I bought it for £3 ($5.67) and it was labled just 'German 15th Century' The letters around the edges read.... (left pic) PFEN???E * RECHEN (Right pic) NVRENBLRG - RIL??????OCH Anyone have any ideas? Also any ideas of it's worth? cheers
This is not a coin, but a counter token from Nürnberg. Rechenpfennig means counter token. Nürnberg was very famous for the fabrication of counter tokens. Many manufacturers are known. bart
Eddy, They stopped making hammered coins near the beginning of the 17th century so my guess is that your token is that old.I have no reason to doubt the date that was listed on it. The obverse is as bart said, is RECHENPFENNIGE.In case you're wondering exactly what these were and how they were used,it was sort of like a chinese abacus but using coins.Here is a German page that describes the process.The translation is bad but you get the idea.Note also that the article mentions Nürnberg. http://translate.google.com/transla...refox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official_s&sa=G
How much would they normally go for? I will like it even more knowing I got it on the cheap lol. Also thank you Mikjo0 for the info.
Unfortunately I don't think that you got it on the cheap. What you paid is just about right in the current market. Many of these pieces have survived down to present time as they didn't `spend'/ had no intrinsic value. They are remnants from the days before arithmetic and arabic numerals and usually only attract attention due to the curiosity factor. Here's one of a similar type manufactured by Laufer in Nurenberg, commonly called a `Krauwinkel jeton' probably after the designer Hans Krauwinkel.
Your coin is a German counting token used by merchants before the hand calculator. Value is around $10.00 and are very collectible.
as far as I can see it is made by Kilianus Koch, worked in Nuremberg between 1587-1632. See Mitchiner 1455 http://rechenpfennig.webs.com/
At least you have coin that is very old and authentic....can you imagine the stories it would tell if it could...
