Newbie Introduction - Seeking Advice For Third Reich / WW2 Collection

to the CCF!

In terms of value, it is easiest if you just go the the NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) website for current coin values, and PMG (Paper Money Guaranty) website for current notes. Of course these are "book value" not market value.

It is an interesting project, and it could certainly be expanded to include ALL countries that issued occupation or emergency coinage/ notes during this period. I am thinking of Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and other.

In terms of future value, this is pretty much an impossible question to answer. I believe that most of the items are fairly common in the grade shown, but collector demand is a big unknown.

That is a great choice for a collection theme! An important historic period with many interesting collectible objects, coins and banknotes just two examples.

Value wise, the French allied banknotes would be a few dollars at most, and I am guessing the same for the Italian banknotes. More than 100 million of each denomination were printed and they are not hard to find. I don't expect their value will increase much over the next few decades. The same goes for the German occupation banknotes. But I suggest you do not focus on their value or value increase, they are historical documents, each with its interesting background. If you are looking for good investments, there are better opportunities than coins and banknotes - they are high risk investments with possibly low or negative return.

Anyway, from a collector's point of view, WW2 Europe is certainly an interesting area and you have a good start with what you have there. Directions in which to extend your collection could be:
- The coins emitted by the occupied countries (as suggested by oriole). Like Germany, most countries switched from emitting coins in silver and copper to low value base metals like iron and zinc, and WW2 coins may have the same design as pre-war coins but be made in different materials.
- Local emergency money (such as in the form of low denomination paper money emitted by a town council). This existed to a certain extent, but not at all as extensively as during WW1.
- At least for France (my collection area, although mainly coins), there were special banknotes emitted by the Treasury towards the end of the war.
- Banknotes from the Allied occupation of Germany after the war. These were emitted at least by the United States and by the Soviet Union for use in the occupied zones and by France (the Treasury) for use in the occupied Saar region. There could be more, this is a bit outside of my focus area...
- Then there is all the exonumia related to WW2: bonds, postcards, posters, medals of course... depending on your preferences.

Good luck with your collection and, please, share what you find!

If you really want to know about everything out there numismaticly related you need a copy of World War II Remembered by Joe Boling and Fred Schwan published by Krause Publications 1995

Unfortunately very hard to get your hands on now. I've found about 7 copies available online right now varying from $70 to $212 a copy.