Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 6/24/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I have a 1876 German coin and I am looking to find an approximate value.

One side 1 it reads Friedrich Franz V.G.G. Grossh. V. Mecklen B. Scwer  The words are curved around a profile of a bald man with a beard.

Side 2 is an eagle with a shield with an eagle and around it reads:Deutches Reich 1876 Zwei Mark

The coin itself is in really good condition.

Thanks for your time, I look forward to a reply!

ANSWER: Hi Angela,
Great coin! You have a rare one indeed, especially if it's in great shape. I would suggest checking the weight, as counterfeits are much more common than the real thing. A genuine coin with very little or no wear will be right around 11.1 grams. Of course, wear will decrease the weight slightly, but if you've got one that has sharp details and is half a gram below weight I would be highly suspicious of it.
Condition is extremely important for the value on this coin. You may be amazed at just how dramatically the values jump from one grade to the next. Without seeing a clear picture of the portrait side of the coin I would not be able to give you a very accurate assessment, but I can give you a relative range of values.
The starting value is for a coin that would have signs of wear over approximately 50% of the raised features. That value is $110 to $150 (depending if it's on the US or European market). The next grade is for a coin with signs of wear on no more than 25% of the raised features - a range of $300 to $350 depending on location. Now it gets a little crazy. The next grade above that if for a coin with wear on no more than 5% of the raised features, which would basically be just tiny flat areas on the very highest points of the design. The value here jumps up to $800 to $1,000. A coin in mint condition, with no signs of wear at all, is worth $2,500 to $3,000 if it has a dull gray surface and $4,000 to $6,000 if the surface has original shiny luster.
Definitely something worth taking a picture of for a more accurate appraisal.
Thanks for the question! =)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the info! I amattaching pictures of each side so you can see the coin, and give me your opinion.
If i were to want to sell this, where and how would I go about doing so?

Thanks again!

Answer
Hi again Angela,
This coin appears to have moderate wear on roughly 50% of the surface area, which would put it at the lower end of the value range. For this condition your coin should weigh between 10.8 and 11.0 grams. This is a fairly typical grade for these coins, which are extremely rare in mint condition.
Your most convenient option for selling it would be an eBay auction. There are plenty of collectors on the site and you should have no problem getting $125 to $150 for it even if you choose to only deal with US customers. The price could easily be double that if it were marketed internationally, but it's difficult to do that unless you can have it auctioned by a reputable coin dealer with a wide base of international clients.
If you do list it yourself, I would suggest starting it at full value, rather than from $1 or something very low.
The only reference info you would need is that this is a 1876 2 marks from the German State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. You would also need to weight the coin on a digital scale and provide the exact weight in order to assure potential buyers it is genuine. Other than that, clear close-up pictures will do all the talking.
Thanks again for the question! =)