Item number: A1802

Year: AD 1901

Material: Silver (.900)

Size: 37.9 x 37.9 x 2.7 mm

Weight: 27.8 g

Manufactured by: Berlin Royal Mint

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014

This is a 5-Mark silver coin authorised by the German Empire and minted by the Kingdom of Prussia. Although the Emperor of Germany was simultaneously the King of Prussia, the governance structures of the empire and the kingdom exhibited notable differences.

The obverse of the coin features, from left to right, left-facing half-length portraits of Frederick I and Wilhelm II, positioned side by side. Frederick I is depicted wearing a robe and a laurel crown, while Wilhelm II is shown in military uniform, wearing a spiked helmet (Pickelhaube). Surrounding the portraits is the inscription “FRIEDRICH·I·1701· WILHELM·II·1901·”, signifying the period from the establishment of the Prussian Kingdom under Frederick I in AD 1701 to the reign of Wilhelm II in AD 1901.

The reverse displays the Imperial Eagle, with a central bicoloured miniature escutcheon bearing the coat of arms of the Hohenzollern dynasty. This escutcheon is positioned on the chest of a single-headed Prussian eagle with black plumage and white shoulders, forming the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia. Encircled by the Order of the Black Eagle, this emblem is further borne upon the breast of the single-headed black Imperial Eagle, surmounted by the Holy Roman Imperial Crown, thereby composing 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 outbreak of the First World War, Germany abandoned the gold standard to finance military expenditures. Precious metal coins, valued for their intrinsic worth, were hoarded by the public, effectively withdrawing them from circulation and resulting in their replacement by the Papiermark. Though theoretically equivalent to the Goldmark, the Papiermark was no longer pegged to gold. The 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 coin’s edge is inscribed with the German phrase “GOTT MIT UNS”, meaning “God is with us.” Its Latin equivalent, “Nobiscum Deus”, was frequently used as a battle cry during the late Roman and Byzantine Empires. The German version 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.

Frederick I and Wilhelm II were respectively the first and last Kings of Prussia. Frederick I (AD 1657–1713) was originally the Elector of Brandenburg and was crowned King of Prussia in AD 1701. His reign marked the transition of Brandenburg-Prussia from a principality within the Holy Roman Empire to a kingdom with greater autonomy. He strengthened administrative and military institutions, promoted courtly culture and academic advancements, laying the foundation for the rise of the Prussian state. However, Prussia remained relatively weak during his rule, relying on the support of Austria and other European powers. By the time this silver coin was minted in AD 1901, Wilhelm II (AD 1859–1941) was on the throne, presiding over a fully unified Lesser Germany (Kleindeutschland). The empire experienced rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, with its population surging. That same year, the inaugural Nobel Prize was awarded, with two German recipients, reflecting the nation’s achievements in education and scientific progress. The nation’s growing power fuelled expansionist ambitions, and under Wilhelm II, militarism and naval expansion were aggressively pursued in an attempt to extend Germany’s colonial reach, secure markets, and enhance its global influence. However, these policies exacerbated international tensions, leading to diplomatic isolation and ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the First World War. Following Germany’s defeat, Wilhelm II abdicated in AD 1918 and fled into exile in the Netherlands, marking the collapse of the German Empire and the beginning of the republican era, permanently ending monarchical rule in Germany.

物件編號: A1802

年代: 公元 1901 年

材質: 銀 (900‰)

尺寸: 37.9 x 37.9 x 2.7 mm

重量: 27.8 g

製造地: 柏林皇家鑄幣廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚德意志帝國授權予各城邦，普魯士王國從而自行鑄行的5馬克銀幣。

銀幣正面由左至右為腓特烈一世與威廉二世的左側半身像，並肩而列。腓特烈一世身披長袍，頭戴桂冠。威廉二世身著軍服，頭戴釘盔。周圍環繞幣文「FRIEDRICH·I·1701· WILHELM·II·1901·」，意為自腓特烈立國的公元1701年至威廉二世統治的今日，公元1901年。

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。

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。

腓特烈一世與威廉二世分別為普魯士王國的第一位與最後一位君王。腓特烈一世(生卒年公元1657至1713年)，原為勃蘭登堡選帝侯，公元1701年加冕為普魯士國王。他的統治標誌著勃蘭登堡—普魯士從神聖羅馬帝國內的諸侯國轉變為擁有更大自主權的王國。他強化行政與軍事系統，推動宮廷文化與學術發展，為普魯士王國的崛起奠定基礎。然而，他的統治時期普魯士仍然相對弱小，需依賴奧地利與其他歐洲強國的支持。在該銀幣鑄行的公元1901年，正處於威廉二世(生卒年公元1859至1941年)治下，小德意志地區已然一統，人口遽增、全國快速的工業化與城市化，該年首屆的諾貝爾獎，就有兩位是德國人，彰顯著教育與科技的成就。不斷增長的國力也推動了擴張的需求與野心，威廉二世在位時推行軍國主義與擴建海軍，試圖擴張殖民地、市場與提升德國的全球影響力，但激化了國際矛盾，最終導致一戰中外交上的孤立。他於公元1918年戰敗退位並流亡荷蘭，標誌著德意志帝國的終結。