Oldenburg, Nicholas Frederick Peter, 1853-1900, 2 Mark 1891

Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Friedrich Franz IV., 1897-1918, 2 Mark 1901

Historical

Frederick Francis IV.
(* 9 April 1882 in Palermo; † 17 November 1945 in Flensburg)

He was the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the last reigning monarch in Mecklenburg.

He reigned after the death of his father in 1897 (until 1901 under the guardianship of his uncle Duke Johann Albrecht) until 14 November 1918. 

Reuss, Elder Line, 2 Mark 1892

First impression

Historical - "Henry the Naughty"

Heinrich XXII, Prince Reuss of Greiz (28 March 1846 - 19 April 1902) was the reigning ruler of the small principality of Reuss-Greiz from 1859 until his death in 1902. The Principality of Reuss (from 1778) of the older line was a small state in the east of the present-day state of Thuringia.
On 8 November 1859, Heinrich was installed as the reigning Prince Reuss of Greiz after the death of his father. At that time, however, he was only thirteen years old and his mother Caroline of Hesse-Homburg (1819-1872) took over the affairs of state until he came of age in 1867.
Like his parents, Henry was "anti-Prussian" and repeatedly opposed Prussian measures such as the so-called Kulturkampf, the introduction of civil marriage and the Civil Code (BGB), and even voted against the new reform of Otto von Bismarck's (1815- 1898) Socialist Laws, which earned Henry XXII the nickname Henry the Naughty.
Furthermore, he refused to give general decision-making powers to the powerful Hohenzollerns, although they were one of the most important dynasties of the high nobility in Europe at the time, let alone accept them at all. Thus, when asked about his relationship with the Emperor, he merely replied that they were "allies for the common defence of the German Confederation". Heinrich never missed an opportunity to antagonise the Kaiser and even refused to erect a monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I (1797-1888).
Likewise, he refused to even announce or tolerate in his principality public expressions of mourning for the deaths of Kaiser Wilhelm I and Frederick III, and forbade any celebrations of the anniversaries of the German victories of 1870. His style of government thus proved to be absolutist, very conservative and rebellious in every respect. Henry XXII ruled much more out of selfishness than out of responsibility towards his fellow men. Since he was very wealthy and most of the territory he ruled was his private property (area of 122 square miles), Reuss "only" counted around 70,000 people in his principality at the end of his reign.

Hesse, Louis IV, 1877 - 1892, 5 Mark 1888

Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig IV Karl von Hessen und bei Rhein was Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine from 1877 to 1892.

Ludwig married Princess Alice of Great Britain and Ireland (1843-1878), the second eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight on 1 July 1862. 

Braunschweig-Lüneburg, Ernst August, 1913-1918, 3 Mark 1915

Historical 

Ernst August von Hannover Duke of Brunswick, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Hanover. He was the last reigning Duke of the Duchy of Brunswick and the last reigning monarch of the House of Hanover from 1 November 1913 until his abdication on 8 November 1918.

On 24 May 1913 Ernst August married Princess Viktoria Luise, the only daughter of the Prussian King and German Emperor Wilhelm II. The marriage healed the decades-old rift between the houses of Hohenzollern and Hanover. It was also the last major meeting of European sovereigns (many of whom were descended from Queen Victoria or King Christian IX) before the outbreak of the World War. 

Saxony-Meiningen, Georg II., 1866-1914, 2 Mark 1901 D.

For the 50th anniversary of the reign. Minted only one year!

Saxony-Altenburg
5 Mark 1903 A
Av.: Duke Ernst of Saxony-Altenburg
Rs.: Eagle
Mint: Berlin

Historical:

Ernst I of Saxe-Altenburg (1826-1908) was Duke of Saxe-Altenburg from 1853 to 1908. He initially belonged to the House of Saxe-Hildburghausen, which was renamed Saxe-Altenburg shortly after his birth. Ernst studied at the University of Jena and received military training. When he married Princess Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau in 1853, Prussia's King Friedrich Wilhelm IV was also among the guests.

Ernst took over the reins of government in 1853 even before his father's death, as he was seriously ill. After his father's death in the same year, he took over the reign of the Duchy of Saxony-Altenburg as Ernst I. The duke largely kept out of politics, but was nevertheless extremely open to social problems. He simplified the state administration and developed Altenburg into an important industrial city. In 1868, he regulated by contract the course of the border with the Principality of Reuss, younger line. He also had Altenburg's town hall restored and opened the court theater and the state museum. With a military law in 1855, the monarch established the duchy's close affiliation with Prussia.

