A few Thalers I started out with back in 2007-2008 This next part is for the new collectors just starting out. Collecting German States Thalers can be a lot of fun, but the thalers can be very expensive in mint state grades. If you decide to collect thalers, than make sure if you're buying raw ungraded thalers you need know how to look for fakes. Your best bet is to buy from known dealers and be careful of dealers on eBay. Even major third party grading slabs are faked and you need to know what to look for. I've seen to many collectors that have spent a lot of money only to find out the coin they bought is a fake. I've seen shady dealers on eBay selling fake coins and getting away with it. So, I can not express enough that you need to learn and gain knowledge. So remember that knowledge is your friend, and buy as many books on the subjects as you can. Have fun collecting and don't get out of touch with your spending on coins.
Lovely bunch. The reason I focus primarily on the minor denominations is because I can get higher grade examples more affordably. I do own a couple thalers and 2/3 thalers though, but I have to save up for them. Unfortunately, it seems like fakes are only increasing! I'd suggest before uploading photos to hit the "full size" option so that it doesn't appear as a thumbnail.
Always good to do your research on https://www.acsearch.info/search.html to find comparable issues (with same date/DAV). You can learn much about strike, varieties, scarcity, etc with the minimal amount of research on a free account. It does not make one immune to fakes, but it can provide you with a better working knowledge of genuine characteristics so you know when something just isn't right.
Excellent points. Over the past 20 years at least there has been a proliferation of fake thalers. Buying from a trusted source with a solid reputation, extensive experience and solid return policy is the best insurance. Back in the 1980s to the early 2000s Karl Stephens was a major source for me in the realm of thalers and other European and world crowns. Rick Ponterio and Hal Blackburn were other sources. This is one of my favorite thalers, purchased from Hal Blackburn of Carmel California around 1980. Germany, Free City of Regensburg, Emperor Francis II, thaler, 1793. KM 469 28.03 grams
