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tewcd
New Member
United States
20 Posts
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Hi all! I wanted to introduce myself to the board; I'm a collector from the Charlotte metro area in NC, and I have a few specific collecting interests. Initially, because one of my degrees was in German, I began collecting more affordable German States (to 1871) small change. Since re-starting my collecting last year, I have decided to move on and sell that collection (a process I've just started, if anyone's interested).
More recently, though, I've been sucked in by our neighbor to the south. While the first piece I bought was a Charles IV 8R from Mexico, I quickly gained interest in Cap and Rays. I know that seems like quite a jump, but what I like about Mexican coins is the sense of community and the wide variety of printed information. German States minor coinage is great, beautiful, and oftentimes surreal, but there's not much of a community there unless you're collecting thalers/talers.
So, with 8R's, I began buying inexpensive (~$100) pieces of interest to me. I'm only at 5 pieces right now ( I have a wide variety of other related pieces -- Mex Revolutionary coins, modern small change, 1/4R's), but I didn't want to spend any large money without buying and reading Resplandores cover-to-cover (which I'm currently doing).
One piece I managed to get in my price range, however, was the following:
 
Problems it obviously has: a large scratch on the obverse, a large scratch on the reverse; damage (hopefully a strike-through, and not PMD) on the cap.
I've posted this previously on CU, so apologies if you've seen it already.
I'm also a collector of Mexican Paper money, and after purchasing the book of the same name by Cory Frampton (a beautiful work, and on my to-do list to read through), I plan to get more involved in that area too.
I'm not guaranteeing I won't go back to my roots in German States at some point, but I promise if I do it'd be thalers/talers.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
999 Posts |
tew.  from the CCF members. I have never dealt with these types of coins and would like to know if the majority of the German Thalers that you personally dealt with were as large as the ones in this example photo. The bottom middle coin is a US quarter for comparative size purposes. What approximate year did the German Thalers series begin? mdpmedia  |
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New Member
United States
20 Posts |
They look like they're the right size, but honestly I'm the worst person to ask about thalers, as I've never owned one, and don't know much about any individual series. When I collected German, I did mostly small change -- pfennig size to 1/4 thaler size.
Additionally, there's no real series. Thalers and other coins made between the middle ages and 1871 were produced by more than 300 independent states or entities. Its difficult to catalogue the whole field, but maybe 200 independent cities, principalities and church territories put out their own coins, and out of those, maybe 75 produced thalers.
Edited by tewcd
06/24/2012 9:39 pm
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2605 Posts |
Hello, tewcd, and welcome!
I too find German coinage great and beautiful, and usually I hang on to any I can get my hands on. I do agree, though, there's more following here with the Mexican coinage, and there's rich history there. But, I you ask me, I find German coins, whether low denominations or thalers, more exciting.
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New Member
United States
20 Posts |
German States pieces are great in their own way -- they all tell a different story, and oftentimes there's something really strange to be told in that story. What I really like about Mexico, though, is the storyline there parallels so much of our own, and oftentimes the story of that country can be seen as the "alternate universe" version of what may have happened at various points in our own past. Also, Germany is frighteningly cold for a guy who grew up in the bright, sunny South!
I like Mexican numismatics, though, because there is a much wider variety of coins. I know that might sound odd -- the HRE had tons of states, and tons of mints, and tons of different types of coins -- but that all can be overwhelming. And one thing I realized after being overwhelmed was that there's more of a difference between an 8 Reales minted in Mexico City and an 8 Reales minted in Zacatecas than there is between a thaler minted in Brunswick-Lueneburg-Celle and Brandenburg. So much of the German States coinage is beautiful and surreal, but its hard to get to know on little more than a surface level.
That being said, I'm begrudgingly giving up my German States small change collection (including a lot of wild man pfennigs and a hearty Hessian collection), so if you're interested, drop me a line.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1248 Posts |
That 8 Reales you posted is a nice find, that is a scarce date/mint/assayer. Welcome to the 8 reales addiction, I have been hooked for over thirty years (my focus is on the Mo mint from 1730-1897 and believe me it will keep me busy till I die) and I keep learning new things every day. Good idea to read "Resplandores" and get a feel for the series. There are lots of knowledgable collectors on this site that are willing to share information so welcome aboard.
"Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."
-Mark Twain
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New Member
United States
20 Posts |
Thanks, jfransch! I've read many of your posts since I've been a lurker, and I thank you for the knowledge you've already imparted me. I have a really hard time grasping things like "fair market value" for these sorts of things, and I'm not really concerned about resale, but I am annoyed at how inaccurate the pricing information is out there. Sure, it helps, like with this coin which -- because of its PMD and questionable strike-through -- I was able to get for below what I think it would sell for on the market; at other times, however, the lack of accurate price guides allows sellers to try and make up prices -- like a gentleman on eBay who insists on getting $100.00 for even the most common 8R. What I want to ask, then, is do you have any rule of thumb you go by to tell whether or not you're paying too much? Like, for instance, "A coin that is Very Scarce according to Resplandores, and in average condition, I will pay 'x' for; If I don't believe I will see that coin for another few years, I may pay 'y%' in excess of that number." Edited by tewcd
06/25/2012 12:13 am
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2605 Posts |
Quote:
... drop me a line. I believe you and the forum could benefit from each other, so before you get into too much trouble I'd like to point out that you cannot offer your (metal) goodies till you somewhat establish yourself here as a member.
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New Member
United States
20 Posts |
Oh, sure; I meant that more in a "I'm going to be selling these for a long time, because I have a ton". Didn't mean to violate any rules. Just to be clear -- I'm not selling anything here, just saying "hi"
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2888 Posts |
tewcd Hello and welcome.
Cap and Ray Mexican 8 Reales are a VERY interesting and complex series with a range of variety not seen in many other coin types.
I have been collecting 8Rs since 1960 but mostly counterfeit varieties. If I can ever be of help - just ask.
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Valued Member
United States
353 Posts |
Welcome to collecting Cap & Rays, 8 Reales and Resplandores! It is quite a learning adventure but it seems that you already have experience with all the varieties in German states coinage.
Nice Hermosillo 8R by the way.
Edited by RealPeso
06/25/2012 2:21 pm
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Posted 06/24/2012 8:20 pm
