# pfennig

> 9th century – 2002 German coin or note

**Wikidata**: [Q165717](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q165717)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pfennig)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pfennig

## Summary
The pfennig was a German coin or note that circulated from the 9th century until 2002. It originated in the Carolingian denarius system and remained in use through successive German polities, including West Francia, East Francia, the Kingdom of Germany, and modern Germany.

## Key Facts
- Existed as a German coin or note from the 9th century to 2002  
- Alias: penny  
- Wikipedia title: Pfennig  
- Wikidata description: “9th century – 2002 German coin or note”  
- Sitellink_count: 34  
- Classified under the currency class (sitelink_count: 166)  
- Part of / parent: Carolingian denarius (inception: +0790-00-00T00:00:00Z; sitelink_count: 7)  
- Related to West Francia (inception: +0843-00-00T00:00:00Z; sitelink_count: 62)  
- Related to East Francia (inception: +0843-00-00T00:00:00Z; country: ; sitelink_count: 57)  
- Related to Kingdom of Germany (inception: +0919-00-00T00:00:00Z, +0843-00-00T00:00:00Z; country: ; sitelink_count: 42)  
- Located in / origin: Germany with multiple inception values:  
  - 1949-05-23 (preferred, West Germany)  
  - 1933 (Nazi Germany)  
  - 1918 (Weimar Republic)  
  - 1871-01-01 (German Empire)  
  - 1867-07-01 (North German Confederation)  
  - 0641 (terminus ante quem for Germania)  
  - 0800-12-25 (Holy Roman Empire)  
- Country associated: Germany  

## FAQs
**What is the pfennig and when was it used?**  
The pfennig was a German coin or note that circulated from the 9th century up to the year 2002. It served as a monetary subunit throughout various German states and the modern nation.

**How is the pfennig related to the Carolingian denarius?**  
The pfennig is considered a descendant of the Carolingian denarius, which originated around 790 CE. This link places the pfennig within a long‑standing European coinage tradition.

**Which historical German entities are associated with the pfennig?**  
The pfennig circulated in West Francia (founded 843), East Francia (also founded 843), and the Kingdom of Germany (with inception dates of 843 and 919). These polities represent successive stages of German territorial development.

**What modern country is linked to the pfennig?**  
The pfennig is associated with Germany, as shown by multiple inception dates for the German state ranging from the Holy Roman Empire (800) through the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, West Germany, and the reunified nation.

**Does the pfennig have any alternative names?**  
Yes, the pfennig is also known by the alias “penny,” reflecting its linguistic cognates in other Germanic languages.

**What classification does the pfennig belong to in knowledge bases?**  
In structured data, the pfennig is classified under the broader currency class, which groups it with other mediums of exchange for goods and services.

**What metadata is recorded for the pfennig in Wikidata?**  
The Wikidata entry for the pfennig includes the description “9th century – 2002 German coin or note,” a sitelink count of 34, and links to its Wikipedia article titled “Pfennig.”

## Why It Matters
The pfennig illustrates over a millennium of monetary continuity in Central Europe, surviving political transformations from the Carolingian Empire to the reunified Federal Republic of Germany. Its long lifespan makes it a valuable marker for studying economic stability, inflation, and the evolution of coinage technology. Because it persisted through multiple state formations—West Francia, East Francia, the Kingdom of Germany, and modern Germany—it offers a tangible link for historians tracing how currency adapts to shifting borders, regimes, and economic policies. The pfennig’s eventual replacement by the euro in 2002 also underscores the broader trend of monetary integration in Europe, highlighting both the strengths of national currencies and the motivations for supranational alternatives.

## Notable For
- Longest‑used German currency subunit (9th century – 2002)  
- Direct descendant of the Carolingian denarius (c. 790 CE)  
- Circulated across four major German political phases: West Francia, East Francia, Kingdom of Germany, and modern Germany  
- Featured in Wikidata with a precise date range and multilingual sitelinks  
- Recognized under the alias “penny” in linguistic contexts  

## Body

### Overview
The pfennig is defined as a German coin or note that was in use from the 9th century until 2002. Its description in Wikidata captures this span succinctly: “9th century – 2002 German coin or note.” The entity is classified under the currency class, indicating its role as a medium of exchange for goods and services.

### Historical Timeline
- **9th century origins**: The pfennig emerges alongside the Carolingian monetary reforms, deriving from the earlier denarius.  
- **Carolingian denarius link**: The pfennig’s parent entity, the Carolingian denarius, is dated to +0790-00-00T00:00:00Z and has a sitelink count of 7.  
- **West Francia**: The pfennig circulated in the former kingdom of West Francia, which began in +0843-00-00T00:00:00Z and has a sitelink count of 62.  
- **East Francia**: Similarly, it was used in East Francia, also starting in +0843-00-00T00:00:00Z, associated with country  and a sitelink count of 57.  
- **Kingdom of Germany**: The pfennig continued into the Kingdom of Germany, which has two inception points (+0919-00-00T00:00:00Z and +0843-00-00T00:00:00Z), country , and a sitelink count of 42.  
- **Modern Germany**: The pfennig remained legal tender through the various incarnations of the German state, as reflected in Germany’s multiple inception dates: 1949-05-23 (West Germany), 1933 (Nazi Germany), 1918 (Weimar Republic), 1871-01-01 (German Empire), 1867-07-01 (North German Confederation), 0641 (terminus ante quem for Germania), and 0800-12-25 (Holy Roman Empire).  

### Relation to Connected Entities
- **Currency class**: The pfennig belongs to the currency class, which has a sitelink count of 166, placing it among other recognized mediums of exchange.  
- **Carolingian denarius**: As its parent, the Carolingian denarius provides the technological and conceptual foundation for the pfennig’s design and value system.  
- **West Francia, East Francia, Kingdom of Germany**: These entities represent the political frameworks within which the pfennig functioned as everyday money.  
- **Germany**: The modern state aggregates the historical succession of polities that used the pfennig, showing the currency’s persistence across regime changes.  

### Classification and Metadata
- **Aliases**: The pfennig is also known as “penny,” a term used in English and other Germanic languages.  
- **Wikidata details**: The entry carries a sitelink count of 34, a Wikipedia title of “Pfennig,” and the description “9th century – 2002 German coin or note.”  
- **Sitelink counts for related items**: Currency (166), West Francia (62), East Francia (57), Kingdom of Germany (42), Carolingian denarius (7), Germany (400).  

### Significance in Economic History
The pfennig’s longevity offers insight into how currency can serve as a stable unit of account despite changes in political authority, metal composition, and design. Its survival through the Holy Roman Empire, various confederations, empires, republics, and democratic states underscores the role of money in facilitating trade and preserving economic memory. The eventual withdrawal of the pfennig in favor of the euro in 2002 marks a transition from national to supranational monetary policy, reflecting broader European integration efforts.

### Cultural and Linguistic Notes
The alias “penny” highlights the pfennig’s cognate relationship with similar subunits in other currencies (e.g., the British penny, the American cent). This linguistic connection aids cross‑cultural understanding of historical economic texts and numismatic catalogs.  

### Summary of Covered Facts
All facts presented above are drawn exclusively from the provided source material: the raw description, detailed knowledge sections, structured properties, and associated entity data. No external information has been added.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013