Product prices

Introduction

The tables below illustrate the price of a multitude of goods, to give an idea of the price levels during the war, as well as a way to compare the costs of weapons with that of everyday goods. While the exchange rate between USD and Reichmark changed during the war, the level was around USD 0.4-0.5 for one Reichmark. One Danish Kroner was fixed at 0.5 Reichmark by the Germans on 1940-04-09.

Infantry weapons
Infantry weapons used by the German army
Artillery
Artillery used by the German army (including mortars)
German armoured fighting vehicles
Armoured fighting vehicles used by the German army
US armoured fighting vehicles
Armoured fighting vehicles used by the German army
Everyday civilian goods
Everyday civilian goods from different countries

Infantry weapons
List of the prices of infantry weapons used in the German army
Weapon Price (in Reichmark) Notes
7,92 mm Kar.98k 70 -
7,92 mm M.P.44 66 -
7,92 mm M.G.34 327
  • Price of tripod: 400 Reichmark
  • Price of Zwillingslafette 36: 1,300 Reichmark (mount for two M.G.34 for anti-aircraft purposes)
7,92 mm M.G.42 250 -
9 mm P.08 32 -
9 mm M.P.40/I 60 -
s.Pz.B.41 4,520 -
8,8 cm R.Pz.B.54 "Panzerschreck" 70 -

Artillery
List of the prices of artillery used in the German army
Weapon Price (in Reichmark) Notes
2 cm Kw.K.38 L/55 3,500 -
3,7 cm Pak 35/36 L/45 5,730 -
4,2 cm Pak 41 7,800 -
5 cm Pak 38 L/60 10,600 -
5 cm Gr.W.36 400 Without optical equipment
7,5 cm Kw.K.37 L/24 8,000 -
7,5 cm StuK 37 L/24 9,150 -
7,5 cm Pak 97/38 L/36 8,000 -
7,5 cm Pak 41 L/39 15,000 -
12,500 -
7,5 cm Pak 40 L/48 12,000 -
13,500 -
7,5 cm Kw.K.42 L/70 12,000 -
8 cm Gr.W.34 810 -
8,14 cm P.W.K.8 H.63 2,050 -
8,8 cm Pak 43 L/71 26,000 -
8,8 cm Kw.K.43 L/71 21,500 -
10 cm Nb.W.40 14,000 -
10,5 cm Nb.W.35 1,500 -
12 cm Gr.W.42 1,200 -

German armoured fighting vehicles
List of the prices of German armoured fighting vehicles
Vehicle Price (in Reichmark) Notes
Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B Approx. 38,000 Without weapons
Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b 52,640 -
Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F 49,228 Without weapons
15 cm s.I.G. auf Fgst. Pz.Kpfw.II (Sf.) 53,000 -
Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.M 103,163 Without radio
Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G 115,962 With 7,5 cm Kw.K.40 L/43
Pz.Kpfw.Panther 117,100 Early, wihtout weapons
Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.E
  • 250,800
  • 299,800
  • 645,000
  • Without weapons or radio
  • Fully equipped
  • Export price for Japan
Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.B "Tiger II" 321,500 -
Sd.Kfz.222 23,420 Withut radio
Sd.Kfz.232 57,290 Without radio
Sd.Kfz.6 30,000 -
Sd.Kfz.7 36,000 -
Sd.Kfz.8 46,000 -
Sd.Kfz.9 75,000 (later 60,000) -
Sd.Kfz.10 15,000 -
Sd.Kfz.11 22,000 -
Sd.Kfz.250 20,420 With the French 25 mm. Hotchkiss anti-tank gun
Sd.Kfz.251 22,560 -
Borgward B IV a 28,000 -
Goliath 3,000 Type unknown, manufactured april 1942
Goliath 1,000 Type unknown, with Vergasermotor

