View source for Groschen

{{Short description|Name of various coins, often in Central Europe}}
[[File:Barile.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|''Barile'' (large groschen), [[Florence]], 1506]]

'''Groschen''' ({{IPA|de|ˈɡʁɔʃn̩|lang|De-Groschen.ogg}}; from {{langx|la|grossus}} "thick",  via  [[Old Czech]] ''{{lang|cs|groš}}'') is the (sometimes colloquial) name for various [[coin]]s, especially a [[silver coin]] used in parts of [[Europe]] including [[Kingdom of France|France]], some of the [[Italian states]], and various states of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. 

The word is borrowed from the late Latin {{lang|la|grossus denarius Turnosus}}, {{gloss|thick [[denarius]] of [[Tours]]}}, a description of a ''[[tornese]]''.<ref>[[Wolfgang Pfeifer (etymologist)|Wolfgang Pfeifer]]: ''Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen.'' Akademie, Berlin 1989 and other editions, s.&nbsp;v. ([https://www.dwds.de/wb/Groschen#et-1 online]); ''[[Etymological Dictionary of the German Language]].'' Revised by [[Elmar Seebold]]. 25th, reviewed and expanded edition. De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston 2011, s.&nbsp;v.; Arthur Suhle: ''Kulturgeschichte der Münzen.'' Battenberg, München 1969, p.&nbsp;117. – According to another thesis by Arthur Suhle: ''Deutsche Münz- und Geldgeschichte von den Anfängen bis zum 15.&nbsp;Jahrhundert,'' Battenberg, Munich, 1964, p.&nbsp;157 this description may refer to the double cross = ''crossus'' of the original coinage, which appeared on very many coins of this type until about 1500 und was then later replaced by the imperial apple with the number 24 until the 18th century.</ref> ''Groschen'' was frequently abbreviated in old documents to ''gl'', in which the second character was not an ''[[L]]'' (12th letter of the alphabet), but an abbreviation symbol; later it was written as ''Gr'' or ''g''.

== Names and etymology ==
[[File:Groschen.jpg|thumb|upright|[[State of the Teutonic Order|Teutonic Order]] groschen of the 14th century]]

The name was introduced in 13th-century France as ''{{lang|la|[denarius] grossus}}'', lit. "thick [[French denier|penny]]", whence Old French ''{{lang|fro|gros}}'', Italian ''{{lang|it|grosso}}'', Middle High German ''{{lang|gmh|gros(se)}}'', Low German and Dutch ''{{lang|nds|grōte}}'' and English ''[[groat (coin)|groat]]''.  In the 14th century, it appeared as [[Old Czech]]  ''{{lang|cs|groš}}'',<ref>[http://germazope.uni-trier.de/Projects/WBB/woerterbuecher/dwb/wbgui?lemmode=lemmasearch&mode=hierarchy&textsize=600&onlist=&word=groschen&lemid=GG25804&query_start=1&totalhits=0&textword=&locpattern=&textpattern=&lemmapattern=&verspattern=#GG25804L0 ''Groschen''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110418040650/http://germazope.uni-trier.de/Projects/WBB/woerterbuecher/dwb/wbgui?lemmode=lemmasearch#GG25804L0 |date=2011-04-18 }} in the Grimm online dictionary</ref> whence Modern German ''{{lang|de|[[:wikt:Groschen|Groschen]]}}''.

Names in other modern languages include:

* {{langx|sq|grosh}}
* {{langx|am|gersh}}
* {{langx|ar|qirsh}}
* [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]], [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]], [[Russian language|Russian]],  [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]], [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]: грош
* [[Czech language|Czech]], [[Slovak language|Slovak]], [[Serbo-Croatian]]: ''groš''
* {{langx|nl|groot}}
* {{langx|et|kross}}
* {{langx|fr|gros}}
* {{langx|el|γρόσι}}
* {{langx|he|grush}}
* {{langx|hu|garas}}
* {{langx|lt|grašis}}
* {{langx|pl|grosz}}
* {{langx|ro|groș}}
* {{langx|yi|גראָשן}} (''{{lang|yi-Latn|grošn}}'')
* {{langx|tr|kuruş}}

The Arabic, Amharic, Hebrew, Greek and Turkish names for currency denominations in and around the territories formerly part of the [[Ottoman Empire]] derived from the same Italian origin.

