10 Mark Hanseatic Town Hamburg Gold Coin | 1873-1913
Berlin Mint
GPSR: Münze Deutschland
Barbarastr. 1
50735 Köln
(0961) / 3818 3970
info@muenze-deutschland.de
🇩🇪 10 Mark Hamburg 1873–1913 – Gold Coin of the Free Hanseatic City – Hanseatic Heraldry in Fine Gold
The 10-mark gold coin of the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg was minted between 1873 and 1913, an era in which the Hanseatic city expressed its identity within the German Empire through its own clear coin language. Hamburg, shaped for centuries by trade, seafaring, and civic self-determination, transferred these values into a coin design that does not rely on splendor, but on calm, orderly contours. Struck in gold, the coin conveys a quiet material presence that gives the clear linework space to unfold its historical significance without obstruction.
The obverse shows the large Hamburg state coat of arms, supported by two upright lions, whose depiction is marked in bold as the central motif detail. The lions flank the heraldic shield in a watchful yet calm posture – a symbol of Hamburg’s resilience and Hanseatic tradition. The shield bears the castle with three towers, a sovereign emblem of the city in use since the Middle Ages. Above the arch of the coat of arms runs the surrounding inscription “FREIE UND HANSESTADT HAMBURG”, evenly arranged in a clear, easily readable typography. The lettering frames the coat of arms without overloading the surface. Beneath appears the mint mark “J”, representing the Hamburg Mint, discreetly embedded into the composition.
The reverse shows the single-headed, crowned imperial eagle of the German Empire, whose depiction represents the national union of the Empire, but not the dissolution of regional identity. Above the eagle is the denomination “10 MARK”, below it the respective minting year within the issuance period. An oak-leaf wreath surrounds the eagle, its leaves also marked in bold as a significant motif detail. The oak leaves symbolize permanence, natural symbolic strength, and national rootedness on coins of this period. The reverse composition remains orderly: eagle at the center, denomination and year integrated, wreath forming a calm, organic closure.
The coin is struck in 900 gold, the classic alloy of the German Empire era. The fine-gold content gives it a warm, bright gold tone that softly reflects the light. The relief is precisely crafted, without harsh contrasts. Light and shadow transitions appear gentle and flowing. The reeded edge is a traditional tactile feature preserving the classic character of these mintings.
Hamburg was and remains a place of civic freedom, global trade routes, and maritime connection. This coin conveys exactly that expression: no staging, but Hanseatic order, minted identity, and clear heraldry. The lions and the castle do not symbolize imperial excess, but the city’s self-conception, founded on history, trade, and civic sovereignty.
The 10 Mark Hamburg gold coin thus remains a historical witness of Hanseatic minting artistry – calm, clearly structured, and held in a warm metallic light that carries the lines and accompanies the history. A piece of gold preserving Hamburg’s identity in a form that still holds a quiet, clear presence today.
| Metal | Gold |
| Form | Gold Coin |
| Country of Origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Berlin Mint |
| Series | German Empire |
| Purity | 900/1000 |
| Fineweight | 3.58 gram |
| Gross Weight | 3.982 gram |
| Grade | Brilliant |
| Condition | Circulated |
| Face value | 10 Mark |
| Thickness | 0.91 mm |
| Diameter | 19.50 mm |
| Packaging | Single in Pouch |