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

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

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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

Archive

A Coin on a Coin: Luxembourg to Resurrect the “Feierstëppler”

The Grand Duchy honours its past as a centre of the steel industry with a new 2-euro commemorative coin bearing the unwieldy title “100th anniversary of the Grand Ducal decree on the issue of the ‘Feierstëppler’”.

Unity Coin Sows Discord: More Than Just a Matter of Taste?

The fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification are considered, despite occasional tensions between East and West, as a defining moment in German history, a cause for celebration for many Germans – but not, it seems, within certain corners of the German coin collecting community.

The Suffering of Leiden – A Siege During the Dutch Revolt

The third part of the Beuth Collection that Künker offers in Auction 420 contains many historically interesting emergency and siege coins. They were issued by the Dutch towns besieged by Spain during the 80 Years’ War. One of these towns was Leiden, which to this day commemorates the end of the siege every year with a festival.

What Do Gaming Counters Have to Do with Numismatics?

On 5 July 2025, Künker will offer a complete set of trictrac pieces at its auction 425. The ensemble is of great cultural and historical value. This prompts us to ask why gaming counters are part of the numismatic field – and what insights they can offer into the numismatic daily life of the early modern period.

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