WORLD WAR I REMEMBERED   

2014 to 2018 marks the 100th Anniversary of World War I, also known as "The Great War" or the "The War to End All Wars".   The war and its aftermath created numerous coin and currency issues.  Old empires were swept away and new nations created. The lands of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire went to the form the nations of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and with parts going to create Poland and Yugoslavia. The collapse of the Czarist government of Russia brought on by the Bolshevik Revolution allowed Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to gain independence.  Other portions of the Russian Empire also gained temporary independence before coming back under Russian control.  From the lands of the Ottoman Empire: Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine (now Israel, Jordan and maybe someday an independent Palestine), Kingdom of Hejaz and the Sultanate of Nejd (today Saudi Arabia), the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen, and the Arab States of the Persian Gulf were created.    The financial and political instability that followed the war helped instigate World War II. This page includes a number of historic banknotes and coins associated with World War I and its aftermath.  

THE BEGINNINGS

GERMAN EMPIRE COIN SET INCLUDES SILVER  

In 1871 Otto Von Bismark united the German States under Prussian King Wilhelm I, forming the Second Reich, also known as the German Empire. The Empire disintegrated as a result of World War I.  This six-coin set includes the silver 1 Mark, which was minted from 1873 until 1916; the silver 1/2 Mark, minted from 1905 to 1919; the copper-nickel 5 and 10 Pfennig and the copper 1 and 2 Pfennig, which were minted from 1874 to 1916.  All six coins feature the Imperial German Eagle on the reverse and the denomination on the obverse.  The coins grade Fine or Extra Fine. 

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MAGNIFICENT GERMAN EMPIRE & WEIMAR REPUBLIC NOTES OF GERMANY

These large, beautiful German notes were issued before, during and after World War I by both the German Empire and the Weimar Republic.  The blue 100 Mark is dated 1908. Regardless of when the notes were actually printed, they always carried the original date. The notes issued by the German Empire have a red seal and serial numbers.  The Weimar Republic continued to issue the notes with the same date and designs from 1918 to 1922, but with a green seal and serial number.  The 100 Mark note features the crowned imperial German eagle on one side.  The other side features two women holding a large portrait of a woman's head. The note measures 160x105mm.    It is an unusual "multi-government" notes are impressive pieces of historical currency.

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CZARIST AND BOLSHEVIK 5 RUBLE NOTES OF RUSSIA

World War I brought the fall Russian Empire.  Initially the new Russian governments issued banknotes utilizing the same date and designs as the Czarist issues, making only a change in the serial number.  The beautiful blue and pink Russian 5 Ruble note dated 1909 was first issued by the government of Czar Nicholas II.  When first issued it was equivalent to 3.87 grams of gold, which is worth about $160 today! The large vertical format note is 99mm x 158mm.  The design incorporates the Romanov Imperial Eagle on both sides. The notes issued by the Czarist government had a full serial number consisting of two letters and six digits.  After the fall of the Czar in 1917 the notes continued to be issued by both the Provisional Russian Government and the Bolsheviks, still dated 1909, but with only a series number consisting of two letters and 3 digits instead of a serial number.  They are large, impressive. large pieces of historical currency from a turbulent time in Russian history.

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THE WAR YEARS  1914-1918

HIGH GRADE WORLD WAR I GERMAN BANKNOTES

Germany began to issue 1 and 2 Mark notes shortly after the start of World War I.. They were needed because of a serious coin shortage caused by Germans hoarding silver coins (turned out to be a smart move for them considering the inflation that followed the war).  The notes are all dated August 12, 1914.  The notes continued to be printed until 1920, all with the same 1914 date and same basic design. The later issues however had an underprinted pattern on the front and back to make them more difficult to counterfeit.

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EMERGENCY WORLD WAR I 50 PFENNIG NOTE OF KIEL, GERMANY

Kiel is an important seaport located at the mouth of the Kiel Canal which connects the Baltic Sea to the North Sea.  It was also a major base for the German Imperial Navy.   By the beginning of 1918 the war effort was not going well for Germany.  Though the German government continued to mint silver 1/2 Mark coins, they were hoarded almost as soon as they were minted, resulting in a serious coin shortage.   To help alleviate the shortage and allow merchants and citizens to carry on commercial transactions the city of Kiel issued this emergency 50 Pfennig note dated January 1, 1918. The note measures 95 x 54mm. The front features the denomination and date in words and has a green under-printing depicting ships on the ocean.  The back features the Kiel city hall.  