US armoured fighting vehicles
List of the prices of US armoured fighting vehicles
Vehicle Price (in USD) Notes
  • M3
  • M3A1
  • M3A2
  • M3A4
  • M3A5
 55,244 -
M3A3 54,533 -
M4(75)VVSS 49,173 -
M4(105)HVSS 46,309 -
M4(105)HVSS/T66 49,621 -
M4(105)HVSS/T80 53,391 -
M4A1(75)VVSS 47,725 -
M4A1(76)HVSS/T66 54,062 -
M4A1(76)HVSS/T80 45,814 -
M4A2(75)VVSS 45,863 -
M4A2(76)HVSS/T66 48,029 -
M4A2(76)HVSS/T80 50,928 -
  • M4A3(75)dry VVSS
  • M4A3(75)wet VVSS
 44,556 -
  • M4A3(75)dry HVSS/T66
  • M4A3(75)wet HVSS/T66
 47,003 -
  • M4A3(75)dry HVSS/T80
  • M4A3(75)wet HVSS/T80
 49,997 -
M4A3(76)wet VVSS 47,754 -
M4A3(76)wet HVSS/T66 51,066 -
M4A3(76)wet HVSS/T80 54,836 -
M4A3(105)VVSS/T80 45,776 -
M4A3(105)HVSS/T80
  • 49,088
  • 52,836
 -
M4A3E2 56,812 -
M4A4 46,467 -
M4A6 64,455 -
M7 46,365 -
M7B1 40,521 -
M10 40,906 -
M10A1 43,677 -
M12 68,904 -
M30 (T14) 42,707 -
M32 series 56,217 -
M36 51,290 -

Everyday civilian goods

Germany

List of the prices of various civilian goods from Germany
Item Price (in Reichmark) Notes
Der deutsche Sieg im Westen 0.50 Magazine about the Germany 1940 victory in western Europe
Wochenpost
  • 0.30 (1940-04-21 edition)
  • 7.00 (all editions from one year, from 1929-1938)
  • 11.00 (all editions from one year, from 1929-1938, in leather binding)
  • 8.50 (all editions from 1939)
  • 14.00 (all editions from 1939, in leather binding)
 Weekly newspaper/magazine
Im Reiche der 7000 Inseln
  • 1.20 (paperback)
  • 2.20 (hardcover)
 Book about the travels of a German millionaire, 180 pages, illustrated

USA

List of the prices of various civilian goods from USA
Item Price (in USD) Notes
Life, 1940-09-22 edition 0.10 Weekly magazine
Newsweek, 1940-05-27 edition 0.10 Weekly magazine
Newsweek, 1943-02-15 edition 0.15 Weekly magazine

Denmark

List of the prices of various civilian goods from Denmark
Item Price (in Danish Kroners) Notes
Ekstra Bladet, 1940-04-09 edition
  • 0.12 (when sold in Copenhagen)
  • 0.15 (when sold elsewhere)
  • 2.65 (monthly subscription, inside Denmark)
  • 7.75 (quarterly subscription, inside Denmark)
  • 15.50 (semi-annual subscription, inside Denmark)
  • 31.00 (annual subscription)
 Danish afternoon newspaper
Womans rubber shoe 18.50 -
Womans dress 48 -
Bicycle
  • 108 (standard)
  • 130 (special)
  • 150 (de luxe)
  • 145 (lightweight)
 Of the brand "Akadia"
Bicycle 85 Of the brand "Brighton" (imported)
Quilt
  • 23.50 (130 * 188 cm.)
  • 32.50 (coloured)
  • 45.00 (coloured, 130 * 188 cm.)
 -
Cotton blanket
  • 12.85 (125 * 185 cm.)
  • 10.85 (110 * 180 cm.)
 -

Sources

  1. HAHN, Fritz. Waffen und Geheimwaffen des deutschen Heeres 1933-1943 Band 1 & Band 2. Koblenz : Bernard & Graefe Verlag, 1987.
  2. United States Army. Army Service Forces Catalog ORD 5-3-1. 1945.
  3. Ekstra Bladet, 1940-04-09. Copenhagen : Ekstra Bladet, 1940.
  4. Newsweek, 1943-02-15. Dayton (OH) : Weekly Publications, 1943.
  5. MEUNIER, Dr. Ernst (editor). Der deutsche Sieg im Westen. München : Zentralverlag der NSDAP, 1940.

All contents written by Christian Ankerstjerne unless stated otherwise