver commemorative coins had a much smaller edition. These were u. a. sold to collectors in the old Federal Republic or through Intershop stores in the GDR to earn foreign currency . Within the GDR, they were available from auction houses at auction prices, if available. Companies and institutions also received a small amount of special coins for awards. An exception made in the Cultural Association of the GDR organized numismatists . This had achieved that 6000 copies of each coin could be distributed to the members, but this was not enough in terms of quantity. The price corresponded to the face value of the coin plus two marks for the case and administrative expenses.

The quality of the series production did not always meet the requirements of the collectors. These coins, just like returned or remaining stocks, were melted down again to extract raw materials. In addition to the production process stamp gloss (standard) and polished plate, memorial coins made of nickel silver were also minted as mirror gloss. This manufacturing process, known as export quality, was carried out with polished stamps on slow-running embossing machines. The coins were removed from the dies by hand and placed in a hard plastic cassette from 1979 to 1986, and from 1987 to 1990 they were welded into plastic.

At the time the commemorative coins were made, there was only one mint in the GDR . This was the from the former coin Berlin emerged state-owned operating coin Berlin . The mint Muldenhütten in Freiberg coined in GDR times, only aluminum small coins with the mint mark E. She put 1953 their operation. The under Frederick the Great and reused today embossed characters is used in the GDR A . Since there was only one manufacturer, marking would not have been necessary; some of the commemorative coins still bear this mint mark.

used material

Commemorative coin: 30 years of the GDR from 1979

Coins can be made from a wide variety of alloys. The commemorative coins of the GDR had silver as the most valuable component .

There are, however, two gold coins that are also regarded as material samples: One is the unique 150th birthday of Karl Marx in 999 gold and the coin of the 40th anniversary of the liberation from fascism . The latter was made in 266 copies as an honorary gift for foreign state guests. These coins were made of 900 gold.

The last commemorative coin issued by the GDR was the only one with a purity of 99.95% silver; it had a coin value of 20 marks and commemorated the opening of the Brandenburg Gate on December 22, 1989.

The most frequently used alloy is silver-white, shiny nickel silver .

The following were minted:

68 motifs made of nickel silver:	62.00% copper , 20.00% zinc , 18.00% nickel
1 motif made of cupronickel (bronze-colored):	90.00% copper, 10% nickel
25 motifs made of 500 silver:	50.00% silver, 50.00% copper
22 motifs made of 625 silver:	62.50% silver, 37.5% copper
5 motifs made of 800 silver:	80.00% silver, 20.00% zinc
1 motif made of 999.5 silver:	99.95% silver, 0.05% copper

Many coins have trial cuts made of other materials; also a few copies are known in better mint quality . The weight of the coins is different due to the different materials and coin thicknesses.

