The minters’ pilgrimage

How the mint workers in Vienna were saved from the plague epidemic of 1679…

The House of Hohenems and its bishops

2. Wolf Dietrich of Raitenau
In 1558, Helena, the sister of Cardinal and Bishop of Constance Marcus Sitticus of Hohenems, married Hans Werner III of Raitenau. On March 26th, 1559, at the Hofen Castle near Bregenz, she presented …

The house of Hohenems and his bishops

The masters of Hohenems owed their rise to become the most important noble family in Vorarlberg to their loyalty to the House of Habsburg. Two family members …

The Year of the Freigeld in Wörgl

Who knows Wörgl nowadays? Yet for a short period of time the entire world looked at this small town. In 1932/3, one of the most successful …

Making the Case for the Gold Standard: The Coins of Josef Wild

By means of hyperinflation, the German government transferred the cost of World War I onto its citizens. Josef Wild, a simple goldsmith from Nuremberg, tried to do something about it. He died in prison as a counterfeiter of coins.

Geocaching – A Numismatic Scavenger Hunt?

Did you know there are treasures hidden in your immediate vicinity? Geocaching is the scavenger hunt of the 21st century and geocoins have become the most popular items adventurers can discover on their quests. The tokens will bear witness to a mass movement for centuries to come.