Germany 1875-H 50 pfennig

Künker sale 264, lot 3985

This specimen was lot 3985 in Künker sale 264 (Osnabrück, June 2015), where it sold for €3,200 (about US$4,134 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"50 Pfennig 1875, H. Äußerst selten in dieser Erhaltung. Kabinettstück. Herrliche Patina, Stempelglanz. (empire of Germany, fifty pfennig of 1875. Rare in this grade, handsome toning, uncirculated.)"

This coin is a silver fifty pfennig from a type issued 1875-77 from the Darmstadt (mintmark "H") mint. Under the German Empire of 1871-1918, the denominations of two mark and up were permitted for the formerly independent principalities while the lower denominations (one pfennig thru one mark) were minted to a unified design. This is a slightly better type but this is the key date.

Recorded mintage: 175,000.

Specification: 2.77 g, .900 fine silver.

Catalog reference: J. 7. KM 6.

Source:

• 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]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Catalog 264, Gold coins | Russian Coins and Medals | German Coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2015.

Link to:

• 1875-C pfennig
• 1875-F pfennig
• 1875-H pfennig
• Germany 1875-B 2 pfennig
• Germany 1875-E 5 pfennig
• 1875-A 10 pfennig
• 1875-H 10 pfennig
• 1875-B mark
• 1875-C mark
• 1875-J mark* Anhalt 1875-A 20 mark
• Bavaria 1875-D 5 mark
• Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel 1875-A 20 mark
• Hamburg 1875-J 5 mark
• Hamburg 1875-J 10 mark
• Prussia 1875-A 20 mark
• Reuss 1875-B 20 mark
• Saxony 1875-E 10 mark
• Wurttemberg 1875-F 5 mark
• 1876-A 50 pfennig
• Coins and currency dated 1875
• return to coins of Germany, Empire (1871-1918)