A little report from Germany

Discussion in 'Modern Chinese Coins & Medallions' started by xiki, Dec 1, 2011.

  1. xiki

    xiki New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2011
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Spain
    I've been away from the board for a few weeks due to having moved temporarily to Germany, and since my net connections were not the best in the beginning, I only stopped by to read posts without logging on.

    I was excited to come to Germany, because online I've noticed there are a lot og German collectors of Australian coins and of Pandas, so I thought it would be interesting to see what is on offer here. I thought I would share some of these observations, and maybe some of our German members can add information as well.

    Collectors paradise:

    My first stop in the city of Bremen was a store that called itself the collectors paradise, and that advertised they had coins. This turned out to be a disappointment. They had some older coins, and some coins made into jewelry. Luckily I saw no mutillated pandas there. The proprietor was friendly, however, and suggested a coin store downtown.

    Coin store:

    A few days later I tried downtown, and the only store I found so far is a stamp and coin store that has a miniscule selection of coins. Some silver ounces, lots of them guilded. Canadian, US and a couple of kooks. I got two guilded kooks just to buy something, for 30 eur each. They looked nice in the display, but when he took them out, I noticed that they hd some toning. Still, I got them, just to break the ice. What surprises me, is that the coins were without capsules. Who took them out of the capsules? Hmmm...

    The only Panda I saw in his store was a gold fractional, a 1/20 oz 1989, asking price 95 euro. It was not sealed, although it was in its plastic pouch with on side cut open. I was considering asking to use his loupe to study it, but I didn't wanna pretend I know what I'm doing, so I passed for now.

    I asked the owner if he knew about other coin stores that might have modern silver coins, and he gave me a name of another numismatic place, but he said the thought they mostly have older coins. He said most people who get modern coins do that on the internet or in auctions.

    Internet:

    There is a good selection of stores online that offer precious metals. And surprisingly pandas are available from 2007 to 2011 in many stores and at various prices. They cannot match the super bargain price that Yennus offered a few days ago on the 2007, but the other years have ok prices. Today, with the recent surge in the silver price, I could still get 2011 for 30.79 euro, or US $ 41.50. 2010 is available for US $ 53.50. 2008 seems to have a particularly attractive price at US $ 59. I don't know what quantities are available at these prices, but it seems like a good price to me. Does anyone have an idea of how they can be this much lower here? After all, the pricepedia still shows them at US $ 78, which also seems like a fair price.

    Gold Automat:

    Today I was visiting a shopping center where there was a grand opening of a Media Markt, a big eletronic store here. After tiring of the crowds, I walked around a bit in the center and suddenly noticed a little machine outside the men's room entrance marked Gold Automat. I didn't quite believe my eyes, but as I got closer, I saw it was true. It was actually a vending machine offering gold and silver coins. I read about them in China, but it turns out they are here also. The only silver coin on offer in this machine was a 1oz silver eagle at the staggering price of 46 euro, or US $ 62. Quite a hefty premium!!

    So, that was a little report from Germany, not so very full of pandas, but I hope you won't mind I post it here in the panda section, since it's here i have my home on silver stackers. If anyone have any tips of places I should check out, please let me know. There must be many places to go, little stores around the country to visit. I travel a bit, have visited Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg so far. A list of panda friendly places would be nice to have, so if you know anything, let me know. And I can post here after I visit them.
     
  2. Dwayne

    Dwayne New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    1,262
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Sydney
    Thanks for that. I'm going to be visiting germany myself next year so it's interesting to hear.
     
  3. Trichter

    Trichter Member

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2010
    Messages:
    927
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Australia
    Bremen is one of the most economically depressed states so you wouldn't expected too much there. Take a quick trip to Hamburg and you should have a lot more luck.
     
  4. xiki

    xiki New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2011
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Spain
    Thanks for the suggestion, Trichter, do you have any specific place to suggest? I will try and do a bit of research before I go. I will be passing there next week, and I would make a longer stop if I knew I could find some other pandas than the red panda in the Hagenbeck zoo.
     
  5. Thor122

    Thor122 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2011
    Messages:
    1,461
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Valhalla
    I buy a lot of pandas from germany's ebay at fair or bargain prices. But the mayority are in capsules only a few double sealed but better prices than ebay usa. I think in germany you will find good bargains.

    The better price is 2008. And the 2010 is good price too but i prefer 2008.
     
  6. 25Grizzlies

    25Grizzlies Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2011
    Messages:
    630
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Australia
    love hearing about your Panda hunting xiki, thanks for taking the timeto post! I think that there are alot of fakes in Germany as Pandas were popular there.

    Checking Munich for Pandas would be my guess, a city given the honour of having itself on some of the most sought after series of Pandas. There is a coin dealer from Germany mentioned at the back of Peter s Panda book to if I remember correct.
     
  7. yennus

    yennus Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2010
    Messages:
    4,762
    Likes Received:
    91
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Location:
    Shanghai:Sydney
    Wow! Thanks for sharing Xiki!

    I now want to head across to Germany and bag me some bears :)
     
  8. Trichter

    Trichter Member

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2010
    Messages:
    927
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Australia
    z.B.

    http://www.hamburg.de/branchenbuch/hamburg/10303886/n0/

    http://www.muenzen-ankauf-hamburg.de/
    http://www.emporium-hamburg.com
    http://www.harries-gmbh.de/
    http://www.historia-hamburg.de

    Viel Glueck!
     
  9. xiki

    xiki New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2011
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Spain
    Thank you very much, 25Grizzlies, I hadn't heard that Germany is particularly ridden by fakes. I will definitely keep this in mind, though.

    The Munich Pandas were new to me, I see there are still much to get into here. I only just got Peter's book before I left for Germany, and it's sitting at home waiting for me to return. I will use Christmas to enjoy this book, I was positively surprised by how beautiful the book was.
     
  10. xiki

    xiki New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2011
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Spain
    Hi, Yennus! You should definitely head over to Europe and Germany! It would be great fun to have you here! My little panda hunt so far seems like nothing compared to your great hunts you go on. I guess you're hunting in familiar territory, while I am trying to get an idea of the lay of the land. They have plenty of trains here, though, so we should board them and go hunting!
     
  11. xiki

    xiki New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2011
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Spain
    Ask, and you shall receive seems to be the motto for your post! I am really thankful for your input, and I will absolutely check them out. the Branchenbuch is also a great thing for when I visit other places in this great country. Many thanks to you, Trichter!
     

Share This Page