People and markets
Lucien Birkler, †2025
Lucien Birkler passed away on December 22, 2025, and was once one of the most renowned coin dealers in the United States. We have lost a man who loved coins, collectors, and the coin trade.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Stumbling block for Philipp Lederer
On the initiative of the Berlin Coin Cabinet, a Stolperstein was laid in front of Philipp Lederer’s former coin shop in Berlin. Commemorating an important German numismatist and coin dealer.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Come to think of it
Investing in coins? Yes, but which ones?
You can collect coins out of passion. But you can also collect them to build up a financial cushion. What do you need to bear in mind to ensure that coins not only bring you joy, but also as security?
read more at our partner SIXBID
Are these raids changing the debate on cultural property protection?
It is a terrible thought: irreplaceable cultural assets are destroyed so that their components can be sold. This brings home to us that cultural assets have not only historical value, but also material value. Could this realisation change the debate on the protection of cultural assets?
read more at our partner SIXBID
Investing in coins? Yes, but which ones?
You can collect coins out of passion. But you can also collect them to build up a financial cushion. What do you need to bear in mind to ensure that coins not only bring you joy, but also as security?
read more at our partner SIXBID
Are these raids changing the debate on cultural property protection?
It is a terrible thought: irreplaceable cultural assets are destroyed so that their components can be sold. This brings home to us that cultural assets have not only historical value, but also material value. Could this realisation change the debate on the protection of cultural assets?
read more at our partner SIXBID
Coins, Medals and more

Assassination in the sacred sphere: the Pazzi conspiracy
Political assassins have always used sacred spaces to carry out their attacks. Immersed in prayer, the faithful are easy targets. A remarkable Renaissance medal tells the story of an assassination.read more at our partner SIXBID

3 Minutes of Numismatics: King Kroisus and his significance for the monetary system
King Kroisus' coins are a milestone on the path to our Western monetary system. We show you the first gold coins ever minted.read more at our partner SIXBID
Archive
A Medal Made by Dürer as the Official Gift of the City of Nuremberg for Charles V
On 29 January 2025, auction house Künker will be auctioning an object of major art-historical importance in Berlin: the very Albrecht Dürer himself had been commissioned by the Nuremberg City Council to create the dies for medals that were to be officially handed to Charles V during his entry into the city in 1521.
Marks and Pfennigs in Your Inheritance: What Should Heirs Do with Old DM Coins?
When dealing with inheritances, it’s common for heirs to come across coins from the Deutsche Mark era –often, these Pfennigs and Marks can feel overwhelming. However, heading straight to the Bundesbank, where nearly all DM coins can be exchanged indefinitely, isn’t always the best option.
Counterfeit Detection: Altered Prussia 20 Mark
An NGC expert gives us insight into his everyday life. He shows how the year on a coin from the German Empire was altered by a coin doctor.
Bloody Flag and Scheepjesschelling
On 27 and 28 September 2024, Künker will auction off part 2 of the Beuth Collection with Dutch coins in collaboration with Laurens Schulman. This important collection includes numerous rarities. But it also contains affordable coins with two-digit estimates that are just as fascinating as their unique and extremely rare counterparts, as we will prove in this article.
On the road
A visit to Heritage Auctions
Join us as we delve into the world of Heritage Auctions – the world’s largest auction house, where rare treasures, exciting stories and records are just a hammer blow away.
read more at our partner SIXBID
US Mint: Denver Branch
There are few government mints that are open to visitors. One of them is the Denver Mint, where American currency is produced. What impact is current US policy having there? We investigated on site.
read more at our partner SIXBID
A visit to Heritage Auctions
Join us as we delve into the world of Heritage Auctions – the world’s largest auction house, where rare treasures, exciting stories and records are just a hammer blow away.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Who is who
Fun
Franklin’s World:
Good to know
What is an estimate?
Do today’s coin dealers have no idea about the value of a coin? Or why is it that their estimates have nothing to do with the surcharges? Ursula Kampmann explains.
read more at our partner SIXBID
What is money?
What exactly is money? It seems obvious. There are coins, banknotes, credit cards – wait, a credit card isn’t money, it’s just a means of transferring money, just like a cheque or an early modern bill of exchange. So what is it then? What functions must money fulfil in order to function as money?
read more at our partner SIXBID
A visit to Heritage Auctions
Join us as we delve into the world of Heritage Auctions – the world’s largest auction house, where rare treasures, exciting stories and records are just a hammer blow away.
read more at our partner SIXBID































Lucien Birkler, †2025
Lucien Birkler passed away on December 22, 2025, and was once one of the most renowned coin dealers in the United States. We have lost a man who loved coins, collectors, and the coin trade.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Stumbling block for Philipp Lederer
On the initiative of the Berlin Coin Cabinet, a Stolperstein was laid in front of Philipp Lederer’s former coin shop in Berlin. Commemorating an important German numismatist and coin dealer.
read more at our partner SIXBID