World silver crown-size type coin collectors?

1938 Germany 5 marks. I think this one meets the OP's criteria of the thread by its silver content, though it is smaller in diameter than a real "crown" coin.

 

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Italy GUASTALLA Ferrante III Gonzaga Scudo of 7 lire 1664

This is not in great condition but it is rare. Although at 42.5 mm it qualifies for this thread, it has a weight of only 19.42 g. I like the reverse, with the statue of Ferrante I, who acquired Guastalla for the Gonzaga family, holding his spear standing on a fallen satyr.

 

If I'm not mistaken, that is the largest silver coin Germany minted during those years.
I have several of both 2 and 5 Marks. In fact, I just won a 2 Mark on eBay.

 

Germany HALBERSTADT, Cathedral Chapter Reichstaler 1630

The reverse features St. Stephen with the title Protomartyr, first martyr. St. Stephen was one of the Greek deacons in the early Christian Church in Jerusalem chosen to help with the distribution of food to widows. Accused of blasphemy, he was stoned to death and is recognized as the first Martyr. Saul of Tarsus (later St. Paul) witnessed and approved of his killing. (Acts 6-8).

 

Always wanted these French Indo-China coins. Finally decided on one with some x-mas money.

 

Interesting coin. I have never seen a coin which gives not only its weight but its silver purity (titre).

 

Netherlands Barony of HEDEL Frederik van den Bergh Daalder of 30 Stuiver 1579

Like the Guastalla scudo I posted on Dec. 8, this has a weight of only 19.3 g but with a diameter of 41.5 mm qualifies for this thread

Happy Christmas to all and good coin-hunting in 2020 !

 

Hi Mat. Yeah, I really like these also. I have about 15 of them. My first one, about 5 yrs ago, cost me 14 + shipping. I have paid as much as 30. I just won one on eBay that has an interesting backstory.
A well known eBay dealer listed one with a repaired hole in it. It started at 19 and I watched it intending to snipe it at the last second. However, it ended while I was at work, or asleep (as we all know "You Snooze, You Lose"), so I didn't get it. Instead another eBay dealer I buy from got it for the 19. He turned it around, put it back on eBay at 29.99 OBO and there it sat through two 9 day auctions with no takers. During that time I offered him 20.50 two different times. He said no because he was sure it was going to fetch about 24. The third time I made an offer he said he had already sent it to auction with a starting bid at melt. I immediately bid 20.50 on it and watched it very slowly move up. When it ended after 9 days, I won it for 15.50.
I was very lucky and my perseverance paid off. I'm waiting on it through the mail now.

Yours is a nice looking coin. Melt is 13.48, and it books at 45 in VF.

Here's the link :

french-indo-china-piastre-km-5a.1-1895-1928-cuid-1119310-duid-1267838

 

Hi talerman, there are actually others that do the same. One is the Venezuelan 1889 c 5 Bolivars, which is a crown size coin. Melt is 12.49 and it books for 48 in VF.
They're very nice coins. I only have a few and none in VF or better.
Here's the link :

venezuela-5-bolivares-y-24.1-1879-1889-cuid-1072189-duid-1602378

 

Fascinating. I had not seen this coin either. I guess it made them more acceptable in trade.

 

Nice, I have had similar situations like that but its pretty. It’s a great feeling though when you and a coin are meant to be.

I saw that on ngc, I am surprise it’s got a high value despite the high mintage.

 

1592 Transylvania Taler, Sigismund Bathory, 28.84 grams (hope this goes as genuine, it’s my first of the type so I’m a bit unfamiliar with the strike !)

 

Looks fine to me. These mostly nasty Transylvanian princes struck very attractive coins.

 

Exactly. The FIC 1 Piastre was the French version of the U.S. Trade Dollar, as was the Venezuela 5 Bolivares, the British Britannia, the Spanish 8 Reales, Spain's 5 Pesetas, etc.. At that time , roughly 1860 to 1900, every nation was trying to get a "foot in the door" to trade with the Orient, mainly China.
Japan and China both had their own version of the Trade Dollar. The bigger countries, like the U.S., France, and Great Britain, traded directly with China, while smaller countries traded with the big guys and thus, indirectly, with China also. I'm sure Russia was probably in there somewhere also.
The U.S. used the Spanish/Mexican 8 Reales for that purpose until we started minting our own Trade Dollar. In fact, the 8 Reales was accepted as circulating money in the U.S. until that time.
China and the other trading partners in the Orient, wanted nothing to do with anyone's paper money and would only accept precious metal coins of a sufficient size to facilitate trade. The Chinese merchants, always wary of being cheated, would weigh and test the silver coins and then put their own "Chop Mark" on them to mark them as genuine. The Chinese merchants would recognize the marks of themselves and other merchants they knew and then wouldn't have to test them again.
Personally, I like chop marks, many collectors do not. I think it gives those coins used for trade a bit of character all their own.

