1924 Transportation Tokens - Duesseldorf

brg5658

Picked up these two lovely train/transportation tokens recently from @jdmern .

They are both aluminum and graded MS64 by PCGS. Cataloged in Opalka as Duesseldorf 1.2.1 (5 Wert-Marke) and Duesseldorf 2.2.1 (10 Wert-Marke).

I loved them largely for the horse statue engravings on the obverses done by the L. Christian Lauer company (not by Ludwig Christian Lauer himself - he died in 1873). The statue is that of "Jan Wellem" - Johann Wilhelm II - Elector Palatine (1658-1716). It is located in the Markplatz in Duesseldorf, about 2 blocks from the Rhein River.

TwoKopeiki

Those are cool. Love how much more detail is present on the 10M.

neildrobertson

I saw that statue on my trip to Duesseldorf. I suppose it has been there a while. Were these tokens intended for use?

brg5658

@neildrobertson said:
I saw that statue on my trip to Duesseldorf. I suppose it has been there a while. Were these tokens intended for use?

What I can gather is that they were issued as transportation tokens, probably for train travel. Likely issued because of the shortage of small coinage in post-WWI Germany.

The Wikipedia article noted that the bronze statue was completed in 1711, but the base was replaced in 1830.

SaorAlba

Indeed those are nice for mere transport tokens - the designs are great as is the preservation.

jdmern

@brg5658 Glad to hear you are happy with the pieces!

Around 3 years ago, I purchased the lifelong accumulation of metal Notgeld from a retired German dealer in Dusseldorf, almost 70,000 pieces. That pair was from that group. During that trip, I got to spend a week in Dusseldorf (a very beautiful city!), and saw that statue in person