People and markets
Why visit MIF?
Andrea Pancheri travelled to Maastricht to attend the MIF. Here she shares her impressions and the participants’ reactions to the dedicated coin section planned for 2027.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Tokyo International Coin Convention (TICC) 2026
The Tokyo International Coin Convention takes place every year at the start of Golden Week. It is the most important event for classic numismatics in Japan and is one of the industry’s key gathering places when it comes to modern coins. Ursula Kampmann paid a visit.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Come to think of it
What is a cut bid?
Nowadays, when most bidders simply press a button on their computer, many have forgotten that, just a few decades ago, bidding was an art form. Here you can find out what psychological tricks were used in bidding and what a cut bid is.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Gräbener is moving from Netphen to Göppingen
The decline in cash usage, combined with chronic government budget shortfalls: tough times for mints and their suppliers. Will minting presses soon be used to produce ammunition?
read more at our partner SIXBID
What is a cut bid?
Nowadays, when most bidders simply press a button on their computer, many have forgotten that, just a few decades ago, bidding was an art form. Here you can find out what psychological tricks were used in bidding and what a cut bid is.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Gräbener is moving from Netphen to Göppingen
The decline in cash usage, combined with chronic government budget shortfalls: tough times for mints and their suppliers. Will minting presses soon be used to produce ammunition?
read more at our partner SIXBID
Coins, Medals and more

Short-Whiskered Dragon: The dragon with the short whiskers
Heritage has valued a proof coin from the Chinese mint in Tianjin, dated 1911, at US$2 million. The proof coin is extremely rare; only three examples are known to be in private hands. More important, however, is its historical significance, as the coin symbolises the changing times in China.read more at our partner SIXBID

The Imperial Collection
On 23 June 2026, the first part of the Hohenzollern coin collection will go under the hammer. The Osnabrück-based auction house Künker will be auctioning coins and medals from the collections of the Kings of Prussia and the Emperor of Germany. We present a selection of particularly special items and explain what the coins in the collection reveal about the character of Emperor Wilhelm I.read more at our partner SIXBID
Archive
Queen Anne: Great Britain on Its Way to Becoming a Global Power
On 26 May 2025, SINCONA will auction off part 6 of the British Collection presenting the medals of this ensemble. In this article, we will show you some of the treasures among the lots and explore the story of Queen Anne. Under her rule, Great Britain became the most important trading power in Europe.
100 Yuan Lion Dance 1995: One of the Rarest Chinese Coins of Our Age
From 13 to 15 May 2024, Heidelberger Münzhandlung will hold its 88th auction sale. Among the highlights are some of the rarest contemporary issues from China, including the 100-yuan Lion Dance coin of 1995. 1,000 specimens should have been minted – but in the end, only 138 were produced.
Sisi and Franz: Commemorating the Dream Wedding that Was Actually a Nightmare
As part of the phaleristic auction 415 on 28 October 2024, Künker will be auctioning the set of gold medals that Emperor Franz Joseph presented to his father-in-law, Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria. It is the numismatic souvenir of a wedding that turned out to be a nightmare for his daughter – young Elisabeth, who is better known as Sissi or Sisi today.
The Great Elector, Taxes and the Rise of Prussia
On 1 February 2024, the Künker auction house will hold its 400th auction sale. Among the 770 lots are very rare issues from the reign of Frederick William of Brandenburg-Prussia. They bear witness to the achievements of the Great Elector, who brought prosperity to a realm devastated by the Thirty Years’ War.
On the road
The Mercado de Monedas y Sellos on Plaza Mayor
Madrid is unique worldwide: nowhere else has hosted a coin and stamp market every Sunday for nearly a century. At around 100 stalls, collectors of all ages browse coins from ancient times to the euro.
read more at our partner SIXBID
French Reparations, the Imperial War Treasury, and the July Uprising
After the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), France paid Germany 5 billion francs—but what became of it, and how did it shape German power? A visit to Spandau Fortress.
read more at our partner SIXBID
The Mercado de Monedas y Sellos on Plaza Mayor
Madrid is unique worldwide: nowhere else has hosted a coin and stamp market every Sunday for nearly a century. At around 100 stalls, collectors of all ages browse coins from ancient times to the euro.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Who is who
Fun
Franklin’s World:
Good to know
Selling coins and the age-old question: How do I get the most for my coins?
Consigning items for auction requires choosing the right auction house—one that gives the collection proper attention and reaches the right buyers. Commission is often a secondary consideration.
read more at our partner SIXBID
What is provenance?
Provenance: This term plays a decisive role in the coin trade today. Provenances are worth their weight in gold. The same antique coin with a proper provenance can cost several times more than it would without provenance. So what is provenance?
read more at our partner SIXBID
The Mercado de Monedas y Sellos on Plaza Mayor
Madrid is unique worldwide: nowhere else has hosted a coin and stamp market every Sunday for nearly a century. At around 100 stalls, collectors of all ages browse coins from ancient times to the euro.
read more at our partner SIXBID





































Why visit MIF?
Andrea Pancheri travelled to Maastricht to attend the MIF. Here she shares her impressions and the participants’ reactions to the dedicated coin section planned for 2027.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Tokyo International Coin Convention (TICC) 2026
The Tokyo International Coin Convention takes place every year at the start of Golden Week. It is the most important event for classic numismatics in Japan and is one of the industry’s key gathering places when it comes to modern coins. Ursula Kampmann paid a visit.
read more at our partner SIXBID