Moneta
Registered: August 2005 Location: Arizona USA Posts: 2,365
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Anecdotally, the copper variety is much scarcer than the aluminum-bronze alloy. Other than on un-denominated medals and campaign tokens, etc., I know of no other denominated tokens featuring a portrait of Adolf Hitler [Schickelgruber]. Obverse: "HEIL HITLER" separates "DEUTSCHLANDS ERNEUERER" =[Germany's Renewer, or Restorer]; Reverse: "AVCH ICH HAB MITGEHOLFEN" = [I, too, have helped]; "OPFERPFENNIGE" = [Sacrificial Penny, or small contribution]. These 'Opferpfennige' are very rare. They were sold, probably at face value, in order to raise money for the NSDAP [Nazi] Party. These come in denominations of 30, & 50 Opferpfennige and 1 Mark.
Some new information: In general, the sale of these donation pieces was forbidden by German law before the Nazi takeover. As part of the transition or phase out of the SA (a large thuggish organization and early enforcers, or intimidators, used by the NSDAP) the SA was placed on the streets to help raise money and give them something to do for their pay. As part of this effort they sold the whole gamut medals, tokens, and opferpfennige. These particular denominated pieces are said to have been distributed primarily in Austria [D. Thompson, "World Coin News," May 13, 1991, p.26]; which is odd for being denominated in Pfennigs and Marks. Nazi activity was strong in Austria but the the country was not incorporated into Germany until 1938.
This example is about as nice as they come, Unc Red/brn. The style of the swastika used on the reverse is occasionally used by the Nazis. Also known as the Bolgar cross, Sunwheel, solar cross or Woden's cross. Used in Europe since the Neolithic era and by ancient and contemporary Native American culture to represent respectively Neopagan beliefs and the great Medicine Wheel of life.
I've obtained a copy of "Medallic Portraits of Adolf Hitler" by R.W. Colbert and William D. Hyder so I'm now able to help identify the tokens and medals of the 3rd Reich portraying Hitler. No values or mintage figures are given, but they have established the only cataloging system, contact me for info.
With this book I have ID'd this as C-24.
The early 'enforcers' of the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers Party) were the SA (Sturmabteilung, literally Storm Detachment), a brutish force that helped protect Nazi gatherings from the communists and other opposition. Later, after the SS (Schutzstaffel, or Protection Squadron) was formed, the the SA became an embarrassment, and before they were disbanded, one of their tasks was to canvas for contributions to the party. These tokens were only issued between 1929 and 1933. The SA typically gave each contributor a token of thanks for their generosity. After they were disbanded other charitable groups collected money and gave tokens of the 'Winter Help" variety. Desiring to bring these disparate charitable organizations under State control, the regime designated the Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes (WHW) as the State charitable organization and started to exert control over these other charitable groups.
The smaller organizations had street collections with the accompanying tokens until about 1936, when they were folded into the Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt (NSV) (National Socialist People’s Welfare Organization). The larger groups, such as the Deutsche Jugendherbergwerk (DJH) (German Youth Hostels) and Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK) (German Red Cross), were able to hold onto their identity and continued to have collections throughout the war, usually once a year. The other organizations tended to be special interest groups supporting a particular cause or agenda.
A word of caution...I have now seen a fake of this type of token (foreign web site). It was a copper toned 30 Opferpfennig that even appeared to be worn, however, the portrait was a simple engraving rather than the detailed kind here, of dozens I've seen and a few that I own, it's the only fake I've ever encountered.
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