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WWI AUSTRIAN POW CAMP NOTE 

This 10 Heller currency note was issued for the Aschach A.D. Prisoner of War camp during World War I.   The camp was located near the small town of Aschach an der Donau, which is in Upper Austria on the Danube River. The POW Camp primarily held Officers and Non-commissioned officers from Serbia and Montenegro. The Serbian government estimated some 6000 of its citizens died at the camp due poor living conditions, lack of hygiene and inadequate medical care.  Today Aschach is a town of about 2000 people, which is not much larger than it was during World War I. Minimal effort was spent on designing the note.  The light-blue note features the same design on both sides.  The front and back features a "modern" Austrian eagle. The note was issued from about 1916 to 1918. It measures 110 x 70mm.

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WWI HUNGARIAN WAR BOND

This large (15.75" x 9.75", 25 x 40cm) bearer bond was issued by the Royal Hungarian Ministry of Finance on May 12, 1917 for 50 Crowns (Krona). The bond is written in four languages: Hungarian, German, French and English. At the time Hungary, as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was engaged in World War I and needed funds to continue its war effort. Only about 5% of the cost of Hungary's war effort was covered by regular government revenue (taxes, etc.) Most of the rest came from issuing bonds or borrowings from the Central Bank. All citizens and soldiers were expected to purchase bonds to support the war effort. The bond paid 6% annual interest, tax and duty free. Included with the bond was a sheet of semi-annual coupons.  The bond had no maturity, but was callable any time after August 1, 1922.  That never happened.  With the defeat and breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in November 1918 and the enormous level of debt accumulated during the war, the value of the currency - and the bonds collapsed.  It is an historic World War I bond that has never been redeemed.

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WORLD WAR I SILVER COIN OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF FINLAND

This silver 25 Pennia struck by Finland was struck during World War I.  From 1809 to 1917 Finland was called the Grand Duchy of Finland.  The title Grand Duke of Finland was held by the Czar of Russia,  Though ruled by Russia, Finland  had a high degree of autonomy and its own coinage.  This 16mm silver coin is dated from 1915 to 1917.  The denomination and date within a wreath is on the reverse.  The obverse features the crowned Czarist double-headed eagle with the arms of Finland on its breast. The coin was struck by the Helsinki mint. An "S", for mintmaster, Isac Sundell is below the eagle.  Sundell, was quite a survivor.  He managed to hold his office for 35 years, from 1912 to 1947 through World War I, Finland's War of Independence, and World War II.

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UNCIRCULATED COIN FROM FINLAND’S CIVIL WAR

Finland was a Russian possession from 1809 until 1917.  The collapse of the Czarist government in March of 1917 created the opportunity for Finland to demand independence.  Fighting broke out between various pro-Russian and anti-Russian factions.  The Provisional Russian Government of Alexander Kerenski, often called the "White Government"  issued these coins for the pro-Russian forces fighting in Finland.  The design is similar to the previous Czarist issues, featuring the denomination on one side and the Russian eagle with the Finnish lion on its breast on the other,  however the Czarist crown was removed from the eagle.  In November 1917 the Bolsheviks took over Russia, and on December 6, 1917 Finland gained independence, thus ending this short-lived series. We have an Uncirculated copper 1 Penni from this series.  The 15mm coin still displays its original mint luster, however may have a few minor spots or dark areas.   

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ATTRACTIVE WORLD WAR I ERA UKRAINE NOTE

This attractive, large (191x120mm), 1000 Karbovantsiv note was issued in 1918 during Ukraine's brief period of independence following the collapse of Czarist Russia during World War I.  The undated note features two allegorical women and the emblem of the Ukrainian People's Republic, which is still used by Ukraine today.  In 1920, after two years of civil wars and foreign intervention, Ukraine was forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union.

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THE AFTERMATH

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RUSSIAN "BABYLONIAN" NOTES URGES "WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!

In 1919, after the Bolshevik victory in the Russian Revolution, the fledgling Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic, issued a series of currency notes with the inscriptions "WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!" written in seven languages: Russian, German, French, Italian, Greek, English, Arabic, and Chinese. Because of the linguistic multiplicity, these notes are known as "Babylonians," a reference to the Biblical Tower of Babel.  The phrase is perhaps the most well-known line in the "Communist Manifesto", written in 1848 by Karl Mark and Friedrich Engels.   Also featured on the notes is the hammer and sickle within a wreath.  All three notes have a similar design featuring the inscriptions on one side and the denomination and date on the other.

