Sam klein: black hats can be made of felt or wool. Within felt there is beaver felt, rabbit and for the truly discerning, mink. A good rabbit fur felt costs at least 100, probably closer to 150. A good beaver is twice that and a good mink is twice that. If you want a brand name, expect to pay for it, like everything else.
The difference between one type and the other type is pretty visible to the naked eye and after six months the wool felt will not look anywhere near as nice as a fur felt. A beaver felt will look new for 25 years.
the best prices and selection are at stores that cater to the jewish markets because the consumer is usually a lot more knowledgeable.
A secret of mine: if you really know the hat market, buy on ebay. even second hand. huge savings.