About us
Company History
Primus can now look back on a long success story that—modesty aside (and with a boss who will hopefully forgive the comparison)—has beginnings reminiscent of a certain well‑known computer company: one young man, one garage, and lots of innovative ideas.
No one could have imagined back then that those ideas would one day grow into a complex, high‑performance mail‑order business with more than 130 employees, offering virtually every kind of coin and stamp.
Even today Primus still has surprises in store, yet true to our motto “Primus – the first address for collectors,” our foremost goal is to be the ideal partner for everyone who loves collecting coins and stamps. Let our company’s journey inspire you and join us in a bit of nostalgia.
1993
Everything began in a small garage. In 1993 a young stamp collector with a passion for plate‑variety errors decided to turn his hobby into a profession and founded the Thomas Schantl Verlag in his parents’ home and garage in the village of Gemmrigheim.
1994
Rapidly rising demand soon required more space, so headquarters moved to nearby Bietigheim‑Bissingen. There we could finally meet the soaring order volume with more staff—the first major expansion step for our company.
1998
It became clear that running both a stamp‑trading arm and plate‑variety research would need exponential growth—especially because a second company focused on coins had long been under discussion. After 18 months of deliberation about selling the stamp‑trading branch, the result was obvious: no sale, and the coin‑trading company was “brought to life” instead.
2001
In March 2001 we moved to Constance on Lake Constance, giving the company a decisive boost. More than 90 employees now served over 300,000 customers worldwide.
2004
Soon after settling in Constance came our first major partnerships: beginning in 2004 a nine‑year collaboration with various discount chains exported numismatic titles such as “Treasures in Your Wallet” to up to 14 countries, laying the groundwork for the company’s growing international reach.
2009
The global financial crisis year also marked a milestone for us—the launch of our first online shop. From then on, customers could order their desired numismatic or philatelic items online around the clock.
2011
“Germany’s cheapest physical silver.” That headline in 2011 drew attention and kicked off our expansion into precious metals. Today our wide range includes stamp highlights, euro coins, accessories, and gold and silver—appealing to collectors and investors alike.
2014
Germany’s Federal Ministry of Finance—where every German euro coin originates—awarded us our first major contract in 2014, the starting point for many further collaborations with finance ministries worldwide and the birth of our wholesale division.
2016
By 2016, with more than 130 employees, we ventured into television: our first coin commercials lit up German screens, delighting viewers and energizing our then small but dedicated marketing team.
2019
An event‑packed year for our philately department and stamp customers: founding the Thomas Schantl Auction House introduced exciting online live auctions. The second auction—selling the legendary “Victoria Collection,” filled with top pieces and rarities from five continents—was a sensational success and proved once again that stamps remain in high demand.