Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 12/26/2010

Question
I have a 1876 German Mark with Ludwig II Koenig V. Bayern on front with a D under his bust and on back it says Deutsches Reich 1876 Zwie mark, it is in great condition.  how much is it worth and is it a silver coin?  it is brownish right now, what do I use to clean it and how would I sell it

Answer
Hi Jim,
This Bavarian 2 (zwei = two) mark coin is indeed silver and .900 purity. They were also made in 3 (drei) and 5 (funf) mark denominations.
It would not be practical to give you an exact value without having seen teh condition for myself. Excellent condition is a relative term and what it means is pretty much unique to the person saying it.
I can, however, give you a range of values. A coin with very slight wear on the highest points is qworth in the $50 to $75 range. If the coin has no signs of wear at all, and good eye appeal, it's worth $150 to $250.
As far as cleaning, I would not recommend it without knwing more about what the "brown" is. If this is natural patina that silver develops over time, cleaning it will most surely hurt the value. If this brown color is due to something like grease on the surface, then it can be removed with a brief soaking in nail polish remover (30 seconds or so will do the trick for grease or greenish slime. Then simply rinse with hot water and dab dry (do not rub) with some soft tissue or toilet paper.
If you can get a clear picture of the side with the portrait of Ludwig II and attach to a follow-up question, I would be able to give you better info.
Thanks for the question! =)