During the economic chaos following World War I, Germany experimented with many forms of coins and currency. The State Porcelain Manufactury Meissen had developed a method of minting porcelain coins using steel dies in the late 18th century (this method had been used to mint museum display examples of rare coins), and a number of cities and private companies decided to experiment with using coins of porcelain for circulation and/or sales to collectors in the early 1920s. The dies are made to press coins that are 1/6th larger than the finished coins, since the coins shrink in the firing process.
The primary reference source for these coins is "Munzen aus Porzellan und Ton" by Karl Scheuch (1975).
The clay (red/brown or white) was pressed with the dies, then dried and fired in a kiln. Decoration was then applied to some varieties, and then the coins were fired again at a lower temperature. Red/brown (called Brown Boettger Ceramic) was more commonly used, since it had been found to be more durable than white (called White Biscuit Porcelain).
Scheuch 283a, one year type, minted for Friedrich Wolff of Dresden. Quarter dollar size brown porcelain, with a wolf head on the obverse.
Scheuch ranks this as Rarity III, which means a mintage of 10,001 to 50,000 pieces. The total mintage for this design is listed as 12,500 pieces (including all decoration varieties).
Note that Scheuch is ranking his rarieties based upon the total original mintage figures, not upon how many actually survived the bombing campaigns of World War II!
We invite you to view our other eBay lots, and visit our eBay store, to see coins from a wide variety of locations throughout the world.
Shipping is slightly higher than for our regular shipments, since we had to pack them more securely. They can be broken or chipped.
Domestic Buyer pays $5 for postage, handling and insurance. For an international Buyer, shipping includes postage, handling and insurance; this may require Registered Mail or Priority Mail International, for countries not covered by our international shipping insurance policy. Accurate Customs documentation will be attached to international shipments. (This is a change in wording, not a change in our policies.)
Shipping for Canada, Australia and the UK depends upon how you wish for it to be shipped: (1) Registered Mail will cost about $17; or (2) First Class Mail International (insured via a non-Post Office insurer) will cost about $8. Additional items can be added to the envelope for about $0.40 per ounce (for Canada) or $1 per ounce (for Australia and the UK), plus $1 per $100 value for additional coverage.
14 day return privilege for any reason, provided that the coin holder has not been opened.
If you are bidding on other auctions we have on eBay or in our eBay store, please note that we combine shipments to reduce your postage costs whenever possible. Please contact us for combined shipping costs.