3 Mark - Charles Günther Death of Prince Charles Günther

Charles Günther ruled Schwarzburg-Sondershausen for over five decades before his death in 1909, making him one of the longest-reigning German princes of the Wilhelmine period. Memorial issues of this type were a routine feature of the small German states, minted under rights preserved by the imperial constitution — rights that would vanish entirely with the abolition of the principality in 1918.

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was among the smallest sovereign issuers in the German Empire, with mintages for commemorative pieces typically running to just a few thousand. Low original demand kept many examples from ever reaching circulation.