A Germany 2 Mark contains 0.3215 troy oz of pure silver, worth $17.38 at today's spot price.
Silver 2 mark coins were issued by the German states under the German Empire's shared currency, from the 1870s until World War I. Like the 5 mark, each shows a state's ruler or a free city's coat of arms.
Melt values use these spot prices (US dollars):
- Silver $54.05 per troy oz Current quote · Quote time Oct 23, 7:10 PM EDT
Some prices could not be refreshed recently and may be out of date.
Melt value is the metal content at spot price, not a buy or sell price. Collectible coins can be worth much more. For reference only.
Specifications
| Years | 1873–1919 |
|---|---|
| Face value | 2 Mark |
| Composition | 90% silver |
| Gross weight | 11.111 g |
| Fineness | .900 (90%) |
| Pure metal | 0.3215 troy oz (10 g) |
How the melt value is worked out
Melt value is the pure silver in the coin multiplied by the spot price. We use the coin's standard minted weight; worn coins weigh slightly less.
-
11.111 g × .900 fine ÷ 31.1035 g per troy oz = 0.3215 troy oz
0.3215 troy oz × $54.05 spot = $17.38
How to identify it
- One side shows the issuing state's ruler or, for Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck, the city arms. The other shows the crowned imperial eagle with DEUTSCHES REICH, the date and ZWEI MARK.
- The mint letter sits below the portrait: A Berlin, D Munich, E Dresden then Muldenhütten, F Stuttgart, G Karlsruhe, J Hamburg. B, C and H are early mints that closed by about 1880.
- The silver 1 mark is smaller and was issued by the Empire itself, so it has no ruler's portrait. The 3 mark, added in 1908, is larger and says DREI MARK.
- Coins up to 1889 have a small eagle with a large breast shield; from 1891 the eagle is larger with a small shield.
Melt value vs. collector value
Common Prussian dates in worn condition trade close to melt. Coins from the smaller states, one-year commemoratives and sharp examples usually sell for more, sometimes much more.