The Coin Doc's Answers

Return to the Coin Doc's Answer Archive Menu

Comments:        So far so good, will let you know after I get an answer.
Name:        G. Romell
Email Address:   desertfox412@yahoo.com
-------------------------------------------------------
Question:        What might the value be on a 1923 German reichs bank note for 1,000,000 marks? 'Just curious.
Your high denomination German notes are from the great inflation of 1922-23. Money depreciated so quickly that the mark became completely worthless. The last notes of this period were one trillion mark notes that were roughly equivalent to one United States Dollar.

Today these notes are historically interesting and have a large collector base. Some notes are common and exist in dealer's stocks in large numbers. At one point, workers were being paid each hour, with their salaries increasing exponentially.  People carried their money in stacks in wheelbarrows (and worried that someone would steal the wheelbarrow). Many notes of this era survive today and are quite inexpensive and easy to acquire. Some issues existed for such a short time that they are scarce or rare.

There are two different "Eine Million Mark" ReichsBankNotes dated 25.7.1923. The first issue is dark blue on lilac with a light brown underprinting. This type has a printed back. Value Range, depending on grade (condition): $1 - $30.

The second issue is printed black on white with a yellow tint at right and is uniface.  Value range: 10 cents - $6.00.

1. Join a coin club in your area.  They often list their meetings in the local newspaper.
2. Buy or trade mail order.  See Coin newspapers and magazines (Coin World, Numismatic News, The Celator, The Bank Note Reporter, CoinAge.
3. Join the American Numismatic Association.  They are a great source of knowledge
4. See lots of coin links on the Web. (for examples see sellcoins.com)

Links to many coin publishers and organizations are available on the coinsite Links Page (www.coinsite.com/html/links.asp)

Cents without mint marks were minted in Philadelphia.  1940 cents in average circulated condition are valued at....one cent.  All cents before 1959 have the wheat ears reverse design. This has no bearing on the value of individual cents.  The 1959 Lincoln Memorial reverse commemorates the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

Dealers pay approximately $40 for uncirculated 1950 series $20 Federal Reserve Notes issued from any of the 12 FR banks. The signatures must be Clark-Snyder. Series 1950A-E are worth  a bit less.

Uncirculated means, no folds or bends or dirt smudges and the note must have 4 sharp corners. The notes will be crisp with no waviness to the paper. Notes with waviness are essentially AU (about uncirculated) and are worth about $30.  Those below this grade are currently worth their face value.

Note: If you find notes with a star by the serial number, this is a "replacement note", that is, a note that replaced a damaged note at the Bureau of Engraving.  These are worth a great deal more (approximately $250 for an Uncirculated 1950 $20 FRN * replacement).

Store the notes in individual Mylar or acetate currency holders (available by mail order or possibly from your local coin shop). DO NOT USE HOLDERS THAT CONTAIN PVC.  PVC holders are very flexible and have an almost white haze to them.  They will emit hydrogen-sulfide gas and, over a short time, will destroy paper currency (or coins).

You have a one of three Great Britain minors. The 1834 issues of King William IV show this design on the bronze penny (about US 1/2 dollar size), halfpenny (about quarter size) and farthing (about nickel size).  These coins show the bust of William IV on the obverse facing right with the Latin legend around: GULIELMUS IIII DEI GRATIA (William IV by the grace of G-d).  The abbreviated legend continues on the reverse: BRITANNIAR. REX. FID. DEF. (King of the Britains, Defender of the Faith).

The female figure of Britannia is seated facing right, her right hand on a shield on which is the cross of Britain and in her left hand a trident (symbol of Neptune, god of the sea).

In exergue (under the ground line) is a rose, flower of Great Britain. William IV had one of the shortest reigns in English History, only seven years, 1830-1837.  His niece Victoria, succeeded him, and her reign became the longest in British History (1837 -1901).

Unfortunately, most Franklin Mint products sell in the after market at close to their bullion value. They are contrived issues (This private mint decides to create or commemorate an event and then promote the medals as collectibles). Collectors often shun these.

Because there is no market doesn't mean that you couldn't sell them at some price decided by you and a potential buyer. You should figure the bullion value first (usually the silver content is listed in the literature and the fineness is listed on the edge of each medal) and add 15% as starting point for negotiations.

