MONEY, WEIGHTS, AND MEASURES
(507
Money and Credit.
The following table shows the value (iu thousands of marks) of the money ■coined since the foundation of the present Empire : —
Year
Gold
Silver
Nickel
Copper
Total
1893 1894 1895 1896 1897
Total (since
1872) .
Withdrawn
Surplus
110,420-9 157,282-1 107,514-0 105,602-8 126,662-4
3,234,852-3 6,226-0
8,797-1
4,487-2
7,672-4
11,421-7
507,629-9 13,405-1
2,026-1
843-9
181-6
1,522-1
1,479-4
312-0 373-4 340-9 443-2 206-5
13,651-4 0-1
121,556-1 162,986-6 115,708-9 118,989-8 128,348-3
55,614-4 3-2
3,811,748-0 19,634-4
3,228,626-3
494,224-8
55,611-2
13,651-3
3,792,113-6
The total value of thalers in circulation is estimated (1894) at about 400,000,000 marks.
The following table shoAVs the average financial condition of the note- issuing banks {Notenhanken), in thousands of marks : —
Year
Bks.
9
8 8 8 8
LlABILltlES
Assets
Capital
Reserve Fund
Notes in Circula- tion
Total Including other Lia- bilities
Coin <fc Bullion
Notes of
State &
other
Banks
Bills
Total
including
other
Assets
i 1893 1894 1895 1896
1 1897
222,672 219,672 219,672 219,672 219,672
46,026 45,986 46,229 46,347 46,648
1,158,320 1,173,629 1,273,799 1,261,611 1,266,370
1,952,739 2,018,120 2,140,014 2,107,634 2,104,279
921,735
1,013,488
1,092,220
971,640
052,563
49,930 52,710 56,898 49,929 49,621
790,370 756,160 790,673 862,518 865,698
1,962,984 2,022,199 2,141,019 2,108,847 2,105,825
' Reichskassenscheine,* small paper notes for 5, 20, and 50 marks, were in rnrculation at the end of March 1897 to the value of 120,000,000 marks. These are not legal tender.
Money, Weights, and Measures.
The Mark, of 100 Pfcnnige is of the value of 11|^., or 20-43 marks to the pound sterling The Thaler is 3 marks. Gold coins are 20, 10, and 5-mark pieces, called respectively doppel-krone, krone, and halb-krone. The 20-mark piece weighs 7-96495 grammes -900 fine, and consequently contains 7-16846 grammes of fine gold. Silver coins are 5, 2, and 1-mark pieces, and 50 and 20-pfennige. The mark weighs 5-5 grammes '900 fine, and thus contains 5 grammes of fine silver. Nickel coins are 10 and 5-pfennige pieces. There are l>ronze coins of smaller denominations.
The standard of value is gold, but old thalers are still legal tender. Other silver is legal tender only up to 20 marks.
The metrical system of weights and measures came into force in Germany on January 1, 187 2.
