Collectibles-General (Antiques)/coin balance

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Expert: Bill & Jan Berning - 9/6/2008


Question
Dear Bill and Jan,
Not sure if my email went through yesterday. I am trying to find out some information of an old coin balance. The inscription in the case is J. C. Mittelstenscheid   1847.
It is hard to read the other letters- they are in old english. The little weights are square with numbers on top and names such as pistol, ducat, guld, etc. Can you please write back and let us know more about this item and what it might be worth?  Thank you so much for your help.
Steve McDowell

Answer
Hi Steve,

Your father's scale is a coin scale made in Germany and the writing on the label is old German. Johann Casper Mittelstenscheid worked from 1800-1819 and his son, Peter Casper Mittelstenscheid, used his name on balances until 1868, working in Düsseldorf, Germany from 1848-1868.

The weights in these very desirable coin scales were marked to be used with the different coins in use in Europe at the time of manufacture. Retail value of your father's scale from 1847, with the two missing weights, should be $400-$600 or more.

Hope this helps.

Weigh Daily!!!

Bill & Jan Berning

Collectibles-General (Antiques)

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Bill & Jan Berning

Expertise

We can answer almost any question regarding antique scales of any type.

Experience

We are dealers in antique coin operated penny scales and parts. We collect antique scales of all types. Bill has been buying and selling scales and mail order penny scale parts since 1983. Jan started collecting small scales of all types in 1977. Our combined collection of antique scales contains over 2200 scales. We are the authors of the book Scales: A Collector's Guide and The revised & Expanded 2nd Edition of Scales: A Collector's Guide. Jan is the editor of "Equilibrium" the journal of The International Society of Antique Scale Collectors. Our website is www.PennyScale.com

Organizations
The International Society of Antique Scale Collectors www.isasc.org, Coin Operated Collectors Association

Publications
Articles by or about the Bernings have appeared in issues of “Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine”, “This Old House”, "Reminisce", “Equilibrium” and “Country Living”.

Education/Credentials
Jan: BS FACS & Art University of Georgia

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