My new obsession: Italian and German states

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by Hiddendragon, Jan 23, 2025.

  1. Hiddendragon

    Hiddendragon World coin collector

    I have an (expensive) new obsession: Coins from the Italian and German states from the 1800s. I'm not interesting in everything from these periods, but there are certain designs that I just have to have.

    This all started when I was on eBay and I saw a suggested listing for an 1848 Venice 5 lire. I loved the coin so I looked it up in Krause and pretty soon I was looking at the other Italian states as well. Particularly the period around 1848 when there were revolutions going on, there are some really great designs. As I was looking at these, I also chanced upon some German states coins from the 1800s as well. While there are hundreds upon hundreds of German states coins, some of them are beautiful. Here are some that I have acquired in the past few weeks, with a few more in the mail. I have others on my wish list, but it's more a matter of spending the money than anything. The 1848 Venice 5 lire cost twice what I've ever spent on a coin before, but fortunately I was able to find it at an area coin shop for half of what I was considering paying online.

    What do you have from this area 1848 lombardy 5 lire.jpg 1848 venice 5 lire.jpg 1849 venice 5 centesimi.jpg 1852 baden 2 gulden.jpg 1859 anhalt bernburg taler.jpg 1861 prussia thaler.jpg and time period that stands out? Go ahead and share!
     
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  3. Hiddendragon

    Hiddendragon World coin collector

    I should add this one too that I had in my bear collection. 1846 anhalt bernburg thaler.jpg
     
  4. Hus.thaler

    Hus.thaler Well-Known Member

    German States stuff is absolutely addicting. If you are buying thalers and gulden, then there are lots of cool commemoratives for wars and coronations and deaths and weddings. Bremen and Frankfurt made some really nice stuff during this era, as did Bavaria if you have the pockets for it. If you collect minors, the little Baden kreuzer commems are a lot of fun.
     
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  5. Zohar444

    Zohar444 Member

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  6. The Eidolon

    The Eidolon Well-Known Member

    I've always liked German and Italian States too. For some reason, I find a lot of Italian coppers ~1600-1800 at my local coin shop. The condition is usually very worn, but the price is low if I'm willing to ID them (or fail to) myself. 18 copy.jpg
    collage copy.jpg

    Here's one of my favorite finds: Papal States, Gubbio, 1750 Quattrino, Jubilee Year
    Papal States Gubbio 1750 Quattrino Jubilee Year copy.jpg
     
  7. Heavymetal

    Heavymetal Well-Known Member

    I don’t seek them out but never leave them in the LCS junk box
    IMG_8914.jpeg IMG_8913.jpeg
     
  8. Joshua Lemons

    Joshua Lemons Well-Known Member Supporter

    The German States minor denominations are my collecting focus, though most of my collection is from the 18th century and before. I still have a nice assortment of 19th century coins though. Here's a few of my favorites.

    Lippe-Detmold. The floral arms are always nice!
    Polish_20231122_070115163.jpg Polish_20231122_070143256.jpg

    Hamburg. The castle motif is always a favorite!
    Polish_20231122_065644441.jpg Polish_20231122_065705684.jpg

    Frankfurt. A nice city view minor. You can get coins from Frankfurt in high grades at very reasonable prices.
    Polish_20231122_062425973.jpg Polish_20231122_062359507.jpg

    Rostock because who doesn't love griffins? One of my personal favorites in my collection.
    Polish_20230614_010635263.jpg 941ef78a2d23ec9099ba1c0684f5001d4c34d6aeba6ffec791fa544a7a0dbbcd.jpg

    Bremen. The key design is always nice! I bought this for the incredible clashing!
    237356247.jpg

    Schaumburg-Lippe, an ultra reflective coin in hand. Had the reverse been more mirrored, I could see this coin getting PL designation.
    256246454.jpg
     
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  9. mkivtt

    mkivtt Well-Known Member

    One of the best areas to focus, IMO. I never understood why someone would collect 20 of the same type of each US coin when world coins are so much more interesting. German States in particular are awesome as they each minted their own coins, and there are probably thousands of types, many with much more intricate and beautiful designs than on US coins.
     
  10. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    I once said/ Elon Musk could not afford a complete German States collection!
    I also love them/ being German:) I have 350+. Also love Italian States. But Swiss Kantons/ Transylvania are up there too. Holy Roman Empire maybe numero uno.
    Here are a few of my German coins 04896q00-630x_.jpg f0d79632033a52595da1609049f70512.jpg 27707eef844cd27cf08b467e81329f81.jpg 07066q00-630x_.jpg 52079296a4e6ba1691ef54cdade8e91f.jpg 0b6cfca7b9a2b2b5ec1e62b36de2df6b.jpg 3ded8bff179abb4b898649f85f7cb68e.jpg 3f924b4b8972a9c00015038c12bc498c.jpg 15cd1b5d6b52560057fb3f84bab2a396.jpg 25bde9436949ff264a134298639a9e0f.jpg
     
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  11. Hiddendragon

    Hiddendragon World coin collector

    Those are all awesome but the last with the big eagle is my favorite.
     