== History ==
[[File:Groschen.tirol.wmt.jpg|thumb|Tyrolean groschen of 1286]]

=== Middle Ages ===
[[File:Fürstengroschen Balthasars, Freiberg, Krug 540-1, CNG.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|A ''Fürstengroschen'' of Landgrave Balthasar of Thuringia from the Freiberg Mint, 1405–1406]]

Names like ''groschen'', ''grossus/grossi'', ''[[Venetian grosso|grosso]]'', ''grossone'', ''grosz'', ''gros'', ''groš'', ''[[groat (coin)|groat]]'', ''Groten'', ''garas'' etc. were used in the Middle Ages for all ''thick'' [[silver coin]]s, as opposed to ''thin'' silver coins such as ''{{lang|fr|[[French denier|denier]]s}}'' or [[pennies]]. Historically it was equal to between several and a dozen ''{{lang|la|[[denarius|denarii]]}}''.

In the German-speaking world, the groschen was usually worth 12 pfennigs; many regional (small) groschen e.g. ''Neugroschen'', ''[[Groten]]'' (plural: Grote) in northern Germany, English: groat, ''Mariengroschen'', ''Grösch(e)l'' were worth between 2½ and 10 pfennigs. The later ''[[Kreuzer]]'', a coin worth 4 pfennigs arose from the linguistic abbreviation of the small ''Kreuzgroschen''.

The groschen was first introduced into the [[Holy Roman Empire]] in 1271 by Duke [[Meinhard, Duke of Carinthia|Meinhard II]] of [[County of Tyrol|Tyrol]] in [[Merano]] after [[Republic of Venice|Venice]] struck her first 2,1 gr. silver grosso in 1192. It was originally a solid coin of pure [[silver]], larger than the [[denarius]] which was no longer valid. In essence, it took the place of a variety of the older ''[[pfennig]]s'', whose silver purity had inflated their value over the centuries. According to one source, the city of [[Trier]] is said to have struck groschen-like, thick pfennigs as early as 1104, which were then followed in 1300 by the [[Bohemian groschen]] from [[Kuttenberg]]. The new coin soon inspired other 'mint lords' (''Münzherren'') and was given, not least for reasons of economic necessity, a higher face value in the [[Early Renaissance]] period. Upper Italian coins of multiple pfennig value in the High Middle Ages were similarly called ''Grossini'' (cf. also ''[[Schilling (coin)|Schilling]]'').

The 1286 Tyrolean example (above right) weighs {{convert|1.45|g|gr|abbr=off}}, it is marked with ''ME IN AR DVS'' (for "Meinhard") and a [[Patriarchal cross|Double Cross]] ([[obverse and reverse|obverse]]), and with ''DUX TIROL'' and the [[Eagle (heraldry)|Eagle]] of Tyrol (reverse).

In 1328 Emperor [[Louis IV (HRR)|Louis IV, the Bavarian]], authorised Count [[Adolf VI of Berg]] to mint [[tornese]]s in [[Wipperfürth]]. The oldest groschen in the area that is now modern [[Germany]] were minted there until 1346.

Following the example of the Tours ''Grossus'', the [[Prague groschen]] or groš was minted in [[Kuttenberg]] and, around 1338/1339, the [[Meissen groschen]] in [[Freiberg]]'s National Mint in the [[Margraviate of Meissen]]. Both coins gained importance throughout the empire and had a strong influence on German coinage. ''Groschen'' valued at 12 pfennigs were common. The [[Poland|Polish]] groschen or ''grosz'' was worth only half as much – 6 pfennigs – and was commonly used in [[Silesia]] as a ''grosch(e)l'' or ''gresch(e)l'' worth just {{fraction|2|1|2}} to 3 pfennigs.

The 'prince's groschen' (''Fürstengroschen'') set a record in terms of the devaluation of the Meissen groschen. When this groschen was introduced in March 1393, its value was 23 {{fraction|2|5}} of a [[Rhenish guilder]]. In 1406, the devaluation of these coins reached its peak: 53 groschen were now equal to 1 Rhenish guilder.<ref>Walther Haupt: ''Sächsische Münzkunde'' (1974), p. 67: 53 Groschen auf den rheinischen Gulden</ref>

The groschen was minted during the [[Middle Ages]] in the following areas:

* [[Republic of Venice|Venice]] (from 1193)
* [[County of Tyrol|Tirol]] (from 1271)
* [[Edward I of England|England]] (from 1279, the [[groat (coin)|groat]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/fourd.html |title=Four Pence |work=Coins of England and Great Britain |author=Tony Clayton |date=20 September 1997 |archive-date=7 October 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19971007151554/http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/fourd.html }}</ref>
* [[Bohemia]] (from 1300, the [[Prague groschen]], later adopted by most of the [[Central Europe]]an countries)
* [[Poland]] (from 1367, the [[Kraków grosz|Cracow {{lang|pl|grosz|nocat=y}}]], {{convert|3.2|g|gr|abbr=off}} of silver, an equivalent of 12 [[denarius|denarii]])
* [[Moldavia]] (from the reign of [[Petru I of Moldavia|Petru I]], 1375–1391)
* The type was also minted during various times in the [[Duchy of Luxembourg]], such as the 22 millimetre {{frac|2}} gros produced from 1418 to 1425 under [[John III, Duke of Bavaria|John III the Pitiless]], Duke of Bavaria, bearing slightly varying inscriptions of "IOAH DVX BAVAR Z FILIVS" on the obverse, and "MONE NOVA LUCE BURS" on the reverse.<ref>http://numisbel.be/1866_11.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>

