What I found in my dresser drawer!

chrisinhouston · 01-04-2010, 01:46 PM

Got on a New Year's cleaning binge over the weekend and was sorting through some things when I came upon a small container that had been my dad's. He died last year and I had brought home things from his dresser and desk to sort through, this was a small container with cuff links and tie tacks and some small Catholic Saint pins. I saw something shiny so I picked it out and discovered it was a small gold coin. As small as a dime and dated 1877, it is a Prussian 5 Mark coin. Did some research and it could be worth between $250-700 depending on the market and the graded condition. From what I could tell by comparing it to others it is in Fine or SS condition, but it could be a half notch higher.

Cool. I have no idea if it was his or his father's. Just a mystery but I'm glad I didn't just pitch the container since I seldom dress formally! This is an image from the Internet and mine looks just like that.

TheMercenary · 01-04-2010, 01:58 PM

Great find. Get it appraised. And I would keep it as a family heirloom, don't sell it.

Sundae · 01-05-2010, 12:03 PM

Sell it!
If it had a story or memories for you I'd say hold onto it too.
But it is just a lovely little windfall, and the price of gold is currently high.

Sell and treat yourself to something for having been such a loving son.

chrisinhouston · 01-05-2010, 12:06 PM

Actually, I may sell it as it really has no meaning to me or my wife. I have no German roots and don't collect coins and it is so small that it wouldn't make a very interesting pendant for my wife. I have lots of other strange things as heirlooms that I would rather not part with.

limey · 01-05-2010, 02:42 PM

I vote sell it, too. If it had a story connected to it, fine, otherwise it's just clutter

.

monster · 01-05-2010, 02:44 PM

I say mail it to me. I'll sell it, then you don't have to make the decision.

Undertoad · 01-05-2010, 02:46 PM

I have been selling coins on eBay and they generally fetch about half of the book value.

wolf · 01-05-2010, 02:49 PM

UT, I probably can get you info on a much better deal. Let me check into it, and I'll get back to you.

Undertoad · 01-05-2010, 02:52 PM

I should have said someting sooner!

I don't have much of great value, there are a few pieces that might draw interest.

wolf · 01-05-2010, 02:53 PM

Let's just say that I know someone who prefers real money to specie currency.

xoxoxoBruce · 01-05-2010, 11:59 PM

But you might have to go to the secret bunker to do the deal.

Elspode · 01-06-2010, 06:46 PM

That's awesome, Chris. Keep us posted on the outcome of your sale, should you sell it. Might be able to buy a sexy new lens or something.

chrisinhouston · 01-15-2010, 12:23 PM

Well I took my cool find to a big coin shop and they were thoroughly unimpressed. He basically weighed and said that based on the gold melt value it was worth $48.00. That's a far cry from the ones I saw at some coin dealer's websites that were selling theirs for $400 or so. Then I began looking on Ebay and found one auction for the same coin. It is currently at 3 days from the auction end and has a whopping 3 bids and is currently at $12.50. I'm going to watch it up until the end and if it doesn't rise to much I figure if I can get it for under $48 including shipping at least I'll have another one and it would have cost me less then the melt value.

glatt · 01-15-2010, 12:35 PM

I wonder what the buying power of 5 Marks was is 1877, and if it was more or less than the buying power of $48 today.

monster · 01-23-2010, 06:58 PM

Excellent!

01-04-2010, 01:46 PM	#1
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	What I found in my dresser drawer! Got on a New Year's cleaning binge over the weekend and was sorting through some things when I came upon a small container that had been my dad's. He died last year and I had brought home things from his dresser and desk to sort through, this was a small container with cuff links and tie tacks and some small Catholic Saint pins. I saw something shiny so I picked it out and discovered it was a small gold coin. As small as a dime and dated 1877, it is a Prussian 5 Mark coin. Did some research and it could be worth between $250-700 depending on the market and the graded condition. From what I could tell by comparing it to others it is in Fine or SS condition, but it could be a half notch higher. Cool. I have no idea if it was his or his father's. Just a mystery but I'm glad I didn't just pitch the container since I seldom dress formally! This is an image from the Internet and mine looks just like that. Attached Images

01-04-2010, 01:58 PM	#2
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Great find. Get it appraised. And I would keep it as a family heirloom, don't sell it. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

01-05-2010, 12:03 PM	#3
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Sell it! If it had a story or memories for you I'd say hold onto it too. But it is just a lovely little windfall, and the price of gold is currently high. Sell and treat yourself to something for having been such a loving son. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

01-05-2010, 02:42 PM	#5
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	I vote sell it, too. If it had a story connected to it, fine, otherwise it's just clutter . __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

01-05-2010, 02:44 PM	#6
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I say mail it to me. I'll sell it, then you don't have to make the decision. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

01-05-2010, 12:06 PM	#4
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	Actually, I may sell it as it really has no meaning to me or my wife. I have no German roots and don't collect coins and it is so small that it wouldn't make a very interesting pendant for my wife. I have lots of other strange things as heirlooms that I would rather not part with.

01-05-2010, 02:46 PM	#7
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I have been selling coins on eBay and they generally fetch about half of the book value.

01-05-2010, 02:49 PM	#8
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	UT, I probably can get you info on a much better deal. Let me check into it, and I'll get back to you. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

01-05-2010, 02:52 PM	#9
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I should have said someting sooner! I don't have much of great value, there are a few pieces that might draw interest.

01-05-2010, 02:53 PM	#10
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Let's just say that I know someone who prefers real money to specie currency. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

01-05-2010, 11:59 PM	#11
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	But you might have to go to the secret bunker to do the deal. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

01-06-2010, 06:46 PM	#12
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	That's awesome, Chris. Keep us posted on the outcome of your sale, should you sell it. Might be able to buy a sexy new lens or something. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

01-15-2010, 12:23 PM	#13
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	Well I took my cool find to a big coin shop and they were thoroughly unimpressed. He basically weighed and said that based on the gold melt value it was worth $48.00. That's a far cry from the ones I saw at some coin dealer's websites that were selling theirs for $400 or so. Then I began looking on Ebay and found one auction for the same coin. It is currently at 3 days from the auction end and has a whopping 3 bids and is currently at $12.50. I'm going to watch it up until the end and if it doesn't rise to much I figure if I can get it for under $48 including shipping at least I'll have another one and it would have cost me less then the melt value.

01-15-2010, 12:35 PM	#14
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I wonder what the buying power of 5 Marks was is 1877, and if it was more or less than the buying power of $48 today.

01-23-2010, 06:58 PM	#15
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Excellent! __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

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