After an unusually long reign of 55 years, his nephew Ernst II of Saxe-Altenburg took over the regency after his death in 1908. Duke Ernst I was considered a close friend of all three German emperors.

For 350th anniversary of the University of Jena. Mined only one year!

Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
5 Mark 1908
Av.: Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst
Rs.: Eagle
 

Historical:

Wilhelm Ernst Karl Alexander Friedrich Heinrich Bernhard Albert Georg Hermann of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1876-1923) was the last Grand Duke of Saxony from January 5, 1901 until the November Revolution of 1918. He was the eldest son of the Hereditary Grand Duke Karl August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach from his marriage to Pauline of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Since his father had already died in 1894, Wilhelm Ernst succeeded his grandfather Carl Alexander on the throne in 1901. Due to his grandmother's fortune, the Grand Duke was considered the richest German prince of his time.

Wilhelm Ernst poured much of his considerable financial resources into promoting culture, thus creating the New Weimar.  For example, he supported the University of Jena by building the new college building according to the designs of the Munich architect Theodor Fischer. This project was probably particularly close to the prince's heart, as his former teacher Karl Georg Brandis was in charge of the associated university library from 1902 to 1926. Wilhelm Ernst also brought well-known names such as Hans Olde, Harry Graf Kessler Henry van de Velde to Weimar. Later, however, he increasingly promoted conservative Prussian forces, so that Weimar developed into a center of völkisch-nationalist artistic views.

One of Wilhelm Ernst's last official acts at the time of the November Revolution in 1918 was the appointment of Walter Gropius. Since the Soldiers' Council under the leadership of August Baudert forced the regent to abdicate, he at least wanted to ensure that the responsibility for government was placed in hands suitable for him. Thus, shortly before his resignation, the prince remarked: "I had done everything I could. I still had many good things in store."

The former Grand Prince spent his last years at his private estate, Heinrichau Castle in Silesia. After the prince's settlement, moreover, the entire inventory of Allstedt Castle was moved there. Thus, the Heinrichau estate consisted of 30 estates, which required a large administrative operation. In addition, Wilhelm Ernst's second wife Feodora von Sachsen owned a so-called hereditary estate Alt Heinrichau with three small secondary estates since 1937. Only in 1945, in the course of expropriation, the family lost these estates. Wilhelm Ernst died in 1923 at Heinrichau Castle and was buried in the park there.

Only 5 Mark gold coin of Saxony! Minted only one year in a small mintage!

Saxony
5 Mark 1877 E
Albert (1873-1902)
Av.: Albert, King of Saxony
Rs.: Eagle
Mint: Dresden

Historical:

Albert of Saxony (1828 - 1902), full name Friedrich August Albert Anton Ferdinand Joseph Karl Maria Baptist Nepomuk Wilhelm Xaver Georg Fidelis, Duke of Saxony, from the house of the Albertine Wettins was King of Saxony from 1873 until his death. He showed a great interest in the military from childhood and was trained in all branches of arms. Later, he remained attached to the military and entered active service with the Saxon army. During the Schleswig-Holstein War of 1849, he fought in the artillery and participated as a captain in the war against Denmark. He was decorated for his efforts in the first assault on the Düppeler Schanze in 1849.

With the death of King Friedrich August II in 1854, Albert attained the status of crown prince and became increasingly active in politics. He chaired the State Council and participated in the drafting of numerous new laws. In 1866 he was entrusted by his father with the mobilization of the Saxon troops, which he led in the German War against Prussia. After the defeat at the side of Austria, Saxony joined the North German Confederation in 1866. The Crown Prince took over the XII. Army Corps, as which the Saxon army was integrated into the new federal army. In the course of this, Albert also fought in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 and contributed significantly to the victory.

After the death of his father in 1873, Albert became King of Saxony. In the years that followed, he continued to integrate Saxony into the Prussian-led German Empire. The central points of his foreign policy were reconciliation with Prussia and the preservation of the federal order in the German Empire. Domestically, the king strove for a reformation of the state administration. Thus, he worked to improve the care of the army, pushed for a comprehensive tax reform in 1878, and moved the Saxon state mint from Dresden Muldenhütten in 1887. Albert also introduced three-class suffrage with the new electoral law of 1896.

In 1902, King Albert became seriously ill and was nursed for a long time at his summer residence, Sibyllenort Castle, where he also died. Since his marriage to Carola of Wasa-Holstein-Gottorp remained childless, his younger brother Georg succeeded him.