=== Early modern period ===
[[File:Grotenabkürzung.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Abbreviations for groschen or ''groten'' in 19th century literature]]

{{Mehrere Bilder
| footer = Last convention groschen for the Duchy of Gotha, 1837, Gotha Mint
| width  = 110
| image1 = Groschen-Gotha-1837-av.jpg
| image2 = Groschen-Gotha-1837-rv.jpg
}}
{{ Mehrere Bilder
| footer = An 1863 ''[[Neugroschen]]'', worth 10&nbsp;pfennigs, 30&nbsp;made a thaler (diameter = 18&nbsp;mm, Dresden Mint)
| width  = 110
| image1 = Groschen, 1863 Dresden VS.JPG
| image2 = Groschen, 1863, Dresden RS.JPG
}}

Later the tradition of {{lang|de|Groschen}} was dropped in most states while others continued to mint only coins smaller than the original coin. In Poland for example, from 1526 these included coins of {{frac|2}} {{lang|pl|grosz}}, 1 {{lang|pl|grosz}}, {{frac|1|1|2}} {{lang|pl|grosz}}, 2 {{lang|pl|grosz}}, 3 {{lang|pl|grosz}}, 4 {{lang|pl|grosz}} and 6 {{lang|pl|grosz}}. Their weight steadily dropped to {{convert|1.8|g|gr|abbr=off}} of silver and since 1752 they were replaced by copper coins of the same name.

{{ CSS image crop| bSize=200 |cWidth=200 |cHeight=140 |oTop=0 |oLeft=0 |Location=right
| Image       = GER-COL-S-1452-Prussia-Siege of Kolberg-4 groschen-1807.jpg
| Description = Emergency issue currency for the [[Siege of Kolberg (1807)]], 4 {{lang|de|groschen}}
}}

In [[Germany]], the name ''{{lang|de|Groschen}}'' (both singular and plural) replaced ''{{lang|de|Schilling}}'' as the common name for a 12 {{lang|de|[[pfennig]]}} coin. In the 18th century it was used predominantly in the northern states as a coin worth {{frac|24}} of a {{lang|de|[[Reichsthaler]]}} (equal to {{frac|32}} of a {{lang|de|[[Conventionsthaler]]}}). In the 19th century, a new currency system was introduced in which the {{lang|de|Groschen}}, often under a new name to distinguish it from the old, was worth {{frac|30}} of a {{lang|de|[[Thaler]]}} or {{lang|de|Taler}}. This began in 1821 in [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]], where the coin was called  the {{lang|de|Silbergroschen}} (Sgr) and was worth 12 pfennigs. [[Kingdom of Saxony|Saxony]] followed in 1840 with the {{lang|de|[[Neugroschen]]}} (ngr), also {{frac|30}} of a thaler, but subdivided in 10 (new) pfennigs.<ref>Heinz Fengler, Gerd Gierow, Willy Unger: transpress Lexikon Numismatik, Berlin 1976. In German.</ref><ref>Paul Arnold, Harald Küthmann, Dirk Steinhilber: Großer deutscher Münzkatalog von 1800 bis heute, Augsburg 1997. In German.</ref> Silesia and Bohemia introduced the white groschen (''Weissgroschen'') in 1821 at the same time as Prussia. Frederick William III of Prussia could not yet decide on the consistent introduction of the decimal system. In order to be able to distinguish his new pfennig' from the old ones, they were called ''Pfenninge''.

The last German ''Kurantgroschen'' with a face value equalling the silver content value were issued in the Kingdom of Saxony in 1827 and 1828, and in the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1837. These were based on a [[monetary standard]], the ''[[Konventionsfuß]]'', of the state, according to which the [[silver]] contained in 320 groschen was equal to the weight of a [[Cologne Mark]] (233.856&nbsp;grammes).