Note: Gold plating adds little or no value to the bullion value. The medals are usually sterling not pure silver (check the edge). Sterling is .925 silver. Precious medals are measured in troy ounces (31.1033 grams/ounce vs. 28.34 grams for an avoirdupois ounce). There are 12 troy ounces in a troy pound.

The Large Cents of 1858 and 1859 were the first decimal issues of The Province of Canada.  Dies were expensive to make and so some 1858 dies were reused to mint 1859 cents. There are several varieties of the 1859/8 cents in which collectors have an interest.  For brevity, will can consider the 9/8 has one classification.  There is also a normal "9" date and one with a normal "9" but minted in a brass alloy.  The brass issues have a strong yellow color, the bronze issues are brown or chocolate colored when oxidized and red when in new condition.

Grade, that is condition, plays a strong part in the value of these various varieties.  Below are value ranges in the grades that these coins are normally found.  Lower grade, damaged or cleaned examples are worth less, superior examples are worth more.

The prices below are in Canadian dollars:

-1859/8 Average circulated: $25 - $50  Uncirculated: $200+
-1859 Bronze Average circulated: $2 -$5  Uncirculated: $25+
-1859 Brass  Average circulated $1,000-$2,000. Uncirculated: Rare!

Note that there are other varieties with double punched  9's in the date. Collectors prize these varieties as well.  If you think that you have one of the rare varieties, you can send your coin to the American Numismatic Association for authentication.  See the Links Page for more information.

There are no United States silver cents.  However, 1943 cents were minted on steel flans and coated with zinc which gives them a silvery appearance.  Also, cents after 1982 are minted on zinc flans with a copper plating.  Sometimes the plating falls off or never adheres to the flan. 

There were no gold flans for coins at the mint in 1943. Your coin is simply plated by someone for some commercial or other purpose. Of course, if you wish to see if it is really minted in gold, simply weigh the coin.  The standard silver half dollar weighs 12.5 grams.  One minted in gold would weigh much more and would be unique. If you don't have access to a gram scale, ask your local pharmacist to weigh it for you.

There are no "silver" 1943 cents only steel cents with a zinc plating.  See the FAQ for information about 1943 cents. See the CoinSite's Coin Values page for prices for U.S. coins.

The coins were minted for collectors to help raise funds for the 21st Olympiad.  The coin shows an Ancient Greek athlete being crowned with a laurel wreath by the goddess Athena. A profile bust of Queen Elizabeth II is on the reverse.

The uncirculated issue is 14k gold and has rim denticles. The diameter is 27 mm. It was originally issued in a plastic flip in a brown sleeve. It contains a 1/4 ounce of pure gold.

The Proof issue is 22k gold,  has mirror fields and frosted devices and a slightly smaller diameter and no rim denticles. The diameter is 25 mm. It contains 1/2 ounce of pure gold.  It was issued in black case.

This gold coin was minted for Gibraltar in 1998 in the denomination of 1/10th Royal (probably your coin), 1/2 Royal and 1 Royal.  All three coins show Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain on the obverse and kissing cherubs on the reverse.

These coins are "Non-circulating Legal Tender", meaning that the coins were made only for bullion, collectors or jewelry, not for currency. The 1/10th Royal contains 1/10th of a troy ounce of gold (3.11 grams pure gold). The coin sells at a premium of approximately 20% above its gold value. There are also similar, larger size versions of this design in a one ounce silver proof and in copper-nickel.

The common circulated blue seals are currently not collectable unless they are new condition.  If they have a brown or yellow seal they are scarcer. They were used as emergency money in WW II (See the article in the FAQ called World War II Emergency Money).

There is a 1994-S silver proof set that includes a Washington silver quarter. These are usually found in a special case but it is possible to find loose if someone broke the set open and then put the coin in circulation. Dealers often break up sets in order to supply those that are putting single denomination sets together.

"California gold" with bears on the reverse are modern tokens.  Original Cal Gold have no animals on the reverse of the coin.  Most of these tokens are gold plated brass.

You have a "Bryan Dollar" made for the Presidential campaign of 1896 and 1900.  Williams Jennings Bryan ran on a platform demanding parity between gold and silver.  The Gorham company pieces were made to illustrate how much silver should be in a dollar to equal the value of gold in a gold dollar. Bryan's crusade was too late, the country was already heading for a credit system, The Federal Reserve was only thirteen years away.  Read about this period in American History to get a better understanding of this medal.

