10 Deutsche Mark 2000 Years Bonn

Bonn became the provisional capital of West Germany in 1949 almost by accident — Konrad Adenauer lobbied hard for it, partly because it was near his home in Rhöndorf, and partly because its obvious inadequacy as a capital was meant to signal that division was temporary. The 2000th anniversary issue arrived in 1989, the same year the Wall fell — giving the coin an unintended historical charge. Within a year, Bonn's status as capital was already under negotiation.