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From: John Schaefer
Remote Name: 64.12.116.195
Date: 02/14/2009
Time: 12:26:24 PM
Hi Mark, While none of us has a crystal ball, I would think the economy being in the tank can't be helping (that's true for everything, not just steins). Today their are also more options for people to run across steins that maybe 30 years ago they would be lucky to run across (the internet, stein only auctions, etc). 30 years ago, you were pretty much limited to what you could find in your local antique shops. While it's true some steins have dropped in value, others have actually gone up.(it all depends upon the rarity and supply and demand). Your dealer friend was right in the quality aspect of Mettlach steins - there isn't anything close to it's level of detail and craftsmanship produced since then in steins. As for where values are headed in the future, I don't think the bottom will fall out on Mettlach. How far they can head up depends upon the demand from mainly the U.S. and Germany. With all the stein collectors Budweiser added in the US, you would think some would start crossing over into the antique German steins. Those Budweiser steins are not cheap either, and for a little more, you can have yourself a nice antique. I personally collect for the beauty of steins (I collect modern and antique steins). If they happen to go up in value, that's just icing on the cake! Just my 2 cents worth. Good luck with your future collecting!