"Bryan money" is popularly collected and are considered an important part of Americana.  Besides a three time Presidential candidate, Bryan was also an Evangelist that believed in the literal interpretation of the Bible. He was the prosecutor in the landmark "Scopes Monkey Trial" (Clarence Darrow vs. William Jennings Bryan) in July of 1925 that tried science teacher John T. Scopes for teaching Darwin's Theory of Evolution in a Tennessee school.

Value Range: $150 - $400 depending on type and grade.

At the bottom of the bowl is a heavy, gold or brass colored coin, professionally mounted so that both its obverse at the bottom of the bowl and its reverse (when turned over) are visible.  The bottom of the bowl has three, small, silver, ball rests.  The coin is heavy and is 2 1/2" in diameter.  I believe from viewing your site that the coin is some type of Maria Theresa thaler; however, you have not described one like this.

The obverse of the coin has the busts of an older woman and a younger woman facing each other.  The detailing is exquisite. Above the busts are the words:  FRANCISCVS AVG. MARIA THERESA AVG.  There is a horizontal line below the busts with the names, A. WIDEMAN and G. ERLE on it (visible only through a loop - designers, perhaps).  Below the horizontal line are the words and dates:  NATVS VIII DEC.MDCCVIII NATA XVII MAI MDCCXVII.

The reverse of the coin has the bust of a man facing right (in a center medallion). Surrounding him within the medallion are the words and date: IOSEPH.ARCH.AVST.NAT.XIII MAR.MDCCXLI.  The initials A.W. and G.E. are at the bottom of the bust.

Surrounding this center medallion are 12 smaller medallions (four at the top contain the bust of a man facing right and the remaining eight contain the bust of a woman facing left).  Each of the 12 medallions contains different words and dates (only visible through a loop). Surrounding the perimeter of the reverse are the words and date: FOECVNDITAS AVGVSTORVM PATRIAE FELICITAS MDCCLVIIII.

I would love to know the purpose and age of this coin, the translation of the words, whether it is brass or gold (or gold-washed sterling), and what its value is.

This is an interesting an wonderful piece. You correctly identified Maria Theresa and the medallion also honors her husband Franz and their son Joseph.

Maria Theresa was empress of Austria from 1740-1780, Franz ruled jointly with her from 1745-1765. He died on August 18, 1865.  Maria Theresa decreed a year later (July 21, 1766) that coins would be issued with the portrait of Francis (Franz) and would be dated the year of his death.  Letters of the alphabet signified the actual year that coins were struck (i.e. 1766=A). Joseph ruled jointly with his mother from 1765-1780 and by himself after her death in 1780 until 1790.

The legends on the medallion are in Latin and say: FRANCISCVS AVG. MARIA THERESA AVG. (Their majesty Franz and Maria Theresa). NATVS VIII DEC.MDCCVIII NATA XVII MAI MDCCXVII.  (Born December 8, 1708, Born May 8, 1717).  Their son is mentioned too: IOSEPH.ARCH.AVST.NAT.XIII MAR.MDCCXLI (Joseph Archduke of Austria born March 8, 1741).

The perimeter is a group of words, not a sentence, FOECVNDITAS (fecvnditas?) AVGVSTORVM PATRIAE FELICITAS MDCCLVIIII. (Fruitfulness Majesty, Country, Happiness (or good wishes) 1759).

A.W. and G.E. (A. WIDEMAN and G. ERLE) were the designers of this medallion. Though this is not a coin, there are many medal collectors.  I will guess that this is a modern replica of a piece made in 1759.  The term "Sterling" represents .925 fine silver.  The "gold" parts of the this piece are most likely gold plate.  The type of designation "Sterling Austria" only appears on modern pieces.

All Peace Dollars are inscribed with the Roman "U" = "V".  The 1921 issue is a better date but condition plays a very strong role in its value.  Average pieces bring about $50.

The "S" mint mark. Only one punch existed to add the "S" mint mark to the production of proof coin dies.  In the late summer of 1979 the punch broke.  The punch was just about worn out anyway.  Coins struck with dies that had been stamped with the old "S" punch (Type I) had a San Francisco mint mark that looked more like a blob than a letter.  A new punch was hurriedly prepared at the Philadelphia Mint and working dies prepared with the new "S" punch have a clear "S" (Type II).

