Double Date German coin

1940coupe · April 30, 2017 5:38PM

any idea what its worth ? should I get it slabbed ?

neildrobertson · May 8, 2017 8:58PM

As far as I know there isn't a a comprehensive resource on German coins errors. You'd have to be an error collector or have a lot of back issues on German coin periodicals to assess relative rarity. The Jaeger catalog lists a couple notable errors, but nothing like minor errors like this.

Guy Franquinet might be the biggest dealer in German error coins. I checked his shops online inventory and they didn't have one of these. But generally, the doubled year coins they had weren't super high values.

I'd say this is a neat thing to have and I couldn't justify slabbing an otherwise average coin. The type of collector that values this type of error coin is also going to be a collector that likely doesn't value TPG slabs. The TPG wouldn't really do much to authenticate the error since they likely don't have much special expertise on German error coins, particularly at a US grading office. This expertise is rare even in Germany.

lordmarcovan · May 9, 2017 2:43AM

Neat coin. The doubling is pretty dramatic.

I did a quick search on MA-Shops for Third Reich errors and found a few, but none with doubling.

I believe @Broadstruck knows at least a little bit about 20th century German errors, and certainly has some collecting experience. All of the German errors I've owned thus far were from the Weimar Republic period (i.e., 1920s), when I think their mint quality control standards were down a bit. How they were in 1938, just before the war, I don't know.

As @neildrobertson suggested, Guy Franquinet might be the authority here. Some of the listings I saw in that MA-Shops search were his.

Broadstruck · May 9, 2017 4:53AM

Well it's not double struck so it's just die or strike doubled.

It's neat, somewhat scarce, worthy of a premium, but not a major error worthy of slabbing fees.

You could email Guy for more info as he has a gal that works for him that's fluent in English.

YQQ · May 9, 2017 7:54AM

Guy would be the only person in the EU IMO.
He is the only person in Germany who is appointed by the German court system to give a legal and qualified opinion and appraisal for of coins from a few certain time periods, including errors and varieties. He also buys these and pays well.

Stork · May 9, 2017 10:08AM

I have absolutely nothing useful to add, but if 4 guys in a row recommend Guy then I'd check the guy out.

(Sorry, couldn't resist).

asheland · May 10, 2017 6:52AM

That's some nice doubling!

1940coupe · May 10, 2017 2:50PM

thanks for everyone's input sent Guy Franquinet email this was reply you can sell your coin here: http://www.muenzauktion.info/ so dont know about this ?

YQQ · May 11, 2017 2:41PM

Muenzauktion is the auction section for MA-Shops. I looked at it numerous times and decided it is not for me as simply said: the clientele is not there. I have only checked what they have up on Canadian content. a lot of low, very low cost items.

seanq · December 5, 2017 9:35AM

Just stumbled across this post, and I own an example of the variety in the OP. The reverse isn't shown but I'm certain this is a 2 Reichspfennig from Munich (D mint mark). This is a major doubled die, by the old CONECA system it would be a Class V pivoted hub with rotation clockwise from K-10. There are at least two other minor DDOs for this coin, which I found while trying to cherrypick the major variety.

What originally brought this coin to my attention was an example listed on eBay in the World Coin errors, it ran there for a long time with no action before suddenly selling for the full asking price of nearly $240. I decided to start looking for one for myself, eventually I found one in a bulk lot of world errors marked simply as "doubled date".

What got me looking for it again today is a coin I bought last week, again off eBay, which I thought was a second example but turned out to be a 5 Reichspfennig with a very similar and strong doubled die. The 1938 D 5 Rpf coin is also a class V with a pivot at K-10, but the doubling is counterclockwise.

I have no idea what the value might be for the OP's coin today. I have to believe the iconography and history surrounding the Third Reich issues will hold down collector interest and value despite the eye catching variety. If you are interested in collecting these, I can tell you that there are many strong doubled dies on coins from the Munich mint, even going back into the Weimar issues in the 1920s.

Sean Reynolds

Double Date German coin

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