5 mark commemorative coins

Face value: 5 marks. Coin diameter: 29 mm
Illustration		Issue date	Occasion margin writing	layout	Material weight	embossed edition
Image side	Value side					st, (normal) received	pp
		16th December 1968	125th birthday of Robert Koch 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	100.226 100.224	-
		September 25, 1969	20 years of the German Democratic Republic 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram, Berlin	Cupronickel / bronze 9.7 g	-, (50.221.667) 10.502.990	-
		15th December 1969	75th anniversary of Heinrich Hertz's death 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Werner Rosenthal (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	100.268 100.217
		December 10, 1970	125th birthday of Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram, Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	100.244 100.237
		15th October 1971	400th birthday of Johannes Kepler 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram, Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	100.266 100.239
		May 8, 1972	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	-, (18.137.882) 1.700.202	-
		August 25, 1972	75th anniversary of the death of Johannes Brahms 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram, Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	100.420 100.366
		November 20, 1972	Meißen , castle hill with cathedral and Albrechtsburg 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	-, (10.199.353) 930.094	-
		July 10, 1973	125th birthday of Otto Lilienthal 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram, Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	100,300 100,234
		17th June 1974	100th anniversary of the death of Philipp Reis 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram, Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	100,200 100,122
		May 9, 1975	100th birthday of Thomas Mann 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Erika Schöneberg (graphic artist), Berlin Rainer Radack (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	102.355 102.354	-
		June 16, 1975	International Year of Women 1975 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Klaus Hennig (front), Berlin Axel Bertram (back), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	161.047 161.047	-
		January 6, 1976	200th birthday of Ferdinand von Schill 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic designer), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	100.216 100.216
		June 15, 1977	125th anniversary of Friedrich Ludwig Jahn's death 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	90,675 90,675	10,000
		February 28, 1978	175th anniversary of Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock's death 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Karl Thewalt (graphic artist), Wittenberg Prof. Gerhard Lichtenfeld (sculptor), Halle (Saale)	German silver 12.2 g	75,500 70,500	4,500
		September 29, 1978	International Anti- Apartheid Year 1978 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Joachim Rieß (graphic artist), Chemnitz Volker Beier (sculptor), Chemnitz	German silver 9.6 g	86,270, (259,000) 257,262	4,000
		1979	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	32,500 32,500	-
		February 26, 1979	100th birthday of Albert Einstein 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	55,500 55,475	4,500
		1980	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	29,800 29,800	-
		June 20, 1980	75th anniversary of Adolph von Menzel's death 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	54,750 54,750	5,500
		1981	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	30,900 30,900	-
		June 1, 1981	450th anniversary of Tilman Riemenschneider's death 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	54,500 54,500	5,500
		1982	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	30,000 30,000	2,500
		April 5th 1982	200th birthday of Friedrich Froebel 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	54,500 54,500	5,500
		June 22, 1982	Weimar , garden house by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	40,000, (205,500) 220,400	5,500
		July 28, 1982	Eisenach , Wartburg near Eisenach 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	41,000, (205,000) 221,283	5,500
		1983	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	3,000 3,000	-
		17th January 1983	500th birthday of Martin Luther - Castle Church ( Wittenberg ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	68,300, (196,500) 237,800	5,500
