The foundation of the German Empire brought radical changes. One of them was the introduction of a new currency system and a single national currency. Instead of the many different currencies that had hitherto been minted by diverse coinage authorities, the mark currency was introduced. From now on, people in Germany paid with small coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25 und 50 pfennigs and of 1/2 und 1 mark. At that time, one taler approximately equaled the salary of a worker in Berlin. A pair of good boots cost twelve mark, and for two pfennigs one could buy a bun.