Germany Brunswick-Luneburg (Wildman) 1/6, 1/3, 2/3, and 1 Thalers (Fakes are possible) 1727 to 1804

It turns out that Kings George II and George III of England reigned in the old German State of Brunswick-Luneberg-Calenberg-Hannover. One of the popular themes on their coinage was the Wildman design: a scantily-clad giant holding a tree. There are several design variations, and the later coins have George III instead of George II in the inscription. This page applies to wildman thalers with the crowned shield on the back.

In general these are valuable coins. The one in our picture comes from cgb.fr in Paris where it is on sale for 228 euros, about $290 US dollars. It is a nice specimen, in excellent condition. CoinQuest thanks cgb.fr for use of their coin image.

Here are some approximate catalog values for these coins. These values apply to all dates. If you have a nice specimen, seek out a knowledgeable collector or dealer for an accurate appraisal.

1/6 THALER GEORGE II (1727 to 1760, 21 mm diameter, 6 at right)
worn: $40 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $85
well preserved: $175
fully uncirculated: $350

1/6 THALER GEORGE III (1762 to 1784, 21 mm diameter, 6 at right)
worn: $20 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $40
well preserved: $80
fully uncirculated: $200

1/3 THALER GEORGE II (1737 to 1760, 30 mm diameter, 12 at right)
worn: $30 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $100
well preserved: $180
fully uncirculated: $400

1/3 THALER GEORGE III (1762 to 1789, 28 mm diameter, 12 at right)
worn: $30 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $80
well preserved: $150
fully uncirculated: $350

2/3 THALER GEORGE II (1730 to 1760, 34 mm diameter, some coins have 24 at right)
worn: $50 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $120
well preserved: $240
fully uncirculated: $480
2/3 thalers after 1743 are worth slightly more than these figures; they have more elaborate shield patterns than the one shown

THALER GEORGE II (1730 to 1744, 44 mm diameter)
worn: $200 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $400
well preserved: $800
fully uncirculated: $1400
thalers after 1744 have more elaborate shield patterns than the one shown; they are worth about the same as the figures above

Check out the genuine/counterfeit comparison below. It is a very effective counterfeit. Here is a CoinQuest reader's summary.

This was my second fake thaler that i managed to buy within a month. It's a 1734 IAB Brunswick forgery that looked very convincing in seller's photos, but once i received it, the coin failed the silver test as it was made of steel. Initially the seller was claiming the item belonged to his family for more than 45 years but when i contacted him about a refund his answer was .. but it had the right weight when i bought it?!? I did get my money back (paypal case in my favour) but the forgery was back on sale looking for a new victim. Stay away if you see a similar item and don't forget to report it! All the best! -- PT

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