Hesse 1877-H 5 mark Fr-3792
This specimen was lot 3871 in Künker sale 264 (Osnabrück, June 2015), where it sold for €1,200 (about US$1,550 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"HESSEN Ludwig IV. 1877-1892. 5 Mark 1877. Min. Randfehler, fast vorzüglich. (grand duchy of Hesse, Louis IV, 1877-92, gold five mark of 1877. A few rim flaws, choice extremely fine.)"
Of the two major divisions of Hesse, Hesse-Cassel chose the wrong side in the Austro-Prussian war and found herself annexed. Hesse-Darmstadt survived to become the Grand Duchy of plain Hesse. This five mark was issued 1877 only and is rare. A gold five mark also exists with the bust of Ludwig III, who died in 1877. The gold five mark was not a success and the denomination reverted to silver thereafter. The Darmstadt mint closed in 1882.
Recorded mintage: 78,776 plus proofs.
Specification: 1.99 g, 0.900 fine gold.
Catalog reference: J. 218. KM 357, Fr-3792.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Jaeger, Kurt, Die Deutschen Münzen seit 1871, Basel: Münzen und Medaillen AG, 1982.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Catalog 264, Gold coins | Russian Coins and Medals | German Coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2015.
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