An exception in relation to the value of [[thaler]] coins is the series of 'butterfly coins' (''Schmetterlingsmünzen'') in the [[Electorate of Saxony]]. All these coins only show their value in groschen; the usual abbreviation for groschen used in the everyday correspondence being used for the denomination on the coins. Likewise, the abbreviation for groschen used in the written word was stamped on the Electoral Saxon golden ''Reichsgulden zu 21 Groschen'' of 1584. In this case, it was probably intended to express the fact that it is a [[coin of account]] (''Rechnungsmünze''). Another special case is the ''Kipperthaler'', on which the value in groschen (or ''Kreuzer'') is also stamped to circumvent the [[Imperial Minting Ordinance]] (''Reichsmünzordnung''). Also interesting are thalers, which were minted in denominations of 28 and 24 groschen without differences in design and size. For example, the 24 groschen ''Hosenbandtaler'' were also coins of account, which is sometimes not recognized.

Following [[Unification of Germany|German unification]] and [[decimalisation]], with 100 pfennigs to the [[German mark (1871)|mark]], the groschen was replaced by the 10 {{lang|de|pfennig}} coin and {{lang|de|groschen}} remained a nickname for the 10 {{lang|de|pfennig}} coin until the introduction of the [[euro]]. For the same reason, the name ''{{lang|de|Sechser}}'' (sixer) remained in use regionally for the half-{{lang|de|groschen}} coin, 5 {{lang|de|Pfennig}}s.

There is a [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]] [[rondo]] for piano, opus 129 (1795) entitled "{{lang|de|Die Wut über den verlorenen Groschen}}" (literally "The Rage Over the Lost Groschen", but known as "[[Rage Over a Lost Penny]]"). Also [[Die Dreigroschenoper]], [[Kurt Weil]], [[Bertold Brecht]]

== Modern currencies ==
[[File:Austria2Grosze1925.jpg|thumb|Austrian 2 {{lang|de|Groschen}} coin, 1925]]
[[File:1 grosz 1927.jpg|thumb|1 {{lang|pl|grosz}} coin, [[Second Polish Republic]], 1927]]

In recent times, the name was used by three currencies in circulation:

* In [[Poland]], a ''{{lang|pl|grosz}}'' (plural: ''{{lang|pl|grosze}}'' or ''{{lang|pl|groszy}}'', depending on the number) is a {{frac|100}} part of a {{lang|pl|[[Polish złoty|złoty]]}}
* In [[Austria]], a ''{{lang|de|Groschen}}'' (plural: ''{{lang|de|Groschen}}'') was a {{frac|100}} part of a ''{{lang|de|[[Austrian schilling|Schilling]]}}'' (1924–38 and 1945–2001)
* In Turkey, a ''[[kuruş]]'' is a 1/100 part of ''lira.''

Likewise, in [[Germany]] groschen remained a slang term for the 10 pfennig coin, thus a {{frac|10}} part both of the (West German) [[Deutsche Mark]] and the [[East German mark]]. The word has lost popularity with the introduction of the [[euro]], although it can still be heard on occasion, especially from older people.

The Ukrainian and Belarusian common word for money, ''{{lang|uk-Latn|hroshi}}'', derives from the word "grosh".

In [[Bulgaria]], the ''{{lang|bg-Latn|grosh}}'' ([[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]]: {{lang|bg|грош}}) was used as a currency until the [[Bulgarian lev|lev]] was introduced in the 19th century.

In [[Mandatory Palestine|Palestine]] during the British Mandate, a ''grush'' was a coin with a hole in it, valued at {{frac|100}} part of [[Palestine pound|a pound]] (ten [[Mill (currency)|mils]]).  It was named after an Ottoman coin.  When the pound was replaced by the ''lira'' after [[Israel]]i statehood in 1948, the name was transferred to a coin (no longer with a hole) worth {{frac|100}} of a lira (ten perutot, later one agora). The name persisted for a while after the lira was replaced by the ''shekel'' in 1980 (one new agora, worth ten old agorot), but it gradually lost its standing as the name of a certain coin. Now it is slang for a very small value.<ref>Philologos (pseudonym), "[http://www.forward.com/articles/7191/ Money Hole]", ''The Forward'', November 28, 2003.</ref>
  
[[Austria]] introduced the groschen in 1924 as the subdivision of the {{lang|de|[[Austrian schilling|schilling]]}}. It was restored, along with the {{lang|de|schilling}}, in 1945 and continued in use until the introduction of the [[euro]] in 2002.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Money}}
* [[Kuruş]]
* [[Gros (coinage)]]
* [[Groat (coin)]]
* [[Venetian grosso]]
* [[Coinage of Saxony]]
* [[The Threepenny Opera]]

== References ==
{{commonscat}}

{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Groschen}}

[[Category:Currencies of Germany]]
[[Category:Currencies of Poland]]
[[Category:Medieval currencies]]
[[Category:Early Modern currencies]]
[[Category:Modern obsolete currencies]]
[[Category:Coins of the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Groschen| ]]