2 Pfennig - Grossauheim von Arnim'sches Eisenw. Marienhütte

The Marienhütte ironworks at Großauheim, near Hanau in Hesse, was one of numerous mid-nineteenth century German industrial enterprises that issued private token coinage — Werksmarken — to pay laborers in scrip redeemable only at the company store. The von Arnim family owned substantial industrial interests across Prussia and the German states, and such tokens effectively trapped workers' wages within the employer's own retail system. Zinc was the material of choice precisely because it had negligible intrinsic value, discouraging hoarding and ensuring tokens cycled back to the issuer.