Darn - I left in the car!

[AEATON-migration]

I need some help from the folks here.

 

Being in glorious Africa and all ... I am having a terrible time trying to source books on world coins - plenty on African coins ... hoping some of you can look in your's for me and give me info. Our library was donated a World Coin catalogue - but it's a 1994, and I'm not alowed to take it home with me, which means I must wait until I can take my coins and spend hours in the library - Uhhhh, not going to happen for a while (and is it even worth my trouble for info a decade old)!

 

I have a Deutche Reichpfenning. I am almost sure the date is wrong. It says it's a 1995 - now this is my uncles ww II collection, and he died in the early 80's ?? ... seems odd. There are no other coins there from the 1990's, except our own currency which my dad added more recently. Please can someone look it up. Sorry, no pics (don't even know how yet).

 

There are wheat ears on the obverse, interesting swastica-type design on the reverse. (Hell, I hope I got the side refs right - still learning here).

 

If anyone can lead me to any e-pages where I might find it, please I'd be grateful. If it's an error - what's it worth? There's very little wear, lots of wax, and some nut put a small round ding in it. What's it made of, is it worth trying to take the waxy layer off, or should I just bag it and leave it alone?

 

While you're looking - please check the current value of Rwanda Mandela 1/4oz Gold - 1990. I found someone who has one in PF70, want to make sure it's a reasonable buy.

 

Thanks

[Tbirde56]

The last official Reichpfenning or coin with a swastika emblem was minted in 1945. The mintmark letter is below the denomination number. They were made of zinc which is extremely susceptible to humidity which causes it to develop an irrevocable white 'rust'. That may be the reason someone coated it with wax as a way to preserve it.

The 2003 Krause lists the Rwanda Mandela 2000 Francs 1/4oz proof gold coin at $200.

[AEATON-migration]

Thanks Brad

$350 sounds high for the list? What do you think - is that reasonable for the grade? Should I even buy based on Grade from an e-dealer (? check the return policy huh).

 

This Reichpfenning of mine - it's not zinc (I don't think) that's a white metal isn't it? This coin is definately a bronze/copper type (yet doesn't look like either of those). It's a 10 pfenning. Swastika refers more to the shape of the design than an actual swastika (though I do have one of those in the collection - I think that's really cool). The wax is residue, not a preservation. And my memory (having left it in the car) served me wrong, the coin has been badly scraped - like on a road surface, even though there is little circulation wear on the coin. I havn't tested if it's magnetic.

 

I'll get in touch with my local book shop to import me a World Coin catalogue, I really need one.

[satootoko]

This Reichpfenning of mine - it's not zinc (I don't think) that's a white metal isn't it? This coin is definately a bronze/copper type (yet doesn't look like either of those).

KM#92 is aluminum-bronze, minted from 1936-39 at all six 20th Century mints: A Berlin, D Munich, E Muldenhutton, F Stuttgart, G Karlsruhe and J Hamburg, although not in all mints in each year. From 1940-45 KM#101 was zinc.

 

The wax is residue

A bath in pure acetone ( not the wife's acetone-based nail polish remover which has various additives) should take that off without harming the coin.

 

the coin has been badly scraped - like on a road surface

That could explain the apparent date anomoly.

 

Talk about anomolies - Krause lists B mintmarks for 1940-44 zinc coins, but in the 19th Century edition it says the Hannover Mint closed in 1878

 

I havn't tested if it's magnetic.

It won't be if it is a genuine Third Reich coin.

[Tbirde56]

The B mintmark used from 1938-44 was for Vienna.

[satootoko]

- I forgot about the anschluss.

[AEATON-migration]

Ohhhh - I can't wait to go home and bath the coin, that sounds like such a lot of fun. (and that's my own remover you'd be refering to, I am the wife)

 

No, the scraping is not the cause of the date problem, all the details are clear on the coin - but I'll look for the mint mark, I remember it being an A, stuck at the top of the coin, between the wheat, but I might be remembering another coin, so I best make sure. Metal content sounds right. I'll go look in the book I found at the library.

 

So there's no 1995 reichpfennig huh?

 

How I wish I could take a picture, what scanner must I get, anything special, minimum requirements? I know for sure my digital can't do it.