A ''Scherf'' (also ''Schärff'' or ''scharfer Pfennig'' = "sharp ''pfennig''") was a low-value silver coin used in

Erfurt Erfurt () is the capital and largest city in the Central German state of Thuringia. It is located in the wide valley of the Gera river (progression: ), in the southern part of the Thuringian Basin, north of the Thuringian Forest. It sits in ...

and other cities of the Holy Roman Empire from the Middle Ages to the 18th century. The name was later also given to a copper coin with a value of about half a '' pfennig''. The simple ''scherf'' was only rarely minted; coins of 3, 6 and 12 scherf were more common, most recently in 1777 in Lüneburg.

Name

The Old High German name ''Scherf'' and Middle High German ''scerpf'', ''scherpf, scherff'', or ''scherf'' are probably related to the Middle High German words ''scherben'' and ''scharben'' which mean "to cut in" and are therefore associated with ''Scherbe'', "shard" or "fragment". These silver pennies had predetermined breaking points so that they could be physically divided into smaller values which, after being broken off, became "shards". If necessary, a 1-''pfennig'' piece could simply be divided into two halves, hence the naming ''Helbing, Hälbling, Helblinger'' or ''Helling'' ("halfling"). However, the ''scherf'' should be distinguished from the ''heller'', although this was also worth half a ''pfennig'' at times. The ''Hälbling'' often appears under the name ''Obol'' or ''Obolus'', but should not be confused with the ancient Greek '' obolus''.

''Scherflein'' and ''verscherbeln''

''Scherflein'' is the diminutive form of ''Scherf''. This term has survived to this day in a

idiom An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. Categorized as formulaic language, ...

that goes back to Martin Luther's Bible translation : "''sein Scherflein zu etwas beitragen''" ("his mite to contribute something"). This refers to a small but commendable contribution. The expression ''verscherbeln'' meaning "sell below value" is possibly also derived from Late Middle High German ''scher(p)f''.Duden online
''verscherbeln'' = "sell"
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References

Literature

* Franz Appell: ''Zur Münzgeschichte Erfurts. Beiträge zum Erfurter Münzwesen''. In: ''Mitteilungen für die Geschichte und Altertumskunde von Erfurt'' 24, 1903 and 53, 1940. {{Pfennig Pfennig Silver coins Copper coins Coins of the Holy Roman Empire