How do you identify beer steins from Germany?

Beer steins from Germany can be identified by looking at the bottom, the lid, the interior, the exterior and the handle of the stein. It must have a "Gemacht in Deutschland" (made in Germany) label at the bottom, so buyers should beware of any stein lacking this mark.

Old Germany beer steins usually have metal lids decorated to complement the color of the stein. They also have lithophane decoration, or hand-painted pictures, at the bottom. Steins that feature a nude body or any other provocative design are not real antiques. Old German steins don't have bumps on the handle, while the new steins do; however, the absence of a bump is not a guarantee of an old German beer stein.