Item number: A1798

Year: AD 1913

Material: Silver (.900)

Size: 37.8 x 37.8 x 2.6 mm

Weight: 27.8 g

Manufactured by: Hamburg Mint

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014

This is a 5-Mark silver coin authorised by the German Empire and independently minted by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

The obverse features the coat of arms of Hamburg, with a central shield depicting a walled gate with three towers. The gate is firmly closed, and the central tower is topped with a cross. The two flanking towers bear six-pointed stars, traditionally referred to as the Stars of Mary, symbolising the Virgin Mary, one of the city’s patron saints. The cross has been modified from the original Latin cross to resemble the Iron Cross of the German Empire. Supporting the shield are two rampant lions, each turning its head to the side with tongues extended as a gesture of intimidation. Above the shield is a knight’s closed-face helmet, adorned with three peacock feathers and six banners. The designs on the banners match those on the shield, with additional feather decorations on either side. Surrounding the emblem is the German inscription “FREIE UND HANSESTADT HAMBURG,” meaning “Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.” Below the shield, the letter “J” denotes the Hamburg Mint.

The reverse of the coin displays the Imperial Eagle. At its centre is a small two-coloured escutcheon bearing the coat of arms of the Hohenzollern dynasty, positioned on the chest of a single-headed Prussian black eagle with white shoulders, forming the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia. This emblem is encircled by the Order of the Black Eagle and further borne upon the breast of the single-headed black Imperial Eagle, crowned with the Holy Roman Empire’s imperial crown, thereby constituting the coat of arms of the German Empire.

According to the Reichsmünzgesetz (Imperial Coinage Act) promulgated in AD 1873 following German unification, coins with a denomination of 1 Mark or below could only be minted by the central authority, whereas individual federal states retained the right to issue coins of denominations exceeding 1 Mark, provided that the reverse of these coins bore the Imperial Eagle as the national emblem. Additionally, the fineness and weight of silver coins were standardised across the empire, maintaining a silver-to-copper ratio of 9:1. At this time, the Mark was backed by gold reserves, leading to its designation as the “Goldmark.” However, with the onset of the First World War, Germany abandoned the gold standard to finance military expenditures. Precious metal coins were hoarded by the public due to their intrinsic value, effectively withdrawing them from circulation and leading to their replacement by the “Papiermark.” Although, in theory, the Papiermark was intended to hold parity with the Goldmark, its value was no longer pegged to gold. Severe inflation during and after the war, particularly in the interwar period, led to the widespread use of this term in a somewhat derisive context.The minting period for this particular 5-Mark coin design spanned from AD 1891 to AD 1913.

The coin’s edge is inscribed with the German phrase “GOTT MIT UNS”, which translates to “God is with us.” The Latin equivalent, “Nobiscum Deus”, was widely employed as a battle cry during the late Roman Empire and throughout the Byzantine Empire. The German version of this phrase was first adopted by the Teutonic Order and later became the official motto of the Prussian royal family. During the German Empire, this inscription was featured on all 3-Mark and 5-Mark coins.

Hamburg is one of the most significant cities in northern Germany, being the second-largest city in the country and its most vital port. Its historical development can be traced back to the Middle Ages, and due to its advantageous geographical position, it became a crucial centre for trade and maritime commerce in Europe during the modern era. Following the establishment of the German Empire, Hamburg retained its status as a Free City, a designation it had held since the time of the Holy Roman Empire. In AD 1871, it formally became part of the empire while maintaining a degree of autonomy, continuing to function as a major hub for international trade. The Hamburg Mint, established as early as AD 834, has experienced multiple interruptions due to warfare but has been repeatedly reestablished. Today, it remains one of Germany’s four major mints.

物件編號: A1798

年代: 公元 1913 年

材質: 銀 (900‰)

尺寸: 37.8 x 37.8 x 2.6 mm

重量: 27.8 g

製造地: 漢堡鑄幣廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚德意志帝國授權予各城邦，漢堡漢薩自由市從而自行鑄行的5馬克銀幣。

銀幣正面為漢堡市徽，中央的盾徽描繪著一面有三座塔樓的城牆，城門緊閉，中央的塔樓頂端有十字架，兩側的塔樓頂端有六芒星，據稱為瑪利亞之星，象徵著漢堡主堡聖人之一的聖母瑪利亞。十字架則由原始的拉丁十字改為類似德意志帝國的鐵十字。兩隻獅子作為扶盾獸，人立回首，各自看向兩側，吐出舌頭以作威嚇。盾徽上方是騎士的覆面盔甲，頭盔上方以三根孔雀羽毛與六支旗幟裝飾，旗幟上的圖案與盾徽中相同，兩側各另有羽毛裝飾。周圍環繞著德文「FREIE UND HANSESTADT HAMBURG」，即「漢堡漢薩自由市」。下方「J」，為漢堡鑄幣廠的標記。

銀幣背面為帝國鷹，最中央的雙色迷你盾徽，為霍亨索倫王朝的紋章，承托於白肩黑羽單首的普魯士鷹胸前，組合為普魯士王國的盾徽，盾徽由黑鷹勳章環繞，承托於黑羽單首的帝國鷹胸前，加以神聖羅馬帝國皇冠，組合成為德意志帝國的國徽。依德國統一後，公元1873年頒布的《鑄幣法》(Reichsmünzgesetz)，一馬克及以下面額的貨幣僅能由中央鑄造，各邦國可自行鑄造一馬克以上的貨幣，僅貨幣背面須得加上「帝國鷹」國徽。同時，帝國全境之成色與重量皆一致，銀幣當為銀銅比九比一。此時馬克以黃金作為準備金，故又稱「金馬克」。直到一戰開始，德國為籌集軍費，放棄金本位，貴金屬幣因保值被民眾儲藏，從而實質上退出流通，為「紙馬克」所取代。「紙馬克」理論上與「金馬克」為同樣的貨幣，只是價值不再與黃金勾兌，加以一戰及戰間期發生的劇烈通貨膨脹，故有此戲稱。該形制5馬克幣的鑄行期間為公元1891至1913年。

幣稜有邊銘，德文「GOTT MIT UNS」，意即「主與我們同在」。拉丁語版本「Nobiscum deus」在羅馬帝國晚期以及拜占庭帝國已成為經常使用的戰吼，而德語版最早由條頓騎士團開始使用，後成為普魯士王室的座右銘。德意志帝國時期，所有3及5馬克的硬幣都刻有該格言。

漢堡是德國北部的一座主要城市，也是德國的第二大城市與最重要的港口之一。漢堡的發展可遠溯到中世紀，並因其優越的地理位置。在近代成為歐洲重要的貿易和航運中心。德意志帝國成立後，漢堡延續其於神聖羅馬帝國的自由市地位，於公元1871年正式成為帝國的一部分，但仍然保留了相對獨立的自治權，成為帝國的貿易樞紐。漢堡鑄幣廠自公元834年便已建立，數度因戰火暫停而又重啟，至今仍是德國四大鑄幣廠之一。