Germany Goldmark

1) Recognition - Name - Country of Origin
The Goldmark was introduced in 2001 to mark the currency changeover from Deutsche Mark to Euro. It was issued by the Deutsche Bundesbank. For this coinage, the coinage right, originally held by the federal government, was changed by the German Bundestag through legislation.

2) Description of the Coin
The Goldmark consists of 12 grams of 999.9/1000 fine gold and has a diameter of 23.5 mm. The design resembles a regular 1 Deutsche Mark (DM) coin, with one side featuring a "1" flanked by two oak leaves. Below the "1" is the inscription "DEUTSCHE MARK," and beneath it, the year of minting, 2001. The reverse side displays the typical Federal Eagle, but with the inscription "DEUTSCHE BUNDESBANK" instead of "Bundesrepublik Deutschland." This distinction allows for easy differentiation between the genuine 1-DM Goldmark and gold-plated ordinary 1 DM coins.

3) Face Value - Legal Tender - Value
The first edition of the Goldmark was distributed on July 26, 2001, by the Deutsche Bundesbank and the Landeszentralbank at a issuance price of 250 DM. The value of the 1-DM Goldmark is determined by the current gold price.

4) Other Units - Denominations
There are no other units or denominations below or above the 12 grams.

5) Special Features - Minting Years - History - Mintage
The Goldmark was issued in a protective capsule, recognizable by its typical milky edge. The total mintage was 1 million, evenly distributed with 200,000 pieces for each of the five German mints.