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THE SHORT-LIVED GERMAN-AUSTRIA REPUBLIC

 German-Austria (Deutsch-Österreich) was a short-lived republic that was created after World War I after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  It claimed sovereignty over the German speaking portions of the former Hapsburg Empire.  Not seeing itself as a viable nation, having lost the agricultural lands of Hungary and the industrial areas of Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) it planned to join Germany as part of the Weimar Republic. However, treaties forced upon Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire following their defeat prevented this.  The Treaty of Versailles prohibited its unification with Germany, and the Treaty of Saint Germain prohibited it from calling itself German-Austria.  The modern Republic of Austria was then created out of the central core of German-Austria, with other areas claimed by German-Austria becoming parts of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Italy.  In a rush to get needed currency into circulation for this new nation banknotes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire were overprinted “DEUTSCHÖSTERREICH"..  The notes were issued from 1919 to 1922, though they still had their original issue date. The red 1 Krone dated 1916 has the denomination written in 8 different languages! It measures 113 × 68 mm.  The large. blue1000 Kronen note is 192 x 128mm (approximately 7.6" x 5").and has the original 1902 date. The impressive large note is in Uncirculated condition.  The notes were replaced with Austrian currency in 1922 and demonetized in 1924.

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HINTERBRUHL, AUSTRIA NOTE PROMOTES TOWN

The town of Hinterbrühl Austria was a popular resort town for artists, aristocracy and upper-crust Viennese "longing to escape the heat and unsanitary conditions of the city in summer, its annual typhus and dysentery epidemics and the poor water quality, in search of fresh air, peace and quiet". On June 2, 1920 the town issued a large (152 x 82mm) 80 Heller note which promoted the towns attractions.  The front describes the town as being near Vienna and depicts the Hotel FM Redetzky.  The 100 Room hotel was the premier institution in town. Built in 1913, it was designed by famed Austrian-American architect Wilhelm Baumgarten. It advertised itself as a "High Class Hotel" with such amenities as hot and cold running water, central heating, an American bar, 5 o'clock tea, breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, splendid gardens and marvelous views.  The back of the note describes Hinterbruhl as the "Most splendid air resort of the whole Vienna Woods. Surrounded by resin-scented pine forest. … Just 49 minutes from Vienna on the Südbahn Railroad.  Especially favorable for convalescents and those suffering from the nerves. Every year about 4000 summer guests. Baths, water - sanatoriums, post office, telegraph and telephone station. Comfortable hotels and inns." The back of the note also mentions that the town is the terminus of the Mödling-Hinterbrühl tram, built in 1885. (The Mödling-Hinterbrühl Tram was the first electric tram in Austria and, it was the first railway in the world that was run with electricity delivered by an overhead line in permanent service.) Also on the back of the note is the nearby Liechtenstein Castle. Liechtenstein ("bright stone") Castle is the origin of the name of the Liechtenstein family, the ruling house of the country by the same name.  The family owned the castle in the 12th and 13th century and again starting in 1807.  The note was good only for the summer of 1920 as it expired on September 30. It is an unusual promotional piece of notgeld currency.

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HISTORIC AUSTRIAN NOTGELD NOTES 

With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following World War I, hundreds of local communities briefly issued their own emergency currency, known as notgeld, for use within the town.  These notes are denominated in Heller and usually depict scenes of the issuing community.  They are an inexpensive, interesting and historic collectable. Most of the notes are dated 1920 and most grade VF to Unc.  Every lot is different, with few duplicates between lots.

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BANKNOTES OF UPPER AUSTRIA

After the collapse and dismemberment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following its defeat in World War I, coins disappeared from circulation. The state of Upper Austria issued these small, low denomination notes to help alleviate the coin shortage. The 20 Heller note depicts buildings in Upper Austria on both sides of the note, including the Church of Saints Michael and Ursula and the Holy Trinity Column in Linz. One side of the orange 50 Heller note features the arms of Upper Austria.  The other side is blank.     Both notes are dated 1921 and were issued in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria.

