Prussia 1912-J 20 mark

Künker sale 353, lot 4205

This specimen was lot 4205 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €380 (about US$529 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Wilhelm II. 1888-1918. 20 Mark 1912. Winz. Randfehler, fast vorzüglich. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, William II, 1888-1918, twenty mark of 1912. Minor rim nick, about extremely fine.)"

This is the next to last year of issue for this type. The emperor donned a uniform for the next issue of 1913-15, the last gold twenty mark struck in Prussia before defeat in World War One destroyed the empire. The Hamburg mint struck this type 1905-06 and 1909-12.

Recorded mintage: 502,530, a fairly common date.

Specification: 7.97 g, 0.900 fine gold, 33 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: J. 252J, KM 521, Fr-3831.

Source:

• 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.
• Jaeger, Kurt, Die Deutschen Münzen seit 1871, Basel: Münzen und Medaillen AG, 1982.
• ^[1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 353: Die Sammlung Axel Tesmer, Teil 2: Prägungen der Könige von Preussen von der Kroning 1701 bis zum Ende der Monarchie. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.

Link to:

• 1911-A 20 mark
• 1912-F 10 pfennig
• 1912-A mark
• 1912-E mark
• 1912-A 2 mark
• 1912-A 3 mark
• 1912-A 20 mark
• 1913 20 mark, bare head
• 1913 20 mark, uniformed bust
• Coins and currency dated 1912