GERMAN AFGHANI 3 PUL - Is this story true?

[akdrv-migration]

I found the following story on a dealer's website. Is it true? There is no mention in the KM catalog of this coin being minted in Berlin... Can anyone confirm or disprove this story?

 

GERMANY - AFGHANI WAR PACT AND COINS of 1937

 

Few people are aware, that just prior to World War II, the Germans set out to establish new alliances with a variety of countries, especially those middle - Eastern nations that could supply strategic materials to Germany for the war. Interestingly, Mohammad Zahir Shah came to power in Afghanistan the same year as Hitler ( 1933 ) and a close relationship developed between the 2 countries; So much so, that Germany now began offering many services to Afghanistan, such as the minting of its coins.

 

In 1937 the first all bronze 3 Pul coins were minted in Berlin. These were flown from Germany to Kabul Airport, by the only commercial company using those facilities, namely, Lufthansa DLH ( from the merger of Deutscher Aero Lloyd and Junkers Luftverkehr ), using Junkers Ju 52/3m .

 

At the outbreak of the War in 1939, Afghanistan was pressured by the Allies to break its ties with the Germans and thus, coin production contracts were no longer executed by Germany. These 3 Pul coins dated 1937 are all in uncirculated condition, with minimal exposure and represent a fascinating page of history.

[spiny]

I don't know if that story is true or not. Not being mentioned in the Krause is no indication, though. I collect the foreign coins made by the U.S. Mints and maybe half of them are noted as such in the Krause catalog. A couple are even incorrectly noted as being RCM products.

[akdrv-migration]

I sent this question to the Berlin mint. If they answer I will post the reply here.

[akdrv-migration]

Here is the reply from the Berlin Mint:

 

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Since we have no archives, we cannot help you in this affair unfortunately. Yours sincerely national mint Berlin Barbara Balz

 

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I guess the mint archives were destroyed during the war. The Afghani coin mystery remains.

 

I'll try to get in touch with one of the numismatically inclined warlords in Afghanistan...