Author Archives: Dev Ann Dunsford

Germany – 2 Reichsmarks Coin

Country or Region: Germany

Year: 1937

Created from: 1936-1939

Value: 2 Reichsmark

Weight: 8 g

Diameter: 25 mm

Composition: Silver (0.625)

Estimated Modern Value:

Obverse

2 Reichs
Mark
Deutsches Reich 1937

 

Reverse:

1847-1934 Paul von hindenburg

 

Edge Inscription:

Gemeinnutz geht vor Eigennutz

 

Translation:

Common good takes priority over self-interest

 

Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934)

Son of a Prussian officer and a middle-class mother, Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg was born in Posen, Prussia (now Poznań, Poland). His first military service began when he just only 11 years old as a cadet in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Although he retired as a general in 1911, he was promptly called back into service in 1914 to act as a nominal superior of a Major General by the name of Erich Ludendorff. Although it is reported that Ludendorff’s brilliance was responsible for the success of driving out a Russian invasion force from Prussian territory, Hindenburg received the Nation’s applause. As a result, Hindenburg’s reputation and name began to rival that of the Emperor of Germany, William II. After his promotion to field marshal, Hindenburg was given command of all German land forces by the Emperor with Ludendorff as a co-responsible chief aide.

As the First World War unfolded, Hindenburg and Ludendorff were unsuccessful in the war on land and resorted to unrestricted submarine warfare in order to starve Britain into surrendering. This decision led to the involvement of the United States of America joining in the war, which eventually led to Germany’s defeat in the war. After their failure, Ludendorff took the blame.

In 1918, William II was overthrown by a new republican government. Hindenburg collaborated briefly with this government before retiring a second time in 1919.

Several years later – in spite of his antirepublic views – in 1925 after the death of the first Weimar Republican President, Friedrich Elbert, Hindenburg was elected. Before long, however, he was under pressure from his personal confidants to implement a more authoritarian regime and create a more independant government from parliamentary (Reichstag) controls.

Although the government broke up again as the depression set in, Hindenburg managed to appoint a Cabinet resting on his confidence and authorized Chancellor Heinrich Brüning to dissolve the Reichstag if it did not cooperate. It was dissolved in 1930, and Chancellor Brüning was left to govern the country nearly exclusively by decree. However, since Hindenburg’s presidential signature was required on each decree, the president could veto any government decision.

With this power, Hindenburg began to spend enourmous amounts of money on army and navy, neglecting the other needs of German, like unemployment benefits. In the face of further economic problems for Germany, the Nazi party began to spur more unrest all over the country. After his presidential term ended in April, 1932, Hindenburg was relected. Hitler came close second in the election.

Although Hitler narrowly lost, mostly due to fear of the Nazi’s brutality and lawlessness, many of Hindenburg’s closest confidants believed the party to be useful – and reconcilable. He was eventually convinced to dismiss his chancellor – whom had contributed to his reelection.

For the Nazis to cooperate or participate in any government, Adolf Hitler insisted on becoming chancellor. However, Hindenburg did not trust Hitler and refused to appoint him as chancellor.

Two previous successive governments had failed to win over the Nazis. Franz von Papen, the head of one of those governments, assured Hindenburg that Hitler could be controlled. In November of 1932, Papen and Hitler agreed on a governement with Hitler as chancellor, Papen as vice chancellor, and other posts filled by non-Nazis. When Kurt von Schleicher, the opponent of Papen and Hitler’s joint governement, failed to obtain parliamentary support for his own government, Hindenburg asked for his resignation. A few months later, in January of 1933, Hindenburg appointed Hitler chancellor of a new Cabinet.

This new cabinet, with Hitler as chancellor, contained two other Nazi members: Wilhem Frick and Göring. It did not take much time for Hitler to obtain more power than Papen and Hindenburg intended through various means using terror, manipulation, and false promises. Hindenburg quickly adapted to the situation, warming up to Hitler considerably and becoming a supporter.

When he died the following year in 1934, he was a still a highly respected national figure of Germany.

 

Coin

When this coin was struck in 1937, Paul von Hindenburg (pictured) had already died. Adolf Hitler was already in power, having been appoint chancellor by Hindenburg in 1933 and declared himself Führer the following year in 1934.

By 1937, Anti-Semitism was already law and Anti-Semetic propaganda was increasing in intensity, with a travelling exhibition touring the country, casting Jews as the enemy, which nearly half a million people attended.