		March 10, 1983	500th birthday of Martin Luther - birthplace in Eisleben 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	68,000, (197,680) 238,580	5,500
		October 20, 1983	125th birthday of Max Planck 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Evelyn Nitzsche-Hartnick (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	55,800 45,800	4,380
		1984	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	18,500 18,500	3,015
		March 9, 1984	Leipzig , Old Town Hall 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	40.001, (204.500) 219.501	5,500
		June 26, 1984	Leipzig , Thomaskirche 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	40.001, (211.540) 225.840	5,500
		October 10, 1984	150th anniversary of the death of Adolf Freiherr von Lützow 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	45,000 45,000	5,000
		1985	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	3,000 3,000	-
		5th February 1985	Dresden , Frauenkirche 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	56,000, (195,000) 228,076	8,000
		5th February 1985	Dresden , wall pavilion of the kennel 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	50,000, (194,520) 219,520	5,500
		5th July 1985	225th anniversary of Caroline Neuber's death 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	51,825 51,825	4,000
		1986	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	15,780 15,780	2,800
		May 15, 1986	Potsdam , Sanssouci (200th anniversary of Frederick the Great's death ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	58,560, (270,080) 295,340	4,200
		June 26, 1986	Potsdam , Neues Palais (200th anniversary of Frederick the Great's death ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	58,302, (268,800) 294,002	4,204
		August 21, 1986	175th anniversary of Heinrich von Kleist's death 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	46,700 46,700	4,000
		1987	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	-, (347.310) 311.800	6,424
		January 16, 1987	750 years of Berlin - Nikolaiviertel 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Joachim Rieß (graphic artist), Chemnitz Volker Beier (sculptor), Chemnitz	German silver 9.6 g	139.005, (468.801) 492.606	4,200
		January 16, 1987	750 years of Berlin - Rotes Rathaus 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	136.800, (473.810) 495.110	4,200
		January 16, 1987	750 years of Berlin - Alexanderplatz 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	137.001, (474.801) 496.202	4,200
		1988	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	25,650 25,650	2,300
		February 18, 1988	150 years of long-distance railways in Germany ( Saxonia locomotive ) 1839 LEIPZIG – DRESDEN	Wilfried Klink (graphic artist), Berlin Bettina Klink-von Woyski (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	130,000, (366,800) 401,800	3,200
		February 18, 1988	30 years of Rostock Overseas Port BALTIC SEA * A SEA OF PEACE *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	130.001, (366.800) 396.001	3,200
		February 18, 1988	50th anniversary of Ernst Barlach's death 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Joachim Rieß (graphic artist), Chemnitz Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	51,601 51,601	3,000
		1989	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	25,500 25,500	2.405
		February 23, 1989	500th birthday of Thomas Müntzer - Katharinenkirche in Zwickau THOMAS MÜNTZER 1489–1525	Wilfried Klink (graphic artist), Berlin Bettina Klink-von Woyski (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	134.700, (362.440) 402.140	3,200
		February 23, 1989	500th birthday of Thomas Müntzer - Marienkirche in Mühlhausen THOMAS MÜNTZER 1489–1525	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	134,500, (362,400) 401,900	3,200
		May 9, 1989	100th birthday of Carl von Ossietzky 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	50,400 50,400	3,066
		1990	Berlin , capital of the GDR ( Brandenburg Gate ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	50,500 50,500	-
		February 15, 1990	500 years of the postal system 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Wilfried Klink (graphic artist), Berlin Bettina Klink-von Woyski (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	130.500, (366.320) 392.720	4,200
		February 15, 1990	275th anniversary of the death of Andreas Schlueter ( Zeughaus Berlin ) 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 9.6 g	130.500, (372.920) 407.620	4,200
		February 15, 1990	100th birthday of Kurt Tucholsky 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK * 5 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 12.2 g	50.171 50.171	4,000

