Hesse 1888-A 10 mark
This specimen was lot 268 in Sincona sale 46 (Zürich, May 2018), where it sold for 425 CHF (about US$510 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"Hessen, Grossherzogtum, Ludwig IV. 1877-1892. 10 Mark 1888 H, Darmstadt. Schön-sehr schön. (grand duchy of Hesse, Louis IV, 1877-92, ten mark of 1888, Darmstadt mint. Fine-very fine.)"
This issue was minted in Berlin (mintmark "A"), not Darmstadt, which mint was closed in 1882. 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 one year type is rare.
Recorded mintage: 36,000 + 500 proofs.
Specification: 3.98 g, 0.900 fine gold, .115 troy oz AGW, this specimen 3.95 g.
Catalog reference: KM 361, J. 219, Fr-3789.
- 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.
- 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
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Auction 46, Gold Coins and Medals, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2018.
Link to: