Danzig gulden

For an earlier currency issued in Danzig, see Danzig Thaler.

Danzig gulden
20 gulden (1937) 10 pfennig coin
Central bank	Bank of Danzig
User(s)	Free City of Danzig
Subunit
1/100	Pfennig
Plural
Pfennig	Pfennige
Coins	1, 2, 5, 10 Pfennig ½, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 Gulden
Banknotes	10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000 Gulden
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.

The Gulden was the currency of Free City of Danzig (German: Freie Stadt Danzig; Polish: Wolne Miasto Gdańsk) between 1923 and 1939. It was divided into 100 Pfennige.

History

Until 1923, Danzig used the German papiermark and issued several local 'emergency notes'. The Gulden was introduced at a value of 25 Gulden = 1 pound sterling.

Incorporation into Nazi Germany

Danzig was annexed by Nazi Germany on 1 September 1939, the day the invasion of Poland had begun^[1] On the same day Reichsmark coins and notes were declared legal tender alongside the Danziger gulden, with 1 gulden being equal to 0,70 Reichsmark.^[2] This was a favourable exchange rate for inhabitants of Danzig, since the actual exchange rate was around 0,47 Reichsmark per gulden . To prevent abuse on 7 September the import of gulden coins and notes into the territory of the former free city was prohibited.^[3] Bank assets were however converted at the market rate of 0,47 reichsmark per gulden.^[4]

Effective 7 September 1939 coins of 1 and 2 pfennig became legal tender throughout Nazi Germany as 1 and 2 reichspfennig and would remain in circulation until November 1940. On 30 September the reichsmark became the sole currency on the territory of the former free city. Notes and coins of 5 and 10 gulden were withdrawn that day and could be exchanged for reichsmarks until 15 October. Coins of 5 and 10 pfennig and ½ and 1 gulden remained in circulation until 25 June 1940 and were redeemed until 25 July.

Coins

A first series of coins was issued in 1923, followed by a second in 1932. Coins were issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 10 Pfennige and ½, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 25 Gulden.

First series (1923)[5]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description				Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	quantity minted	minting	issue	withdrawal	lapse
	1 pfennig	17 mm	1,67g	95% Cu, 4% Sn, 1% Zn	Plain	Value, country name “Danzig”	Year, Danzig coat of arms	11.500.000	1923~1937	18 December 1923[6]	1 November 1940[7]	30 November 1940[7]
	2 pfennige	19,5 mm	2,5g					3.250.000	1923~1937
	5 pfennige	17,5 mm	2g	75% Cu, 25% Ni	Plain	Value, country name “Danzig”	Year, Danzig coat of arms	4.000.000	1923,1928	18 December 1923[6]	1 October 1932[6]	?
	10 pfennige	21,5 mm	4g			Value, country name “Freie Stadt Danzig”		5.000.000	1923
	1/2 gulden	19,5 mm	2,5g	75% Ag, 25% Cu	?	Value, country name “Freie Stadt Danzig”, coat of arms	cog	1.400.000	1923,1927		1 April 1932[6]
	1 gulden	23.5 mm	5g			Value, country name “Freie Stadt Danzig”, cog	Coat of arms held by two lions	3.500.500	1923
	2 gulden	26.5 mm	10g					1.250.000
	5 gulden	35 mm	25g			Value, country name “Freie Stadt Danzig”, St. Mary's Church		860.500	1923,1927
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

Banknotes

500 gulden, 1924 issue

Exchange rates as published in the Rostocker Anzeiger, July 19, 1938

Banknotes were issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 Pfennige and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 Gulden.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Money of the Free City of Danzig.