(Adds background, details)
BERLIN, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The German government's first dollar-denominated bond issue in four years will carry a volume of $4 billion, and orders for more than $10 billion have already been placed, an official involved in the deal said on Monday.
"The deal will price at mid-swaps less 25 basis points," an official at one of the banks managing the sale said.
"Order books are already in excess of $10 billion. Europe and Asia books have closed, U.S. books remain open. Pricing will be later today," the official added.
The 3-year bond will mature on Sept. 21, 2012, the official said, adding the settlement date would be next Monday.
Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and HSBC have been named to manage the triple-A-rated sale, a 144A/RegS issue that makes it suitable for qualified institutional investors in the United States.
In 2005, Germany, Europe's benchmark issuer of sovereign debt, sold a $5 billion, 5-year bond, the first time it had sold a foreign currency bond since since World War Two. (Reporting by Dave Graham and Jane Baird; editing by Chris Pizzey)