GERMANY. 'Drittes Reich'. 1933-1945. Reverse die (matrix) for 5 Reichspfennig 1940 (Steel, 44 mm, 296.00 g), designed by Hans 'Mjölnir' Schweitzer (1901-1980), and revised by Otto Vogt (1912-1981) and Richard Placht (1880-1960). Berlin or Wien (Vienna). 'Deutsches Reich•1940•' Eagle standing facing, head right, with wings displayed, on wreath with central swastika (all incuse and mirrored). Beyond the die face: 5 PF. Cf. Jaeger 370 (for type). Of the highest rarity and extremely well preserved. Minor rust, otherwise, as made.



When World War II broke out, the National Socialist regime pulled vast numbers of copper and nickel coins out of circulation, redirecting the metals to the armaments industry. To cover the resulting shortage of small change, minting from that point until the regime’s end was limited to aluminum and zinc.

The die offered here was created for the new zinc 5 Reichspfennig pieces. The notorious Hans 'Mjölnir' Schweitzer produced the reverse design engraved on the die, while the Württemberg artist Otto Vogt supplied the model. In 1940 the die was reworked by Richard Placht, and in that same year an impressive number of 63,468,620 pieces of this type were struck in Vienna.