How do I know if my German beer stein is valuable?
If it’s dipped in a darkening agent and made to look old, the entire lid will be dark. However, if upon opening your stein, the inside of the lid is lighter than the outside, you may have a stein of significant value. Another lid lesson: Pewter, cone-shaped lids are typically the least valuable.
What are the most valuable beer steins?
The most highly sought after manufacturers include Mettlach, Royal Vienna, and Capo-di-Monte. While there are countless types of beer steins, below are the most popular and well-known. Easily one of the most popular types of steins for collectors. They often feature folk tales or German patriotic scenes.
Are old German beer steins worth anything?
German beer steins can sell for under $50 or over $5,000, but many sell in the $100 to $500 range. To determine whether your stein is a valuable antique or just a cool collectible, you need to look for clues about how old the stein is, where it was made, and how it was made.
What steins are worth money?
Some of the best beer steins in the world are German-made by a handful of beer stein manufacturers. For example, they include King Werk Beer Steins, Thewalt Beer Steins, and Zoller & Born Beer Steins. If you have a beer stein made by one of them, it will have more value than other steins.
How old is my German beer stein?
| German beer stein | |
|---|---|
| Type | Period |
| Early (antique) | From the 16th to the mid-19th century |
| Old | From the mid-19th to the 20th century |
| Jugendstil | Art Nouveau period from 1900 to the 1920s |
What do the numbers on the bottom of a beer stein mean?
Each stein has is own number and gets numbered, until the complete Series is made, usually a couple thousand. A lot of the authentic German made Steins are Limited Edition / Collector pieces. This means that there is only a certain amount of them made, for example, 3000/5000 pieces. Also is each one of them numbered.
How much is a stein in Germany?
Here’s a bit of bad news for beer lovers traveling to Munich for the annual epic Oktoberfest celebration: The average price of a one-liter stein of “bier” served by dirndl-clad waitresses at the festival will run €10.54. That’s the equivalent of almost $12! Beer prices at Oktoberfest are up 3% compared to last year.
Why do German beer steins have lids?
But lids did not start appearing on German steins until the Bubonic plague swept through Europe (in the 1300s), where insects appeared in their millions and attracted to the sweet smelling beer. The government decreed that all drinking establishments had to cover their stoneware with lids to prevent spread of disease.
Why do beer steins have lids and glass bottoms?
The legend is that the glass-bottomed tankard was developed as a way of refusing the King’s shilling, i.e., conscription into the British Army or Navy. The drinker could see the coin in the bottom of the glass and refuse the drink, thereby avoiding conscription.
How much is a German stein?
To determine whether your stein with an engraved metal lid is a valuable antique or just a quirky stein collectible, you need to look for clues about how old the stein is, how it was made and in which German factory. Antique German beer steins value range anywhere from $7 to $5,000.
Do people actually drink out of beer steins?
Can you drink out of a beer stein? / Do they actually drink from beer steins in Germany? Firstly, yes, you definitely can drink from them. Click Here for our “How to take care of your German Beer Stein” pamphlet, which instructs on how to clean your stein and the drinks that are safe for the materials.