Discovered in the millions: So much D-Mark is still in circulation!

A remarkable exchange process at the Bundesbank attracted attention in 2024: A 10-D-mark note with the humorous inscription "Kussiezug for 3 days" was submitted 23 years after the introduction of the euro bar. If this appearance had been presented at an earlier time, it would have been classified and sorted out as damaged.

In 2023, citizens exchanged a total of 58 million D-Marks worth around 27.2 million euros, while in 2024 53 million D-Marks were exchanged. The crowds at the exchange points cannot be overlooked: there were a total of 98,165 exchange processes in 2024, with an average of 542 D-marks submitted. 100-D-mark notes (121,000 pieces) and 1 pfennig coins (12,600 pieces) were particularly frequently submitted.

finds from D-Mark

There are interesting finds in connection with the exchange of D-Mark: A family discovered 250 D-Mark notes in the garden design and received 4,600 euros from the Bundesbank. Another find that included 2,700 coins and 240 banknotes after a fire provided a value of 8,000 D-Mark.

Currently there are almost 163 million D-Mark notes and over 23 billion D-mark coins in circulation that have not been returned. The total value of these old currencies amounts to almost 12.2 billion D-Mark, which corresponds to around 6.24 billion euros. The majority of this value consists of coins that make up a value of 6.54 billion d-marks, while the rest is no longer available on banknotes (5.64 billion D-Mark).

Free exchange and deadlines

The exchange of old D-Mark signs and coins at the Bundesbank is free of charge and without a claim or temporal limitation. Citizens can submit their old banknotes and coins in all 31 branches of the Bundesbank or by post. It should be noted that the exchange rate for the exchange in the euro introduction was set to 1 euro = 1.95583 D-Mark. However, citizens should consider that some banknotes, such as the 2-DM coin of the first edition from 1951 as well as banknotes and coins before June 20, 1948, are not accepted for exchange.

For more information about the exchange process and the assumed currencies, the Deutsche Bundesbank refers to its website, which offers extensive details, among other things for the necessary steps for the exchange by post and the deadlines that must be observed.

For comprehensive exchange details and further information you can do the articles on Kreiszeitung Wesermarsch and Deutsche Bundesbank read.