Version of the flag of Lippe with the red rose, a symbol of the principality that appears on a lot of its coins.
History
Lippe was first mentioned as a lordship in 1123. During the Reformation the Lord of Lippe Simon V remained catholic and was awarded the title of count in 1530. In 1613 Lippe was divided in three parts: Lippe-Detmold, Lippe-Brake and Lippe-Alverdissen. Alverdissen merged with neighbouring Schaumburg-Lippe in 1644 and Brake was reunited with Lippe-Detmold in 1709. Hereafter the name of the county would just be Lippe but the name Lippe-Detmold remains prevalent.
In 1789 Lippe became a principality within the Holy Roman Empire. Following the dissolution of that empire in 1806 Lippe became a member of the Confederation of the Rhine, a French client state that existed during the Napoleonic Wars. After Napoleon's defeat Lippe was a principality within the German Confederation (1815-1866), the North German Confederation (1866-1871) and the German Empire (1871-1918).
Location of Lippe-Detmold (LD) near the southern tip of the Kingdom of Hanover during the era of the German Confederation (1815-1866).
In 1905 the house of Lippe-Detmold died out and was succeeded by the cadet branch of Lippe-Biesterfeld. The last prince, Leopold IV, abdicated in 1918 following the events of the November Revolution that ended all monarchies in Germany in the aftermath of World War I.
Currency
Lippe had several mints, of which those in Blomberg, Detmold and Lemgo produced coins until the early 19th century. The monetary system was equal to that of neighbouring Brunswick, with 1 Thaler = 24 Groschen = 36 Mariengroschen = 72 Matthiasgroschen = 288 Pfennige = 576 Heller. In 1754 Lippe joined the Vienna Convention in which a Conventionsthaler was worth 1/10 of a Cologne Mark (233.86 grams) or 1⅓ of an ordinary Thaler.
In 1838 Lippe joined a Prussian-led monetary union whereby a Thaler was worth 1/14 of a Cologne Mark. The subunits now also followed Prussia, with a Thaler equal to 30 Silbergroschen each of 12 Pfennige. Following the unification of Germany in 1871 the Mark replaced the Thaler at a rate of 3 Mark = 1 Thaler in 1873. After this only a low number of higher denominations were struck for Lippe. All Lippe coinage from 1838 onwards was produced at the Berlin mint with mint letter A.
Catalogue
Lordship of Lippe (1123-1530)
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/lippe_lordship-1.html
County of Lippe (1530-1789)
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/lippe_earldom-1.html
Principality of Lippe (1789-1918)
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/lippe_principality-1.html
