Catalog
1 Pfennig - Berlin A. Wertheim
| Issuer | A. Wertheim department store, Berlin |
|---|---|
| Year | |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a plain, unbordered field with the word 'WERTMARKE' arranged in a curved arc across the upper half. The large numeral '1', denoting the denomination of one Pfennig, dominates the central field in bold raised relief. Three five-pointed stars are arranged in a triangular grouping at the base of the field, with one larger central star flanked by two smaller stars. |
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| Mintage | ND |
| Additional information |
Wertheim was Berlin's dominant department store for decades — a Zuhauswarenhausamt-scale operation on Leipziger Strasse that rivaled anything in Paris or London. These zinc tokens were issued as in-store scrip, likely to facilitate small-change transactions during periods when low-denomination coinage was scarce or hoarded, a chronic problem in German commercial life across the late Imperial and Weimar periods. The precise issue date remains unconfirmed in the standard references.