Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 4/11/2010

Question
Hello My Name is Scott Bolick and I have been Collecting Coins for a few years now.  My uncle gave me a coin a few months back that is at best in horrible condition I know this more then pretty much means its worthless but I have still been trying to ID it just for my personal knowledge. I decided to ask you because I don't think it is a US coin which is the only area I have even a limited knowledge.  Here is what I can Make out...
What I assume is the obverse is basicly smooth from wear I can see that it has letters on it about half a cm tall around the top of the coin but I can't make them out.  I think part of it is "...cth am..." with the M possibly being N or R  The Reverse side is in Slightly better shape it appears to be a sun rising(half risin sun with light rays going out in a semi circle covering the top fifth of the coin) above an Iron Cross with two swords hilt down crossing behind the cross starting at the two breaks at the bottom then the blade tips reapearing at the top breaks.  There are words on the inside edges of at least the bottom three cross tips but once again I can't make them out.  It also has words across the Bottom edge that I can start to make out to be simiar to "?ak Park ?ll" the edge of the coin has marks that look like it once had the groves simiar to the ones on US Silver to prevent people from shaving them down. I am not sure if this is relevent but the Plastic envolope that my uncle gave it to me in says DEUTSCHE BANK but I am unaware if that is the orginal container or something he put it in.  Thank you for your time and I hope you can bring light to this interesting coin.

Answer
Hi Scott,
The Deutsche bank holder does make sense, since this sounds like to me a piece of post-WWI German emergency coinage. These are often referred to as "Notgeld", which literally means "not money". There are a wide range of designs, since virtually every locality made them directly after WWI and into the early 1920's.
The values on most of them are under $10 even in mint condition, because they are quite common. There are a few rare ones, but the name of the locality is unreadable so the only way to find out exactly is to compare to a list of designs for certain cities.
If you would like to post a follow-up question with a picture of the better side I can try and research it.
Thanks for the question! =)