Mark

MARK, a word of which the principal meanings are in their probable order of development-boundary, an object set up to in dicate a boundary or position ; hence a sign or token, impression or trace. See MARK SYSTEM.

Mark, in the monetary sense, was until recently (see below) the name of a German silver coin, and as such is probably a distinct word and not of Teutonic origin ; it is found in all Teutonic and Romanic languages, Latinized as marca or marcus. The mark was originally a measure of weight (varying during the middle ages, but c. 8oz.) for gold and silver only and was common throughout Western Europe (see Du Cange, Gloss. med. et infim. Lat. s.v. Marca for a full list). In England the "mark" was money of ac count only, and apparently came into use in the loth century through the Danes. It was first taken as equal to rood., but after the Norman Conquest was equal to i6od., (god. to the oz.) = two

thirds of the pound sterling, or 13s.4d., and therefore in Scotland 134d. English; the mark (merk) Scots was a silver coin of this value, issued first in 1570 and afterwards in 1663.

The pre-war German

mark was adopted in 1873, and first issued in 1875, as the standard of value and the money of account. It was of the value of 6.146 grains of gold, goo fine, and was equal to English standard gold of the value of 11.747d. (in New York 23.821 cents). After the collapse of the mark (see GERMANY; CURRENCY; REICHSBANK ) the mark was replaced in 1923 by the rentenmark, issued by the newly founded Rentenbank, and in 1924 by the reichsmark, issued by the Reichsbank, both of the same nominal value as the mark ; the reichsmark is a nickel coin; the rentenmark is paper only, 5 being the lowest denomination.