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Question about German States 3 Mark coins

AutomanAutoman Posts: 85
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
To what extent, if at all, did these coins actually circulate? It seems that they are very common in high grades, but not terribly so in lower grades. Were they more NCLTs than CLTs?

Automan
A grade is an inadequate report of an inaccurate judgement by a biased and variable judge of the extent to which a coin corresponds to an undefinable level of an unattainable state of preservation. - Never tell me that grading is science.

Comments

  • Rickc300Rickc300 Posts: 876 ✭✭
    Hmmmm.... I seem to have many very circulated pieces in my collection! image (sigh). I see many of the "commemorative" issues for sale in AU or better but not the "regular" issues. I can find a couple dozen Prussian 1911-A-100th ANNIVERSARY BRESLAU UNIVERSITY in AU or better for each regular Wilhelm 3 mark I come across in the same grade. It is the same for the Lightside stuff, Try to find a Colombian Exposition half dollar in anything lower than VF and you might be looking for a while... They were regular issues, but were hoarded by people as they found them. Much like we do with certain regular issues of today (State quarters, the "new" buffalo 5 cent pieces and even the new Washington dollars). Wait 20 years and see if you can ever find any of these in less than XF... I bet not. I have an IKE dollar in AG that is probably unique. I doubt anyone has one more worn than the one in my most worn, but still identifiable US type set.

    Yes, They were legal tender, but the special issues were hoarded and just never really circulated. People got them and hung on to them, Hence the high premium for high grade "regular" issues even with much higher mintage figures than the so called special or commemorative issues in the same grade. I have "regular" issue coins in AG to Fine so I know they were definitely circulated and used on a daily basis...
    Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed lamb contesting that vote. Benjamin Franklin - 1779

    image
    1836 Capped Liberty
    dime. My oldest US
    detecting find so far.
    I dig almost every
    signal I get for the most
    part. Go figure...
  • 3Mark3Mark Posts: 593 ✭✭✭


    << <i>To what extent, if at all, did these coins actually circulate? It seems that they are very common in high grades, but not terribly so in lower grades. Were they more NCLTs than CLTs?

    Automan >>



    Automan:

    Since I collect the German 3 mark series, maybe I can give you some background on this odd denomination. During the 19th Century, the "Vereinsthaler " was a major German coin. After the German Empire was proclaimed in 1871, the coinage system was change to the 2 and 5 mark and other minor coinage. The Vereinsthaler and the Zweivereinsthaler(double thaler) then disappeared, since they were of 3mark (Vereinsthaler) and 6mark (Zweivereinsthaler) size. It appears that the Germans missed the old Vereinsthaler and in 1908, it was coined as the 3 mark and lasted until 1933. As Rick said, these coins did circulate and regular issue are much harder in gem than the commemorative issues, which were sometimes saved as souvenirs, but still they circulated. Some of the regular issues of the 3 mark are almost unknown in gem. I personally have never seen a 1910 Hesse-Darmstadt 3 mark in gem, but have seen many in gem proof.3Mark
    I'm traveling on memory and running out of fuel.
  • AutomanAutoman Posts: 85
    Thanks for the insight. Having looked around on German eBay, many of the 1910 3Ms are surprisingly cheap in VF, when you find them.

    Automan
    A grade is an inadequate report of an inaccurate judgement by a biased and variable judge of the extent to which a coin corresponds to an undefinable level of an unattainable state of preservation. - Never tell me that grading is science.
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