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  12. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    German states coins of the 1800s were plentiful about 20 years or so ago, but they have come into demand, especially examples in high grade. Italian states coins in nice grade have always been elusive.

    Cisalphine Republic, 1800, year 8, scudo.
    Davenport 199
    23.12 grams

    D-Camera Cisalphine Republic 1800 year 8 scudo 23.12g Dav 199 ex WW 6-12-22.jpg
     
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  13. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Here are some of my Italian States.... 4f448c3300d29637d7e757d919eacbe1.jpg 8ff93357fe33167bbf36fd93eae2c6c6 (1).jpg 33ca85a2c2c531e25018d92b2bc9d18a.jpg b025a1913415a8aa0f7f5c45f54392ea.jpg bf1544bbb0ffc08988643b4625ca3887.jpg e3a0f9a1c0ec36187b5a4cf4296a7543 (1).jpg italien-1719858-S.jpg 16d073e3d0c61197f7f9ba1d9b6d1005.jpg 6f812a00a00909fbf972ced4c11565e5.jpg pictures.jpg
     
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  14. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    And it's a beauty!

    I have to go into the "used to own" archives to find any German States from the 1800s that I've owned. (Of Italian States, I've had very little indeed, and there are no archived pictures of those.)

    This the only 1800s German States piece I have a picture of, and not very good pictures, at that. It was a lovely little prooflike supergem, however. MS67!

    German States (Hesse-Darmstadt): 1866 silver kreuzer
    [​IMG]


    Now, there is some other German States stuff, from other centuries...

    German States (Mecklenburg-Wismar): silver witten, struck after the Wendish Coinage Union of 1379
    [​IMG]

    German States (Frankfurt): 1495 goldgulden of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
    [​IMG]

    German States (Saxony, Albertine): 1548 silver thaler of Maurice, Elector of Saxony
    [​IMG]


    German States (Saxony): 1596-HB silver thaler, "3 Brothers" type, Dresden mint
    PCGS VF details ("tooled")
    [​IMG]

    German States (Teutonic Order): ca. 1615 silver 1/4-thaler of Grand Master Maximilian of Austria
    [​IMG]


    German States (Nurnberg): silver 1/8 thaler klippe of Ferdinand III; Peace of Westphalia, 1650
    PCGS MS62
    [​IMG]

    German States (Brunswick-Lüneberg-Calenberg-Hannover): 1702 silver 24-mariengroschen, "Wildman" type
    [​IMG]

    Germany (Nürnberg): 1730 silver Augsburg Confession medal by Daniel Dockler the Younger
    [​IMG]


    German States (Saxony) 1913-E proof silver 3 marks, Battle of Leipzig centennial commemorative, 1913-E
    PCGS PR62 DCAM

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. Heavymetal

    Heavymetal Well-Known Member

    IMG_8523.jpeg IMG_8524.jpeg IMG_8328.jpeg IMG_8329.jpeg IMG_8224.jpeg IMG_8222.jpeg IMG_8205.jpeg IMG_8203.jpeg IMG_8943.jpeg IMG_8942.jpeg More from my Florida LCS junk box
     
  16. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Lord, what is that on the obverse of your Mecklenburg-Wismar AR Witten?
    To me it looks like a "Teufelhund":D
     
  17. willieboyd2

    willieboyd2 First Class Poster

    My Germany Prussia 1888 10 Mark Coin which I bought after reading about the 1946 Hesse Jewel Robbery.

    [​IMG]
    Germany Prussia 10 Marks 1888-A (Berlin) - Frederick III
    FRIEDRICH DEUTSCHER KAISER KONIG V. PREUSSEN
    (Frederick, Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia)
    DEUTSCHES REICH 1888 / 10 MARK
    (German Empire / 10 Marks)
    Gold (0.900), 19 mm, 3.98 gm
    NGC graded MS-61

    One of the items stolen during the robbery was a similar Prussia 10 mark gold coin.

    :)
     
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  18. Mister T

    Mister T Active Member

    I've never looked too closely at these series but I do have a pre-Italian unification coin somewhere. Some really beautiful designs.
     
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  19. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Two more Italian States IMG_2364.JPG IMG_2363.JPG IMG_2365.JPG IMG_2366.JPG IMG_2367.JPG IMG_2368.JPG
     
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