Hamburg 1878-J 2 mark
This specimen was lot 30674 in Heritage sale 3035 (Long Beach, September 2014), where it sold for $1,645. The catalog description[1] noted, "Hamburg. Free City 2 Mark 1878-J MS67 NGC. An absolutely flawless piece with flashy bright-white surfaces and unbeatable luster. Aptly designated in a superior grade and currently the finest known certified example." Hamburg, on the North Sea, was one of two imperial free cities permitted a continued existence under the Empire of 1871; Bremen was the other. She struck silver two, three and five mark and gold ten and twenty mark until that Empire's collapse in 1918. The Hamburg mint is still in operation, striking coins for the Federal Republic of Germany. This type was struck 1876-78, 1880, 1883 and 1888.
Recorded mintage: 350,000.
Specification: 11.11 g, 0.900 fine silver, .321 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: KM 604 (formerly KM 290); J-61.
- Jaeger, Kurt, Die Deutschen Münzen seit 1871, Basel: Münzen und Medaillen AG, 1982.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, and Warren Tucker, Heritage Signature Auction 3035, World and Ancient Coins, featuring the FoxLair Collection and the Law Collection, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2014.
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