Currencies/German groschen

Introduction

The German Groschen was a long-standing coin and currency denomination used in German-speaking territories from the 13th century to the 19th century. Originally a silver coin, the Groschen served as an intermediate denomination between the pfennig and the thaler, and its name derives from the Latin grossus denarius, meaning “thick penny.” Over the centuries, the Groschen evolved in form and value, and its name was even reused for small-value divisions in later banknote-based systems.

History

The Groschen emerged in the 13th century, influenced by the Italian grosso and the French gros tournois. The earliest German Groschen coins appeared in Meissen (Saxony) during the late 1200s, quickly spreading across the Holy Roman Empire as a convenient trade coin.

By the 15th century, the Groschen had become the standard small silver denomination in regions like Saxony, Brandenburg, and Bohemia. During the 16th century, variants such as the Mariengroschen and Guter Groschen were widely circulated. These types were used for everyday payments and appeared in local markets and regional trade.

The denomination persisted into the 19th century, particularly in Prussia, where 1 Groschen coins were minted in 1863 and 1869, just before the unification of the German Empire in 1871. Though phased out with the introduction of the Goldmark, the name “Groschen” retained cultural value and later resurfaced as a subunit of the Austrian Schilling in the 20th century.

Coins

The Groschen coins were usually made of silver, with occasional copper or nickel issues in later centuries. Their design and size varied depending on the issuing region and ruler.

Typical features

Metal Silver (early), copper-nickel (later)

Weight 1.5 – 3 grams

Diameter Around 20–22 mm

Obverse Bust of the ruler or minting city’s coat of arms

Reverse Denomination “Groschen” and date

Major issues

Saxony – 1454 onward

Goslar (Mariengroschen) – 1505 onward

Prussia (Berlin Mint) – 1863 & 1869

Banknotes

Although the Groschen originated as a coin, it later became a fractional unit of account referenced on banknotes in the 19th and 20th centuries. In certain regional and later imperial notes, values were sometimes expressed in Thalers and Groschen, with one Thaler equal to 30 Groschen in several Prussian systems. Even after coin production ceased, printed currency maintained the Groschen as a minor denomination to assist with precise accounting and exchange. The term survived longest in Austrian and East German notes, where it appeared as a subunit well into the 20th century (e.g., 1 Schilling = 100 Groschen in Austria).

Currency

In medieval and early modern Germany, the Groschen was positioned between the smallest and largest coins:

1 Thaler = 24 Groschen = 288 Pfennigs

This system provided a practical and standardized structure for trade, taxation, and local exchange. By the 19th century, the decimalization of European currencies replaced such ratios, but the Groschen continued as a term of small monetary value.

Legacy

The German Groschen represents an enduring link between medieval coinage and modern money. It facilitated regional trade for centuries and symbolized a crucial step in the evolution of European currency systems. Even after its disappearance as coinage, the Groschen name lived on in banknotes and small-change terminology, particularly in Austria and East Germany, where it became synonymous with small denominations. Today, Groschen coins and early notes are valued by historians and collectors for their numismatic beauty and economic heritage.