Lawrence N. writes: I have a question regarding a coin and its value. It’s a German coin, a 5 mark piece from 1902, but what makes it interesting is the inscription on the other side which reads,”Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg” surrounding what I presume to be the coat of arms of the city of Hamburg. Under the coat of arms is the letter “J”. It is in very good condition. Thank you.
In 1902 Germany was still a collection of States that issued their own currency. The State of Hamburg has a long and distinguished history. It was founded by Charlemagne (9th century), was the partner of Lubeck in the famous Hanseatic League. It has had a license to issue its own coins since 1292 AD and it as been a “Free” City since 1510. Hamburg became part of the German Empire in 1871 but it continued to issue its own coins up to World War I. The “J” is the mint mark and represents the Hamburg Mint.
The 1902 Hamburg 5 Mark is a large impressive coin and well liked by collectors. Unabused examples are valued between $10-$300 depending on grade.