 

 

 

References

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Paul-von-Hindenburg

https://www.bbc.com/timelines/z86nfg8

 

 

United Kingdom – 1 Penny Coins

Country or Region: United Kingdom

Year: (left to right) 1912; 1927; 1935; 1962

Created from: 1911-1926; 1926-1927; 1928-1936; 1954-1970

Value: 1 penny

Weight: ~9.5 g

Diameter: ~31 mm

Composition: Bronze

Estimated Modern Value: ~$2.00

Obverse:

ONE PENNY
(1912, 1927, 1935, 1962)

 

Reverse:

(far left, left, right)
GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX FID: DEF: IND: IMP:

Translation:

George the Fifth by the Grace of God King of all the Britons Defender of the Faith Emperor of India

 

(far right)
+ELIZABETH·II·DEI·GRATIA·REGINA·F:D:

Translation:

Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God Queen Defender of the Faith

Mexico – 1 Peso Coins

Country or Region: Mexico

Face/Figure: (left) Jose Morelos; (right) José Maria Teclo Morelos y Pavón

Years: (left to right) 1958; 1971

Created from: 1957-1967; 1970-1983

Value: 1 Peso

Weight: 16 g; 9 g

Diameter: 34.5 mm; 28.98 mm

Composition: Silver (0.1) and Brass (0.9); Copper and Nickel

Estimated Modern Value: ~$10.00; ~$2.00

Reverse:

(right)
UN PESO 1971

 

Obverse:

(left)
ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
UN PESO 1958

 

Translation:

United Mexican States
One Peso 1958

 

Obverse:

(right)
ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS

 

Translation:

United Mexican States

United States – Silver Morgan Dollars

Country or Region: United States of America

Years: (left to right) 1878, 1900, 1921

Created from: 1878-1904, 1921

Value: $1 USD

Weight: 26.73 grams

Diameter: 38.1 mm

Composition: Silver (0.9), Copper (0.1)

Estimated Modern Value: $1.00-$45.00 CAD

 

Obverse:

E·PLURIBUS·UNUM
(1878, 1900, 1921)

Translation:

Out of many, we are one

 

Reverse:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
In God We Trust
ONE DOLLAR

 

The Morgan Dollar

Named after the coin’s designer, George T. Morgan, United States Morgan Dollars were minted between the years 1878 and 1904, and brought back in 1921.

 

Mint and Mintage

The value of the Morgan Dollar today is extremely variable. A single coin, in good condition or better, can be worth anywhere between $21.00 and $90,000.00 (according to coinflation.com). This massive range of values is related to the individual mint of the coin – to be put simply, the year and mint symbol that appears on the coin. For example, the 1900 Morgan dollar pictured above bears a very small o above the ONE DOLLAR lettering – this marking, combined with its year and condition predicts its value to be around $21.00-$25.00. The other two Morgan dollars in the collection (1878-S and 1921) are worth similar amounts.

These very tiny mint marks on the coins correspond to the location in which they were minted. For these coins, the various mint marks are as follows:

D – Denver
S – San Francisco
O – New Orleans
CC – Carson City
P or without – Philadelphia

The most important predictor for the value of a Morgan dollar is generally the number of coins minted in a particular city during a particular year. The mint year and location of Morgan dollars valued at as much as $90,000.00 is 1893-S (minted in San Francisco in the year 1893). These particular coins are regarded as the key date of the series, and has the lowest mintage at only 100,000 coins struck in that year from that city.

 

George T. Morgan (1845-1925)

Born in Burmingham, England in 1845, George T. Morgan immigrated to the United States in 1876 and became prominently involved in the minting of U.S. coins from 1877 onward. Around 1917, Morgan became the 7th Chief Engraver of the United States Mint.

In designing the Morgan dollar, Morgan’s predecessor and mentor upon his arrival in the United States, Charles Barber, also submitted a possible design. Quoted from the Numismatist (and on this website here) in 1975, the following is a comparison of the two designs:

In 1878, George Morgan had a chance to demonstrate his experience and talents. His coin, a variation of the adopted dollar introduced in 1878, had Liberty’s head sculpted in a classic style. The only complaint against the design was that Liberty appeared somewhat obese. Charles Barber also submitted a possible design. However, his version showed Liberty fat, rather dumpy looking and appearing to have thyroid trouble. It was far from his best effort. It is interesting to study the reverses of the early designs of both Morgan and Barber. The Morgan eagle, supposedly created in imitation of real life, actually seemed more heraldic in nature while the Barber eagle seemed stately and real. However, that opinion was not shared by everyone. Morgan used Anna Williams, a Philadelphia school teacher, for his model of Liberty. He apparently was enchanted with the woman and called her profile the most nearly perfect one he had ever encountered.