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LAST BANKNOTE OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE

This attractive 50 Mark note is the last note of the German Empire. It is dated June 23, 1919, some seven months after Germany's defeat in World War I and less than 7 weeks before the signing of the new constitution in Weimar which formally ended the German Empire and ushered in the weak and chaotic Weimar Republic. The large, green note measures 153x102mm and features an allegorical figure of a woman against a starry background.

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HIGH-GRADE WEIMAR GERMAN BANKNOTE

These 1 and 2 Mark notes dated March 1, 1920 were some of the first notes issued by Germany's Weimar government after World War I. They were needed to help relieve the serious coin shortage that developed in Germany during and after World War I.  The notes were technically were not legal tender but a non-interest-bearing loan to the government. that did not stop people from accepting them as the low denomination notes were needed to purchase essential goods.  When first issued the 1 Mark note could buy about a pound of flour or half a dozen eggs.  The notes include an embossed seal and are printed on watermarked paper. They are quite reasonably priced for historic high-grade notes that are almost a century old.  We also have a few original, unopened packs of 100 of the 1 Mark notes and 50 of the 2 Mark note in Uncirculated condition and serial number order..

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GERMAN WEIMAR REPUBLIC 100 MARK BANKNOTE

The Weimar Republic was formed after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I.  Its early years were a tumultuous period of uprisings, riots and massive inflation.  It is named after the city where the new German constitution was written and adopted in August, 1919, and lasted until the rise of the Nazis in 1933.    The 100 Mark note features two images of the head of the “Bamberg Horseman”. The horseman is an impressive 13th century sculpture in the Bamberg Cathedral.  The Bamberg Horsman depicts a famous king, however which king it is is a matter of debate. The note is dated November 1, 1920, measures 162x108mm and includes the red Weimar Republic crest.

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UNCIRCULATED GERMAN 1000 MARK NOTE

This Uncirculated German 1000 Mark note is dated September 15, 1922.  Some consider this the start of the Germany hyperinflation as the value of the Mark collapsed that month.  A liter of milk went from 7 Marks in April 1922, to 16 Marks in August to 26 Marks in mid-September.  The 160 x 85mm note has a simple design consisting primarily of words printed on watermarked paper.  For a high value note that is almost a century old and in top condition it is remarkably inexpensive.

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THE FAMOUS GERMAN “VAMPIRE NOTE”

This large ( 180 x 100mm - approx. 7” x 4”) 10,000 Mark note dated January 19, 1922 is often called the “Vampire Note”  If you turn the note sideways and look carefully (and have a good imagination) you will see a vampire on the neck of the German.  The nose of the vampire is pointed towards the neck of the man.  This was an allusion that the heavy reparations that Germany had to pay France following World War I. It France represented sucking the lifeblood out of Germany. We offer this popular note in both circulated and Uncirculated condition.
For more information about this note and similar stories of hidden messages on other notes, get the book:
BOOKS:  PAPER MONEY MESSAGES, A PICTORIAL PERSPECTIVE by Jeffrey Jerome

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POPULAR GERMAN 100,000 MARK INFLATION NOTE

This 100,000 Mark note dated February 1, 1922 is one of the most popular of the German inflation notes.  The large (190 x 115mm) note features a cut from Hans Holbein the Younger's portrait "The Merchant Georg Gisze".  At the time the painting was done in 1532 Georg Gisze was a prominent Hanseatic merchant who managed his family's trading office in London. Some sources indicate the portrait was done for his betrothed who lived in Danzig (Gdansk), as they probably had never met.  German painter Han Holbein the Younger had a successful career in London, with commissions from Sir Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn and as a court painter of Henry VIII.  The painting is now in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.  The back of the brown, black and lilac note features the denomination within guilloche patterns.  It is an historic note from the beginning of the German hyperinflationary period.  We offer this popular note in both circulated and Uncirculated condition.

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A HIGHLY REVALUED GERMAN NOTE

This German banknote was originally authorized in December 1922 as a 1000 Mark note.  Because of Germany's inflation, it was virtually worthless when was ready to be released and few actually went into circulation.  By autumn of 1923 Germany's inflation was totally out of control.  The government could not issue new notes fast enough to keep up with rising prices.  The unissued 1000 Mark notes were overprinted in September 1923 as 1 Billion Mark notes (Milliarde in German translates as 1 Billion in English).  The front of the note has the portrait of Jörg Herz who was the Mintmaster of Nuremberg in the early 16th century.  The back has gulloche patterns and the denomination.  The note is 140x90mm.   It makes a fascinating lesson about inflation.

