Hesse 1895-A 2 mark
This specimen was lot 4286 in Künker sale 294 (Osnabrück, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €290 (about US$391 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"REICHSSILBERMÜNZEN, HESSEN, Ernst Ludwig, 1892-1918. 2 Mark 1895. Sehr schön. (Germany, unified silver coinage, grand duchy of Hesse, Ernest Louis, 1892-1918, two mark of 1895, very fine.)"
Normally, two mark are less avidly collected than the larger five mark but this scarce type, struck 1895-1900, is an exception, being expensive in all grades, tho less so than the 1891 2 mark. This grand duchy was previously called Hesse-Darmstadt to distinguish it from Hesse-Cassel but upon the latter's annexation by Prussia in 1866, the "-Darmstadt" was dropped.
Recorded mintage: 53,700 (highest mintage date).
Specification: 11.11 g, 0.900 fine silver, 28 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 368, J. 72.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Katalog 294: Goldprägungen | Deutsche Münzen ab 1871 | Russische Münzen und Medaillen, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Jaeger, Kurt, Die Deutschen Münzen seit 1871, Basel: Münzen und Medaillen AG, 1982.
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