Prussia 1873-A 20 mark

Heritage sale 3081, lot 30663

photo courtesy Heritage Auction Galleries

This specimen was lot 30663 in Heritage sale 3081 (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $8,400. The catalog description^[1] noted, "German States: Prussia. Wilhelm I gold Proof 20 Mark 1873-A PR65 Deep Cameo PCGS, Berlin mint. Mintage unlisted in the Standard Catalog of World Coins. A gem selection representing the first of its date that we have sold in Proof format, a testament to the type's relative scarcity. Admirably mirrored fields are complemented by frosted devices, yielding a complete and appreciable cameo effect. From the Caranett Collection." This type was struck 1871-73 in substantial numbers from the Berlin (mintmark "A"), Hannover (mintmark "B") and Frankfurt (mintmark "C") mints during the reign of William I, emperor of Germany 1871-88. It was superseded in 1874 by a revised reverse. Tho this later type was struck 1874-88, it is not as common as the type shown here. There is a concurrent ten mark gold piece (Fr-3819) with a similar design.

Recorded mintage: 9,062,648 including proofs.

Specification: 7.96 g, 0.900 fine gold, .230 troy oz AGW.

Catalog reference: Fr-3813, KM 501, J-243.

Source:

• Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
• 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.
• Jaeger, Kurt, Die Deutschen Münzen seit 1871, Basel: Münzen und Medaillen AG, 1982.
• ^[1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3081, featuring the Caranett Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.

Link to:

• 1872-A 10 mark
• 1872-A 20 mark
• 1872-B 20 mark
• 1873-B silbergroschen
• Germany 1873-G 20 pfennig
• Germany 1873-A mark
• Baden 1873-G 20 mark
• Bavaria 1873-D 10 mark Munich mint
• Bavaria 1873-D 20 mark Munich mint
• Hamburg 1873-B 10 mark Hannover mint
• Hesse 1873-H 20 mark
• Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1873-A 10 mark Berlin mint
• Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1873-A 20 mark Berlin mint
• Prussia 1873-A 10 mark Berlin mint
• Prussia 1873-B 10 mark Hannover mint
• Prussia 1873-C 10 mark Frankfurt mint
• 1873-B 20 mark
• Saxony 1873-E 10 mark Muldenhutten mint
• Saxony 1873-E 20 mark
• Wurttemberg 1873-F 20 mark
• Wurttemberg 1873-F 10 mark Karlsruhe mint
• 1875-A 20 mark
• Coins and currency dated 1873