5 Cents / 5 Fen - Wilhelm II
Obverse
Four Chinese ideograms within a beaded circle, all surrounded by more ideograms.
Lettering: 島青 大 寶國 德 分伍 元壹洋大當枚十二每
Reverse
The Imperial German Coat-of-Arms (including an anchor) separating the value and surrounded by legend.
Lettering: DEUTSCH· KIAUTSCHOU GEBIET 5 CENT 1909
Basic Information
Category
Coin
Ruler
William II (Wikidata)
Technique
Milled
Orientation
medal
Demonetization
Yes (Date: 1914-11-07)
Issuing Entity
Deutsch Asiatische Bank
Face Value
5 Cents (Numeric: 0.05)
Engravers
Obverse
Paul Sturm
Reverse
Otto Schultz
Physical Characteristics
Composition
Copper-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel)
Weight
2.99 g
Size
18.5 mm
Thickness
2 mm
Shape
Round
Technical Details
Obverse Lettering
島青 大 寶國 德 分伍 元壹洋大當枚十二每
Reverse Lettering
DEUTSCH· KIAUTSCHOU GEBIET 5 CENT 1909
Market Prices by Year
| Date | 1909 |
|---|---|
| Mint | - |
| Mintage | 610,000 |
| G | - |
| VG | - |
| F | - |
| VF | 97.00EUR |
| XF | 136.00EUR |
| AU | 236.78EUR |
| UNC | 1,129.12EUR |
Comments
This was issued by the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank in October 1909 to cope with market confusion arising from the currency exchange between the Mexican 8 Reales (which Chinese merchants commonly used) and the Deutsche Mark. By circulating Kiau Chau coins, Chinese merchants were able to exchange at the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank for a Mexican 8 Reales (as 1 Yuan), preventing the exchange problem. It is statutory that local authority had unlimited obligation to exchange all Kiau Chau coins for Mexican 8 Reales, and may not refuse any Kiau Chau coins for transactions within 3 Yuan. When Tsingtao was occupied by Japanese military on November 7, 1914, the Kiau Chau coins ceased to circulate.
