Oldest German penny sells for 34,000 euros

[Arizona Coin Collector]

FROM:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/254886,oldest-german-penny-sells-for-34000-euros.html

Oldest German penny sells for 34,000 euros

Posted : Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:36:06 GMT

Dortmund, Germany - A tiny silver coin thought to be "the
oldest German penny" sold at auction in the city of
Dortmund on Monday for 34,000 euros (44,000 dollars). The
denarius coin was minted between 747 and 751 under King
Pippin III of the Franks (714-768) to replace coinage
of the ancient Roman empire and was rediscovered in
1981 in dirt in the western city of Trier.

While Roman coins are common, numismatists regard Pippin's
penny as the first specimen of independent coin issues in
Germany. Germany phased out its last pennies in 2002 when
the euro became legal tender.

The auction company WAG said the buyer was a private
collector in western Germany.

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