Unfortunately, the new punch was never prepared or annealed properly and by 1981 it too looked like a blob.  And so, in 1981 another punch was prepared making two varieties similar to the 1979 proofs, a filled "S" (Type I) and a clear "S" (Type II).

Because both Type II punches were put into service toward the end of the run of proofs for their respective years, there are much smaller numbers of Type II proofs and therefore they bring higher prices when offered in the market.

Mardi Gras tokens are thrown from the floats that appear in each year's Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. Groups of volunteers work all year on their float (The Krewe).  In past years some "Krewe" had their tokens minted in silver for the benefit of the members of the "Krewe".  The aluminum tokens thrown from the floats are interesting and there are collectors that try to complete sets by year. Value range for the aluminum pieces: $1 -$20. Value range for the limited edition silver tokens: $20-$50.

These Mint tokens have been included in the United States Mint sets for quite a few years. The "P" represents the Philadelphia Mint. The Denver pack has the same token but with a "D". They are struck on cent blanks. They have no specific value.

You have a series 1908 $10 silver certificate (Blue "X" on face).  This design is the successor to the 1886 and 1891 series of this note.

Thomas A. Hendricks was Vice-President of the U.S. in 1865. He is not well known to us as he only held the office for only nine months and passed away November 25, 1865 in Indianapolis where he spent most of his academic and political life. The portrait was engraved by Charles Schlecht. Because of the shape of the border around the portrait, the note is known by collectors as the "Tombstone note".

Currency is not dated every year like coins but has a series date.  The actual date range depends on the signature combinations.  There are three signitories for the 1908 series. Vernon -Treat, Vernon-McClung and Parker-Burke.

The condition (grade) of the note is very important in relation to value as competition is greatest for the highest grade examples. Value Range between Fine - Unc: approximately $80 - $2,500.  

See if you can find a coin dealer in your area.  Try the telephone book or see if you have an advertising telephone directory (yellow pages?).  Also, check the internet for people in your area that buy and sell coins.

You might also check the American Numismatic Association (see the Links Page and the The British Numismatic Directory. Most dealers around the world will belong to one or more numismatic organizations. Good luck!

Platinum and gold are almost inert, that is chemically complete. That means that it is very difficult to chemically combined those metals with other elements.  That is why they have always been revered. Virtually all the gold that has ever been mined still exists today.  Neither gold or platinum metal combined with oxygen and so will never oxidize.

Since gold is so soft, it has been traditionally mixed with other metals which imparts a hardness to the gold.  This mixture, or alloy, is not a chemical combination. Copper is often mixed with gold to create a hard alloy that is ideal for coinage (and dental crowns).  It is difficult to create a uniform mixture of copper and gold and so sometimes the copper will oxidize. The oxidation sometimes manifests itself as "copper spots" on some coins.

Fineness is a statement of the relationship of precious metal to base metal. The majority of gold coins, that traditionally were used as money, have a fineness of anywhere from .650 - .925 (65% to 92.5%).  Some modern bullion coins, such as the Canadian Maple Leaf and Chinese Pandas are not alloyed at all and are .9999 fine (that is about how chemically pure you can get). Note that alloyed one ounce bullion coins have the identical gold content as the pure bullion coins, they just weigh more.  Platinum coins are generally not alloyed.

Platinum and gold coins do not require special temperatures or storage mediums to avoid oxidation.  They will stay in their original condition indefinitely.

Brown seal National currency notes were issued by thousands of banks. They put up stock as collateral in order to be able to issue currency under the national banking system that was created after the Civil War.  There are dozens of National Banks that have the word "Chicago" in their name.  A charter number appears at the right and left of the front of the note; that is important also. In addition there are two types of 1929 National Bank Notes. Type I shows the serial numbers in brown. Type II shows the serial numbers and the charter number next to it in brown.

Condition is a very important factor in relation to value. The term "very good" to a collector represents a bank note that is in very low state of preservation.

You might want to show your note to a local coin dealer who specializes in Nationals.  He or she would be able to see the note and give you a professional evaluation based on the factors listed above.

You have a silver certificate (blue seal).  At one time this type of note was redeemable for silver coins but the convertibility ended in June of 1968.  Collectors are most interested in examples of this note that are in new condition (value about: $85). Average notes that still retain some crispness but have folds, only slightly rounded corners and no tears bring between $15-$25.