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Coin and Paper Money Collecting/BERLIN COIN
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Hello- I have a coin about the size of a Canadian loonie. It appears to be gold. It says " BERLIN-EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT" with a bear in a shield and a crown. That's on one side. On the other side, there is a picture of a bell with men dressed in loincloths, standing around the bell with their arms stretched out holding torches. At the bottom of the bell, it reads" A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM". Then there is another saying going around that side of the coin. It reads " ICH GLAUBE/DASS ALLE MENSCHEN GLEICHERMASSEN VON GOTT DAS RECHT/ FREIZUSEIN/ ERHALTEN HABEN". There is no date or money value on the coin. The outside edge of the coin is covered because it has been made into a pendant. What is it, what year, is it gold(if so, what carat), and finally, is it worth anything?? Please help me and thank you!!
Hi Cindy,
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This sounds like a privately made "Dukat", which is a denomination often used for trade. As such, it is a standard gold "unit", in this case 3.45 grams.
I have attached a picture of one such dukat. Below the bell is a 986 stamp, which tells the purity. This purity, .986 fine equals right around 23 karat gold. Although most nation's official dukats were made in the 1800's and earlier some private ones, such as from specific cities, continued well into the 1900's. This vintage piece is from the middle of the 20th century and as such is worth gold bullion value. In this case, it's around $100 worth of gold. At this time they are not sought after by collectors, though that will likely change in the future.
However, you mentioned your medallion is the size of a loonie... is this with or without the mount? Because that is much too big for a gold dukat. Also, if there is no stamp, such as the 986 on the example in the picture, then it's not solid gold. Such an item will likely be a novelty piece, made of gold gilded (plated) base metal or even silver.
For a large version without a stamp, you may want to look closely for any areas that the gold plate may have worn or peeled off. In addition, any local jeweler can test it for you and make a final determination.
Thanks for the question! =)
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | You brought absolute clarity to the situation. Indeed, what we have is a novelty piece made in the likeness of a Berlin ducat perhaps to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall. This may explain the saying(written in German around the bell side of the coin ) " I think that all people alike have the same rights from God to be free". Also, the phrase " a new birth of freedom" appears (in English) inside the bell. The coin itself(without the mount) is the size of a loonie and there is no purity stamp under the bell. Thanks again, you were immensely helpfull. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Dmitry Livshits
Expertise
My specialty is world coins from the 18th to 20th centuries, primarily non-US foreign coins and related areas such as errors and exonumia (tokens, medals, etc.). I can answer questions relating to identification, grading, selling, preservation and evaluation of such items. In addition to catalog value, I can give you the practical market value and trends for specific types of coins. I will also take questions regarding counterfeits (both modern and antique) and on how to identify them. I am NOT knowledgeable in paper money/banknotes, ancient or "shipwreck" coins. Thank you.
Experience
Collector of world coins since early childhood. Access to a variety of auction records and reference material. You can also find me on Facebook.
Education/Credentials
A.S. in Psychology (2006), B.A. in Forensic Psychology (2008), M.A. in Forensic Psychology (2011).
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