10 mark commemorative coins

Face value: 10 Marks of the German Central Bank (MDN). Coin diameter: 31 mm
Illustration		Issue date	Occasion margin writing	layout	Material weight	embossed edition
Image side	Value side					st, (normal) received	pp
		December 28, 1966	125th anniversary of the death of Karl Friedrich Schinkel 10 GERMAN NOTES BANK MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	800 silver 17 g	50,000 48,883
		August 30, 1967	100th birthday of Käthe Kollwitz 10 MARK OF THE GERMAN NOTES BANK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	800 silver 17 g	100,552 61,940
Face value: 10 marks. Coin diameter: 31 mm
Illustration		Issue date	Occasion margin writing	layout	Material weight	embossed edition
Image side	Value side					st, (normal) received	pp
		16th December 1968	500th anniversary of Johann Gutenberg's death 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Axel Bertram , Berlin	625 silver 17 g	100,328 66,526
		15th December 1969	250th anniversary of the death of Johann Friedrich Böttger 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Axel Bertram , Berlin	625 silver 17 g	100,313 66,652
		September 15, 1970	200th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	625 silver 17 g	100,265 72,343
		July 1, 1971	500th birthday of Albrecht Dürer 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Axel Bertram , Berlin	625 silver 17 g	100.112 61.224
		June 1, 1972	Buchenwald National Reminder and Memorial 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12 g	-, (15,108,981) 3,553,920
		November 15, 1972	175th birthday of Heinrich Heine 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	625 silver 17 g	100,297 55,336
		March 5th 1973	75th birthday of Bertolt Brecht 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	625 silver 17 g	100.197 55.413
		May 7th 1973	10th World Festival of Youth and Students ( Berlin 1973) Corrugated edge	Axel Bertram , Berlin	German silver 12 g	-, (3,594,022) 2,742,342
		20th August 1974	25 years of the German Democratic Republic - coat of arms of the GDR, ribbed edge	Günter Junge, Berlin	German silver 12 g	-, (3,070,650) 2,285,170
		20th August 1974	25 years of the German Democratic Republic - Buildings in the GDR 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	625 silver 17 g	70,200 52,585	200
		November 8, 1974	200th birthday of Caspar David Friedrich 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Günter Junge (graphic artist), Berlin Ludwig Engelhardt (sculptor), Berlin	625 silver 17 g	75,000 49,416	100
		January 31, 1975	100th birthday of Albert Schweitzer 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Axel Bertram (graphic artist), Berlin Wilfried Fitzenreiter (sculptor), Berlin	625 silver 17 g	100,100 63,433	1,040
		May 9, 1975	20 years of Warsaw Treaty, ribbed edge	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Werner Rosenthal (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12 g	-, (2,522,356) 1,906,746
		February 10, 1976	20 years of the National People's Army fluted edge	Prof. Klaus Wittkugel (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12 g	-, (754.508) 593.765
		20th August 1976	150th anniversary of Carl Maria von Weber's death 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	101,642 45,042	6,037
		August 31, 1977	375th birthday of Otto von Guericke 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	69,316 43,443	6,000
		May 22, 1978	175th birthday of Justus von Liebig 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Erika Schöneberg (graphic artist), Berlin Rainer Radack (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	70,510 40,058	4,500
		August 28, 1978	3rd International Common Space Flight of the Soviet Union 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Erika Schöneberg (graphic artist) - front side, Berlin Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist) - back side, Berlin Rainer Radack (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12 g	32,075, (724,750) 591,565	2,600
		20th July 1979	175th birthday of Ludwig Feuerbach 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Erika Schöneberg (graphic artist), Berlin Rainer Radack (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	50,500 38,834	4,500
		September 15, 1980	225th birthday of Gerhard JD von Scharnhorst 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	500 silver 17 g	49,500 49,497	5,500
		2nd February 1981	25 years of the National People's Army 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 12 g	30,300, (780,000) 626,700	5,500
		September 1, 1981	150th anniversary of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's death 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Prof. Günter Junge (graphic artist), Berlin Ludwig Engelhardt (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	49,500 49,500	5,500
		November 18, 1981	700 years of coinage in Berlin 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 12 g	54,540 54,540	5,500
		March 1, 1982	New Gewandhaus Leipzig 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Joachim Rieß (graphic artist), Chemnitz Volker Beier (sculptor), Chemnitz	500 silver 17 g	49,510 49,165	5,500
		17th January 1983	100th anniversary of Richard Wagner's death 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	49,500 49,500	5,500
		September 15, 1983	30 years of working class combat groups 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Evelyn Nitzsche-Hartnick (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12 g	45,000, (460,900) 393,980	5,000
		May 15, 1984	100th anniversary of Alfred Brehm's death 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	40,000 40,000	5,000
		January 15, 1985	Reopening of the Semperoper in Dresden 1841 * 1878 * 1945 * 1985 *	Joachim Rieß (graphic artist), Chemnitz Volker Beier (sculptor), Chemnitz	500 silver 17 g	55.002 55.002	5,000
		April 17, 1985	40th anniversary of liberation from fascism 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Dietrich Dorfstecher (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12 g	30,000, (750,600) 606,010	5,000
		August 30, 1985	175 years University of Berlin ( Humboldt University ) 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Joachim Rieß (graphic artist), Chemnitz Heinz Rodewald (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	38,000 38,000	4,000
		April 3, 1986	100th birthday of Ernst Thälmann 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12 g	42,000, (709,750) 581,642	4,002
		September 1, 1986	275 years of Charité Berlin 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Joachim Rieß (graphic artist), Chemnitz Volker Beier (sculptor), Chemnitz	500 silver 17 g	38,000 38,000	4.101
		March 5th 1987	750 years of Berlin - Schauspielhaus 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	500 silver 17 g	46,100 46,100	4,000
		May 19, 1988	500th birthday of Ulrich von Hutten I DAREED	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	500 silver 17 g	37,000 37,000	3,000
		June 14, 1988	40 years of the German Sports Committee ( Deutscher Turn- und Sportbund ) 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	German silver 12 g	85,000, (611,800) 540,120	3,200
		January 12, 1989	40 years of the Council for Mutual Economic Aid 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 12 g	40,000, (57,000) 97,000	3,000
		May 9, 1989	225th birthday of Johann Gottfried Schadow 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	André Kahane (graphic artist), Berlin Gerhard Rommel (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	39,200 39,200	3,000
		June 20, 1989	40 years of the German Democratic Republic 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Heinz Rodewald, Berlin	German silver 12 g	65,000, (694,000) 588,900	3,080
		March 14, 1990	175th anniversary of Johann Gottlieb Fichte's death 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 17 g	40,564 40,564	4,200
		March 27, 1990	100 years of International Working Class Day 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK * 10 MARK *	Harald Larisch	German silver 12 g	115,000, (632,000) 589,457	4,367