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INFLATION COINS OF THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC

In 1922 Germany issued a circulating 3 Mark coin commemorating the 3rd Annive-rsary of the Weimar Cons-titution.  The denomination, date and mintmark are on the obverse.  A Germanic Eagle and the legend "VERFASSUNGSTAG 11. AUGUST 1922" (Constitution day, August 11, 1922) is on the other.  The aluminum coin is 28mm aluminum and 1.55mm thick. Inflation quickly took a toll on Germany.  In 1923 Germany issued aluminum 200 and 500 Mark coins.  The 500 Mark is just slightly smaller than the 3 Mark: 27mm in diameter and 1.35mm thick.   The 200 Mark is 23mm in diameter, 1.2mm thick, and weighs just 1 gram. The designs of the 200 and 500 Mark are similar to the 3 Mark: The denomination, date and mintmark on the obverse, the eagle on the reverse.  The legend on the reverse of the 1923 issues was changed to "EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT" (Unity and Justice and Freedom" which was the unofficial national motto.   They provide a vivid example of Germany's hyperinflation.

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GERMAN NOTGELD COINS, PAPER AND PORCELAIN

Notgeld means "emergency money" in German, and generally refers to an extensive series of locally issued coins and currency produced during and following World War I.  Notgeld was issued in paper, metal and even porcelain and other materials.  Below is a selection of this fascinating but little known collectible.

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GERMAN INFLATION POSTAGE STAMPS

Germany’s post World War I inflation is reflected in their postage stamps.  This set includes 27 different German postage stamps issued between 1918 to 1923, with values ranging from 10 Pfennig (cost of a domestic letter in 1918) to 5 Million Mark (a domestic letter cost 4 Million Mark on Oct. 20, 1923).    In order to try to keep up with the soaring rates some stamps were overprinted with new values.  The stamps in this collection are all original unused stamps however some may be slightly torn or damaged.

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REMEMBERING THE WAR

CANADA 2018 COLORED AND UNCOLORED WWI ARMISTICE COINS

Canada honored the 100th Anniversary of the World War I Armistice with two versions of circulating bi-metallic 2 Dollar coins: uncolored and colored.  Both versions have similar designs.  In the center brass plated core is a soldier's helmet, beneath it is the word "ARMISTICE" a remembrance poppy.  The colored version of the coin features the poppy in red.  Maple leaves and poppies are features in the nickel-plated outer rim, along with the words "REMEMBER" in English and French ("SOUVENIR") and the date 2018.  The Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse of the 28mm coin.

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WORLD WAR I REMEMBRANCE COINS FROM CANADA

In 1915 Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae wrote the immortal poem "In Flanders Fields".   The poem refers to the fields of red poppies that grew between the graves of the soldiers that died in the Battles of Ypres.  The poem first published anonymously in Great Britain, quickly grew in popularity throughout the English speaking world.  It was used in propaganda efforts and appeals to sell war bonds and recruit solders.  The red poppy became a widely recognized symbol to remember soldiers that died in conflicts.  In 2015 Canada marked the 100th anniversary of John McCrea’s famous poem with circulating commemorative 2 Dollar and 25 Cent coins.  The center section of the bi-metallic 2 Dollar coin depicts McCrea penning the poem.  In the background is a lark and crosses marking the soldiers’ graves.  The outer rim features poppies and Canadian Maple Leafs.  Two versions of the copper-nickel 25 cent coin were issued, one with a realistic color depiction of a red poppy.  The other features an uncolored poppy.  All three coin depict Queen Elizabeth on the obverse and are Uncirculated.

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AUSTRALIA REMEMBERS WORLD WAR I

Australia issued two $2 Dollar circulating colored commemorative coins in 2015 to honor the 100th anniversary of World War I.  Both coins were inspired by John McCrae’s famous poem In Flanders Fields and incorporate a colored circle in the design.  The first coin features a circle of crosses around a red circle, representing the red poppy.  The design was inspired by the first two lines of the poem “In Flanders fields the poppies blow. Between the crosses, row on row”  In the center are the words “Lest We Forget”.  The second depicts flying larks, surrounding orange colored rings, which represent the sunset glow, which are from the first and second stanzas of the poem. The aluminum-bronze coins are 20.5mm and have Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse

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Also see:
WORLD WAR II COINS & CURRENCY

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