Hello everyone it has been sometime since I have logged on, have been fighting a brain disease. I have recently been given some medals and tokens and one has stumped me so I thought someone could help me. I think it is a medal/coin maybe a commemorative promotion from a bank .S sparkasse Germany. It may be silver and it's worn? OBVERSE: outer rim text reads: en.wenden.sparkasse.olpe.drolshagen Center displays a big DOT with letter S under DOT SEIT 1841 REVERSE: outer rim text reads: 1841 XIV EINE F.M. THALER - Center displays the crown shield/coat of arms with ivy and symbols within and surrounding the shield There is more text but it is worn. Take a look at the pictures, Thanks Steve
The attached pictures are of the front and back of one coin. I do not know which is which. Are you able to view the pictures?
A German Sparkasse is a savings bank, typically a local/regional bank but part of a nationwide network. Each Sparkasse has the same logo, the stylized "S" with a dot above that represents a coin. Think of the S as a piggy bank that you put money in. Your Sparkasse, so to say, has its website here. Its full name is Sparkasse Olpe - Drolshagen - Wenden, which is what you can also read on your medal. The three towns are in Olpe county, in the state of North Rhine Westphalia. My guess is that the piece was issued in 1991; that would be the 150th anniversary. (The Sparkasse in Olpe was founded in 1841.) Don't really know what taler they picked for the design, but apparently one from that year 1841. Christian
"PS" - Seems they used this design: http://img.muenzauktion.com/pollandt/pic/artid21574_combined.jpg That is a Prussian taler from 1841. Olpe had been annexed by Prussia in 1815, and stayed Prussian until 1945. That original taler was a silver coin; your medal could be silver too but I am not sure. By the way, the inscription "EIN THALER XIV EINE F.M." refers to a 1 taler coin, 14 of which would be one fine mark. Back in those days, a mark was a weight; the Cologne Mark was 234 grams. Christian
does your coin looks like this 1 ? Ebay link:http://www.ebay.com/itm/1841-A-GERM...5627853?pt=US_World_Coins&hash=item20e8db1ecd Christian was right.
Christian, Fantastic and thank you. I have been researching this with not much luck. I believe the coin to be silver because it does not stick to a magnet, it has that ting sound but I don't have a silver tester. It does not matter its cool. The coin weighs 13.70 gm almost a half oz. I have another coin from Germany, I think that has me stumped. It says KAMEN and has the village or city seen on front but back is worn but looks to have a ships wheel and checker board image. Thanks, Steve
German States/ Prussia KM#437 1841A mintage-2,280,000 F-$35.00 VF-$85 XF-$275.00 UNC-$800.00 weight-22.2720 or .5371 oz metal- 0.7500 silver the picture of coin in the catalog appears to be 33mm in size.
Yes, Kamen does exist. It's another city in North Rhine Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen; I live in NW). This page shows its coat of arms which should look pretty much like what you see on your medal. The checkerboard stripe refer to the former counts of Mark; quite a few towns in that area use it. (See this section, from the German Wikipedia version.) The other symbol, that sets Kamen apart from other "Mark-ish" towns, is the cogwheel. Kamen should (tongue in cheek) rather use a cloverleaf symbol: If you asked people here what they think of when they hear "Kamen", most will mention the freeway interchange. The autobahns 1 and 2 "meet" at the Kamener Kreuz, one of the oldest interchanges in Germany. But I don't think the medal commemorates the autobahn; it will rather be some city jubilee ... Christian
Christian, Kamen is a beautiful city with lots of history. Thank you for the information. I enjoy coin collecting it's a interesting hobby, especially the world coins and German coins are my favorite. Attached is the Kamen medal/coin. It's a great looking medal of the town. It reminds me of a Notgeld coin. The medal measures 34mm and 13.90 gm - 0.491 oz and has silver qualities but not sure. Steve
That piece shows the first seal, with the Latin inscription "SIGILLVM DE CAMENE CIVITATIS" - Seal of the City of Kamen. On the other side, below the nice city scene, you have KAMEN and, below that, the "1000". That should be the metal content, so I believe your medal is pure silver. Christian
I do like this medal, both are nice pieces. Christian, do you have this Kamen medal or ever seen one before because I searched the web with no luck. Thanks, Steve