20 mark commemorative coins

With three exceptions (30 years of the GDR, 1979; 750 years of the Berlin city seal, 1987; opening of the Brandenburg Gate, 1990), only well-known German people were honored with the 20-mark commemorative coins .

Face value: 20 Marks of the German Central Bank (MDN). Coin diameter: 33 mm
Illustration		Issue date	Occasion margin writing	layout	Material weight	embossed edition
Image side	Value side					st, (normal) received	pp
		December 28, 1966	250th anniversary of the death of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz 20 MARK DER DEUTSCHE NOTENBANK *		800 silver 20.9 g	50,000 48,581
		August 30, 1967	200th birthday of Wilhelm von Humboldt 20 MARK DER DEUTSCHE NOTENBANK *		800 silver 20.9 g	87,776 52,598
Face value: 20 marks. Coin diameter: 33 mm
Illustration		Issue date	Occasion margin writing	layout	Material weight	embossed edition
Image side	Value side					st, (normal) received	pp
		May 3, 1968	150th birthday of Karl Marx 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		800 silver 20.9 g	76,538 53,146
		1st October 1969	220th birthday of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	88,589 53,222
		September 15, 1970	150th birthday of Friedrich Engels 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	83,615 47,719
		March 10, 1971	100th birthday of Heinrich Mann 20 MARK *20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		German silver 16.5 g	2,029,000 1,248,867
		July 1, 1971	100th birthday of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	76,814 47,465
		December 10, 1971	85th birthday of Ernst Thälmann 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		German silver 15 g	-, (10,003,431) 4,885,517
		March 1, 1972	Friedrich von Schiller 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		German silver 15 g	-, (7.480.378) 3.654.903
		May 18, 1972	500th birthday of Lucas Cranach the Elder 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	80,096 47,548
		1st September 1972	Wilhelm Pieck 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		German silver 15 g	-, (7,633,342) 2,385,810
		September 25, 1973	60th anniversary of August Bebel's death 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	77,360 47,197
		November 12, 1973	Otto Grotewohl 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		German silver 15 g	-, (2.534.724) 1.531.207
		March 8, 1974	250th birthday of Immanuel Kant 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	67,883 44,465	4,284
		April 21, 1975	225th anniversary of the death of Johann Sebastian Bach 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	72,160 49,497
		April 15, 1976	150th birthday of Wilhelm Liebknecht 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	50,060 43,160	4,020
		April 18, 1977	200th birthday of Carl Friedrich Gauß 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		500 silver 20.9 g	56,525 42,502
		November 8, 1978	175th anniversary of Johann Gottfried Herder's death 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		500 silver 20.9 g	50,550 36,550	4,500
		15th January 1979	250th birthday of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		500 silver 20.9 g	40,500 39,343	4,521
		June 29, 1979	30 years of the German Democratic Republic 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		German silver 15 g	25.950, (975.050) 642.075
		February 27, 1980	75th anniversary of Ernst Abbe's death 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		500 silver 20.9 g	39,500 39,500	5,503
		March 9, 1981	150th anniversary of the death of Carl Reichsfreiherr vom Stein 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		500 silver 20.9 g	39,500 39,264	5,500
		September 30, 1982	125th birthday of Clara Zetkin 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		500 silver 20.9 g	39,500 39,500	5,500
		March 10, 1983	500th birthday of Martin Luther 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		500 silver 20.9 g	40,500 40,500	5,500
		April 6, 1983	100th anniversary of Karl Marx's death 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		German silver 15 g	60,000, (940,000) 655,614	6,000
		February 27, 1984	225th anniversary of the death of George Frideric Handel 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		500 silver 20.9 g	35,900 35,900	4,500
		August 8, 1985	125th anniversary of Ernst Moritz Arndt's death 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	500 silver 20.9 g	36,000 36,000	4,000
		February 26, 1986	200th birthday of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	37,650 37,650	3,508
		March 26, 1987	750 years of Berlin - City Seal 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	36,575 36,575	4400
		March 17, 1988	100th anniversary of Carl Zeiss death 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *	Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer (graphic artist), Berlin Heinz Hoyer (sculptor), Berlin	625 silver 20.9 g	35,020 35,020	3,001
		January 12, 1989	500th birthday of Thomas Müntzer 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	38,500 38,500	3,090
		February 15, 1990	275th anniversary of the death of Andreas Schlueter 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		625 silver 20.9 g	37,000 37,000	3,500
		April 3, 1990	Opening of the Brandenburg Gate on December 22, 1989 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		German silver 15 g	-, (302.005) 302.005
		April 3, 1990	Opening of the Brandenburg Gate on December 22, 1989 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK * 20 MARK *		999.5 silver 18.2 g	154.525 154.525	12,100

Remarks

1. ↑ There was a noteworthy material sample made of 75% copper and 25% nickel with an edition of 12,741 copies.
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Only a few test impressions were made. The exact number of embossed copies is not known or cannot be determined.
3. ↑ From 1979 this coin was minted annually until 1990 in different quality grades. This minting is sometimes referred to as an independent coin, in this case the total amount of commemorative coins minted in the GDR increases to 123.
4. ↑ In 1981 and 1983 a larger number of coins (brilliant uncirculated: 25,000, polished plate: 2,590) were minted.
5. ↑ 1983 an additional 21,000 copies were issued in normal coinage.

See also

• Commemorative coins of the Federal Republic of Germany
• List of commemorative coins of the Federal Republic of Germany (DM)

literature

• Günter and Gerhard Schön: Small German coin catalog from 1871 to today. 34th edition. Battenberg, Munich 2004, ISBN 3-89441-554-1 .
• Wolfgang Steguweit, Elke Bannicke, Gerhard Schön: The commemorative coins of the GDR and their creators. Coin Peus, 2000, ISBN 3-921212-01-4 .

Web links

Commons : Commemorative coins of the GDR  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• All coins of the GDR

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} The rarest coin of the GDR. German Historical Museum
2. ^ Numismatics in the GDR ( Memento from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
3. ↑ With anger at Christmas 1966, a success story began, how Wessis strengthened the GDR. History of the first commemorative coins of the GDR. In: New Germany . December 23, 2006.
4. ↑ Günter and Gerhard Schön: Small German coin catalog from 1871 to today. 39th edition. Battenberg, Munich 2009, ISBN 978-3-86646-045-4 .

This version was added to the selection of informative lists and portals on January 19, 2007 .