As of: February 7, 2024, 9:16 a.m
By: Melissa Sperber
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If you still find DM coins and notes and want to exchange them for euros, you can do so at the Deutsche Bundesbank.
But be careful: certain rules apply.
After around 50 years, the D-Mark (DM) became obsolete as a currency unit in Germany on January 1, 1999 - and was replaced by the euro.
That may have been a while ago, but some people still find DM notes or coins in old purses or bags.
The question quickly arises: Can the money still be exchanged today?
Exchange D-Marks into Euros – which notes and coins the Bundesbank accepts
The clear answer from the Deutsche Bundesbank: Yes – with a few exceptions.
In principle, D-Marks can still be exchanged free of charge in all branches of the Deutsche Bundesbank in 2024 or by post at the branch in Mainz.
But be careful: There are rare DM coins that have a high collector's value and should therefore not be exchanged.
The exchange rate is 1 euro for 1.95583 DM. If you're lucky, you could get rare two-euro coins through the exchange.
According to the Deutsche Bundesbank, the following notes and coins are accepted for exchange:
Banknotes from the Bank of German States (BdL)
Banknotes from the Deutsche Bundesbank
Federal coins denominated in German marks or pfennigs
No exchange possible: There are no euros for these DM coins and notes
However, there are also some DM coins and notes that can no longer be exchanged.
That applies to:
2 DM coin 1st issue (minted 1951)
Banknotes and coins issued before June 20, 1948 (e.g. Reichsmark) and GDR marks
50-Mark BdL note II (green), issued in 1948
According to the Deutsche Bundesbank, a special feature applies to the 50-mark BdL note II (green) with the date of issue in 1948.
This banknote can be submitted with a refund application to the National Analysis Center in the Mainz headquarters of the Deutsche Bundesbank or to any other branch of the Bundesbank.
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Exchanging DM coins and notes – this is how it works by post
If you want to exchange your remaining DM holdings by post, you can do so at the branch in Mainz.
To do this, the cash to be exchanged must be sent to the branch with an application form.
The Deutsche Bundesbank provides the form on its homepage, as well as the corresponding address of the Mainz branch.
However, it is important that for sums over 15,000 euros (around 29,300 DM) you must contact us beforehand.
The Deutsche Bundesbank also emphasizes that it only exchanges DM banknotes and coins for euros.
However, if the money that is to be exchanged appears to be incorrectly minted, it is worth taking a closer look.
Because: Some incorrect coinages are worth a lot.