Mark der DDR

Mark was the official currency in the German Democratic Republic from 1948–1990. Over this period it had three official names:

• 1948–1964: Deutsche Mark der Deutschen Notenbank (DM)
• 1964–1967: Mark der Deutschen Notenbank (MDN)
• 1967–1990: Mark der Staatsbank der DDR (M)

Banknotes

1948 – provisorial stamps added

• 
  5 Reichsmark with stamp

1948 – first issue

• 
  50 Pfennig
• 
  50 Pfennig (back)
• 
  1 DM
• 
  1 DM (back)
• 
  2 DM
• 
  2 DM (back)
• 
  5 DM
• 
  5 DM (back)
• 
  10 DM
• 
  10 DM (back)
• 
  20 DM
• 
  20 DM (back)
• 
  50 DM
• 
  50 DM (back)
• 
  100 DM
• 
  100 DM (back)

1955 – second issue

• 
  5 DM
• 
  5 DM (back)
• 
  10 DM
• 
  10 DM (back)
• 
  20 DM
• 
  20 DM (back)
• 
  50 DM
• 
  50 DM (back)
• 
  100 DM
• 
  100 DM (back)

1964 – third issue

• 
  5 MDN Alexander von Humboldt
• 
  10 MDN Friedrich Schiller
• 
  10 MDN (back)
• 
  20 MDN Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• 
  20 MDN (back)
• 
  100 MDN Karl Marx
• 
  100 MDN (back)

1971/1974 – fourth issue

These images depict the series of notes issued in the 1970s and 1980s.

• 
  5 M Thomas Müntzer
• 
  10 M Clara Zetkin
• 
  10 Mark der DDR (Vorder- und Rückseite)
• 
  20 M Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• 
  20 Mark der DDR (Vorder- und Rückseite)
• 
  50 M Friedrich Engels
• 
  100 M Karl Marx

1985 – not issued

The 200 and 500 Mark notes were never issued by the DDR government, but became available after the currency ceased to circulate in 1990.

• 
  200 DDM (front)
• 
  200 DDM (back)
• 
  500 DDM (front)
• 
  500 DDM (back)

Coins

1948–1950 – first issue

The coins of the first issue showed a gearwheal and a spike on their back side.

• 
  1 Pfennig, 1949
• 
  5 Pfennig, 1949

1952–1953 – second issue

The second issue showed the state seal on their back, but had the same front side as the first series.

• 
  10 Pfennig, 1950
• 
  50 Pfennig, 1950

1956/…–1990 – third issue

The third issue was redesigned. New coins were gradually produced, starting 1956. In 1972 on the 1 and 2 Mark coins “Deutsche Mark” was replaced by “Mark”. All back sides show the state seal.

• 
  1 Pfennig, 1979
• 
  5 Pfennig, 1978
• 
  10 Pfennig, 1978
• 
  20 Pfennig, 1969
• 
  50 Pfennig, 1982
• 
  1 Deutsche Mark, 1956
• 
  2 Deutsche Mark, 1957
• 
  1 Mark, 1979
• 
  2 Mark, 1979
• 
  Kleingeld der DDR (Münzgeld gemischt)

Commemorative coins

• 
  5 Mark, 1969
• 
  10 Mark, 1986
• 
  Gedenkmünzen 30 und 40 Jahre DDR
• 
  20 Mark der DDR - Gedenkmünzen von Wilhelm Pieck & Otto Grotewohl