The (,
German mark, abbreviated "DM") was the official
currency of
West Germany (1948–1990) and unified
Germany (1990–2002) until the adoption of the
euro in 2002. It is commonly called the "
Deutschmark" in English but not in German. Germans often say or . It was first issued under
Allied occupation in 1948 replacing the
Reichsmark, and served as the
Federal Republic of Germany's official currency from its founding the following year until 1999, when the mark was replaced by the
euro; its
coins and
banknotes remained in circulation, defined in terms of euros, until the introduction of euro notes and coins in early 2002. The Deutsche Mark ceased to be
legal tender immediately upon the introduction of the euro — in contrast to the other
Eurozone nations, where the euro and legacy currency circulated side by side for up to two months. Mark coins and banknotes continued to be accepted as valid forms of payment in Germany until 28 February 2002. However, in 2012, it was estimated that as many as 13.2 billion marks were in circulation, with polls showing a narrow majority of Germans favouring the currency's restoration.