Now please don't hold me to any exactitudes on dates and stuff. All of that came from memory of things I've read.

Here's some factoids concerning Chop Marks courtesy of Wiki :


Chop marks on coins - Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Chop_marks_on_coins

 

The 17th century history of Transylvania is very interesting, many rulers, wars and very rare coins. Sigismund Bathory is known as a poor leader, unstable,most likely virgin until his death, unfit to rule at least in my opinion. Not long after him,Gabriel Bathory (last prince of the Bathory family)took the power and he was a mess too, mad, to the point of spearing dogs while on horse!Why i always wanted a Sigismund Bathori taler?Because he was one of the biggest rivals of Michael the Brave, the avatar of my profile. Sadly, Michael the Brave only issued a 10 dukats coin in 1600(Sibiu), of which only one original piece is known.I would have loved to see talers issued too, but his rule over the three romanian regions was short, a general turmoil most of the time. I come from the neighbouring province, Moldavia. In my region, Iacob Heraclid(Despot Voda), a prince with a very interesting life story( from Charles the V to being decapitated and having his head filled with wheat straws!), reformed the local monetary system an introduced talers among other currencies. For the year 1562 it's estimated at least 150.000 pieces were minted , but could be up to 225000. Next year, 1563, there were a minimum of 200.000 pieces minted, possibly up to 400.000! Since Moldavia it's not known for silver/gold mines as Transylvania, the metal came from confiscation of the church and monasteries sacred vessels and adornments, Treasury silver , as well as by the confiscation of some nobles families properties. Though the very high mintage ,these coins are extremly rare, i think Kunker sold one for around 40K in the past!To make things even worse, the place where they were minted(Suceava) is 30 min drive from where i grew up, but the likelihood of ever having a piece like this is close to 0!

PS:I've just found your Transylvania Michael Apafi 4 Taler 1662!OMG!

 

I also find the history of this region fascinating, although my only family connection is a cousin who married a Teleki, one of the Transylvanian noble families. I have a little copper mangir (obol) of Despot Voda but I have never seen the Taler. OMG !
Do you still live in Romania ?

 

Not long ago there was an obol ( unsold i believe) of Despot Voda at an estimated price of 1700 euro at a Solidus auction!I only go home for Christmas to see my family!My job is in the UK and i'm very lucky to afford buying these wonderful coins due to an obviously different salary!For example, the 1592 taler was 400£,including my fee and postage, which is a good price considering the market value!Now many people get that per month back home and it would sound like madness to them! In Romania it's impossible to be able to collect expensive coins unless you have a top job or your own business, not to mention that people make funny faces when hearing about numismatics and the legislation regarding owning valuable coins is a bit sketchy too!As for the family aspect, aparently my surname goes back to 15-16 century in Tyrol region and even had a coat of arms, but in time, some austrians migrated/or were brought to a eastern province of the empire, also known as Bucovina(part of Moldavia)and so i ended up here!

 

Here's another TRANSYLVANIA coin Michael Apafi Taler 1667 struck at Kronstadt (Brașov in Romanian, Brassó in Hungarian, reflecting Transylvania's complicated history)

 

So I picked up my very first GB Crown today from a LCS! Very excited as I have been wanting one for a while. I have a feeling this won't be be my last though. Couple of rim dings and a couple of scratches but looks like original skin for the most part. I have no clue on possible grade as I dont have any expeience on this series in that respect, but the coin was marked VG. What do you all think? That seems reasonable to me as the rims are all intact and there is a bit of detail in parts...

 

That's a dandy crown there! Shows a little honest wear, and that is OK. I have a 1819 George III crown I posted on here earlier. Here is a new arrival, 1870 Belgium 5 francs. Actually, I got 2 of them at the same time, so may post the other one later.