Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/963

 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Withdrawn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.