World War I Coin and Banknote Collection

A conflict following the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, quickly escalated from a regional issue to World War I which spread across Europe. It pitted the Allies (primarily Britain, France, and Russia) against the Central Powers led by Germany and Austria-Hungary. The U.S. was initially neutral, but following German attacks on U.S. shipping, President Woodrow Wilson was forced to declare war against Germany on April 6, 1917. More than 4.7 million U.S. troops took part in the war on the side of the Allies.

The most significant events of World War I included the Battle of the Marne in 1914; the Battles of Ypres in 1914, 1915, and 1917; the Gallipoli campaign in 1915-1916; and the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Even though the fighting ended with an armistice on November 11, 1918, the formal end of the war was the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. The war was known at the time as “The Great War” and “The War to End All Wars.”

The Lincoln Penny in this collection was issued during the war years between 1914 and 1918. The first Lincoln Penny was issued in 1909, so this is one of the earliest coins in the series. The obverse of the coin depicts Abraham Lincoln, who led the United States to victory over the Confederate States in the Civil War from 1861-1865. The reverse is the classic and beloved “wheat ears” design that was a tribute to America’s agricultural heritage.

The German 1 Mark note was issued in the World War I era. It was printed with several colors, including the red imperial German eagle on the front; it also includes an embossed eagle design that was a security device.

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