I acquired this coin quite awhile back (30 years) and never followed up on it. The other day while starting to organize, I came across it. I know it was not an authorized strike, but the size, weight and density are all correct. As a long shot, would anybody have any information about such an animal. I did read (kinda - it was in German) about private strikes at the same time period. THANX in advance
Private strikes ? What was the source for this information ? Since it has the J mm (Hamburg), and there is no pattern listed for this coin, I would assume that it is likely a counterfeit produced in the middle east during the 1940's. '50s, or '60s. Gold coinage of all European nations was turned out in huge quantities at these factories. And the quality was such that it even fooled the Royal Mint. Size, weight, fineness was always correct. But the coins were fakes.
G, I forget but it was a German coin book similar to Krause except it specialized in German coins only. It indicated that there were no authorized Hamburg 20 Marks struck in 1911, but there was a footnote. And the best I could make out was that there were private strikes made for that year. I was just taking a shot in the dark in case anybody had read about it. I was just trying to get some history. I keep it as a curiosity.
An actual Hamburg 20 Mark from this time (in gold) would have weighed 7.9650 grams. It would consist of 0.9000 gold (.2304 oz of AGW)... The dates that I have seen listed are 1908J (Rare), 1913 J, and 1913J Proof. If you can weight the coin, get its size dimensions (MM's), and then let me know, I may be able to find out some more.
ASUtodd, Yup, everything seems okay dimensionally and mass wise. I checked specific gravity and it is in the ball park. THANX for checking
The only issue I have with it being a private strike is that if it was, it would not have the J mint mark.
The term "private strikes" is a little misleading; maybe "private orders" makes more sense. What it means is that in the early 20c pretty much everybody could order such gold coins, provided he would pay for them. Those extra pieces (primarily ordered by the Reichsbank) would however have the same years and mint marks as the other pieces. The Hamburg 20M coin was not issued in 1911. In fact the Schön catalog states that certain issues - and then it lists the years, including 1911 - are private Phantasieerzeugnisse (Fälschungen) aus späterer Zeit (zwischen 1954 und 1963) ... Which means they were private fantasy products (counterfeits) made between '54 and '63. Christian
