I've not had much of a look, but from what I have seen the prices are through the roof. Then there are the mis-attributed coins. It seems that sellers look up a coin, see it has varieties and pick the rarest one. For example, neither of these are 1854/3. They are the normal, (very) common 1854, worth a fraction of what they're asking: https://www.ma-shops.com/numiscollection/item.php?id=201310&lang=en https://www.ma-shops.com/roose/item.php?id=5161&lang=en This one is described as 1858/3, but is actually 1858/2 (I won't get started on the "UNC" grading). https://www.ma-shops.com/henzen/item.php?id=30070&lang=en They are asking a hopelessly unrealistic €750 for it. A better one sold at LCA just last month for £220+ commission: http://londoncoins.co.uk/?page=Pastresults&auc=163&searchlot=771&searchtype=2 So where do we stand when the seller says "yes it is" and the buyer says "no it isn't"? Caveat emptor...
I have purchased German States coins on several occasions from different ma shops dealers (all pre-1700 dates), that were all fairly priced, along with very good shipping rates, too. In particular, some scarce issues, in nice grades~that when I have encountered these coins on eBay, or Vcoins, they were either priced much higher than what I paid through MA Shops, or they were close in price, but were in horrible condition. I have seen some dealers on ma shops as well with crazy prices, inaccuracies in descriptions- but not many in my experience. I think also you will find instances of this anywhere that you have a lot of people selling, including coin shows/fairs, obviously.
I've no doubt, and maybe I am being a little unfair. The coins I've highlighted are British, sold by non-British sellers, and I think therein lies the problem: it's not their area of expertise. However, I don't think they do enough to check. They find a scarce variety in a book and they see what they want to see. Were your German States coins from German sellers?
I agree with Bayern, mostly I look at older German States silver, and generally prices are in line with other sources, sometimes even better. Also I find too many coins I want!
Ok, so we have a German site with lots of German sellers that's good for German States coins. That's not so surprising. I looked at British coins as that's what I principally collect. It's not good.
I have been quite pleased with the last few purchases from MA shops dealers. All purchased raw with favorable results once I sent to NGC. AU-55 MS-63 AU-58
German dealers/ auction houses have very strict grading. NGC MS-66/67= Stempelglanz( UNC.) NGC MS-65/64= Fast St.(AU) NGC MS 63/62= Vorzg+ ( EF+) NGC MS-61/60= Vorzg. (EF) NGC AU-58/55= Sehr Schon+ (VF+) John
That is true @panzerman … and the german definition is mostly not translated to the english standard. Here is an explanation for the grading, from the german definition to the english standards: https://www.ma-shops.de/shops/help.php?lang=en&id=11 Maybe that helps...
My order from Sann got to me in four days. Took seven plus days from me, N.E. Tn., to reach Omaha. Sann is one of the best on MA-shops. All of the dealers I have ordered from were wonderful to work with!!
Actually, I just got a MS-64 AV 1/4 Dukat from Transylvania Empress mariaTheresia 1749 Karlsburg Mint from German Dealer on this site . Coin/ price/ quality=great buy. John
Does anyone know what "sammlerzeichen" translates as? https://www.ma-shops.de/shops/help.php?id=11 doesn't help. "Sammler" is "collector" and "zeichen" is "characters." "Collector characters" doesn't make much sense to me though. I found another coin with that word and it clear has some graffiti on it (someone carved the letter A in it), but this is the other coin I'm looking at and I can't spot anything: https://www.kuenker.de/en/auktionen/stueck/164354.
Sammlerzeichen is a collectors identity mark. Whether mint made or placed by a collector such as the small "D" placed on one of the 1804 dollars or a mark with India Ink that many collectors and mueums used. In this case there is an identifying rim ding on the coin.