Welcome to Iran! Part 3: The hardships of being a tourist

Far away from civilization, at an altitude of 2,200 m lies the Throne of Solomon, Takht-e Soleyman, where a Zoroastrian fire temple – perhaps the Sassanids’ most important fire temple, was built in 5th century AD. Getting there proved to be an adventure.

Welcome to Iran! Part 2: At the Mongol’s tomb

Today we make our way across modern Tehran, to the old Safavid capital Qazvin and to Soltanyieh, where the Mongolian ruler Öljaitü built a magnificent shrine as a last resting place for Mohammad’s son-in-law Ali and his son Hossein.

Welcome to Iran! Part 1: Culture shock in Tehran

Would you like to be a millionaire for a day? In Tehran this can happen really fast. Just exchange 100 euros for 3.6 million Iranian riyal. And that won’t be the only thing to surprise you when you visit this 15 million people city.

Coin Rarities of the Military Order of Malta

Auction house Künker at Osnabrück is going to sell a special collection of coins of The Sovereign Military Order of Malta on 11 March 2014. Roughly 160 lots take us back into an era when the Holy Land was lost but the idea of crusading was still alive in the mind of many people.

Between War and Peace: The Romanian commemorative coins of 1939

Gold coins minted right before the outbreak of World War II? Commemorative coins on the 100th anniversary of King Carol without a single reference to the ruler? You have to know the historical background to understand why Carol II had these coins commissioned in 1939.