British India – 2 Annas Coin

Country or Region: British India

Year: 1945

Minted: Bombay

Value: 1/8 Rupee

Weight: 5.84 grams

Diameter: 25.1 mm

Composition: Nickel and Brass

Estimated Modern Value: ~$5.00

Obverse:
دو آن
दो आना দুই মানা
2
ANNAS
INDIA
1945
రెండుఅణాఒ

Translation:

2 Annas

 

Reverse:

GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR

 

Mintage

There are two varieties of the 2 Annas coin minted in 1945, one minted in Bombay and the other in Calcutta. The two are distinguished by the dots on either side of “1945” on the reverse face of the coin. The coin above, bearing the two dots, was minted in Bombay. Over 136.5 million coins were minted with these markings in Bombay, while only 24 million were minted in Calcutta during that year.

Guernsey – 8 Doubles Coin

Country or Region: Guernsey

Year: 1947

Created from: 1914-1949

Value: 8 Doubles

Weight: 9.7 grams

Diameter: 31.7 mm

Composition: Bronze

Estimated Modern Value: ~$5.00 CAD

Obverse:

GUERNESEY

 

Reverse:

8

Doubles

1947

 

Guernsey

Guernsey is a self-governing, British Crown dependency located off the coast of Normandy in the English Channel. It has a population of around 60,000 people on the island, which covers around 65 squared kilometers.

Up until around 1830, Guernsey utillized French currency, the Franc, before developing its own copper coins, worth 1/80 of a Franc. These coins were denominated in 1, 2, 4, and 8 doubles. Today, Guernsey has its own Guernsey Pound, which is not a separate currency but is issued locally. The 8 Doubles coin was also known as the “Guernsey penny”, with 12 to a “Guernsey shilling” and 100 to a Guernsey pound.

Canada – Quarter Coins

Country or Region: Canada

Years: (left to right) 1904, 1919, 1936

Created from: (left) 1902-1909; (mid) 1912-1919; (right) 1920-1936

Value: 25 Cents

Weight: 5.83 grams

Diameter: 23.62 mm

Composition: (left and mid) Silver 0.925g; (right) Silver 0.8g

Estimated Modern Value: ~$5.00 CAD

 

Obverse:

(mid and right)

GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND:IMP:

 

Translation:

George V, King and Emperor of India by the Grace of God

 

(left)

EDWARD VII DEI GRATIA REX IMPERATOR

 

Translation:

Edward VII, King and Emporer by the Grace of God

 

Reverse:

25

Cents

Canada

(1904, 1919, 1936)

Britain – Halfpenny Coin

Country or Region: Britain

Ruler: Victoria

Year: 1859

Created from: 1838-1860

Value: 1/2 Penny

Weight: 18.8 grams

Diameter: 28 mm

Composition: Copper

Estimated Modern Value: $3.00 CAD

Obverse:

VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
1859

Translation:

Victoria, By the Grace of God
1859

 

Reverse:

BRITANNIAR: REG: FID: DEF:

 

Translation:

Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith

 

Overdate Varieties

In the past, coin dies used by minting facilities to strike coins were expensive pieces of equiptment. As a result, during the 18th and 19th centuries, minting facilities often tried their best to preserve or reuse dies rather than replace them in order to cut down costs and avoid the labour required to fabricate a new die. Dies were often used until they broke and many minting facilities recycled dies from the previous year. Overdate varities are an example of die recycling and occur when a new date is punched or re-engraved over the old date.

There are several overdate varieties for this coin minted in the years 1848, 1853, 1858, and 1859.

1859 UK Halfpenny: Overdate Variety – 9 over remnants of 8

 

References

(image) https://www.allcoinvalues.com/united-kingdom/1859-uk-halfpenny-value2c-victoria2c-young-head2c-9-over-8.html

https://bestcoin.com/OverDate-Error-Coins.htm

 

 

Britain – Halfpenny Condor Token

Country or Region: Britain

Year: 1791/1795

Created from:

Value: 1/2 Penny

Weight:

Diameter: 28 mm

Composition: Copper

Estimated Modern Value: ??

Obverse:

NUNQUAM ARESCERE

MDCCXCI

Translation:

Never Become Dry

1791

 

Reverse:

Rule Britannia

1795

 

Edge Inscription:

Payable in London

 

Mule Coins

This coin is incredibly unique due to the fact that the two sides – the Lady of Britannia and the River God – were never meant to be seen together on a single coin. According to a fellow collector’s research (the owner of the only other example of this coin I’ve found online), the coin can be considered a “mule” – a coin who’s sides were never meant to match up.

The River God is depicted leaning on an urn inscribed with the word “Clyde”, which is the name of a river in Scotland that runs through Glasgow. This coin face usually appears as the reverse side of a coin where the obverse face depicts the Arms of Glasgow with the text: “Let Glasgow Flourish”