Meyer Amschel Rothschild, court factor and coin dealer

Meyer Amschel Rothschild worked his way out of the Frankfurt Jewish ghetto and all the way up to court factor in the 18th century. He specialised in coin- and antiquities dealing before becoming the founder of a famous dynasty of bankers.

Between Germany and France: The Duchy of Lorraine

On 16 May 2017, one of the most significant collections of Lorraine that has come on the market during the last decades will be put to auction at the Heidelberger Münzhandlung. We will tell you the story of this duchy on the basis of a few of the collection’s rarities.

Gold for the coronation

Albert M. Beck will receive a gold numismatic crowning gift for his 80th birthday on 15 April 2017. Andreas Urs Sommer introduces the only known hyperpyron from the coronation issue of Alexios I Komnenos for John II Komnenos.

The Irish harp

Every coin of Ireland, from 1 cent to 2 euros, features a harp. We ask why the harp plays such an important role in Irish identification.

The Russians in Koenigsberg: a numismatic testimony to the Seven Years’ War

In the upcoming auction of the Tempelhofer Münzenhaus / Berlin, on April 6, 2017, a large collection of coins of Frederick II will be auctioned off. They include a comprehensive series of Russian coins from East Prussia. We are telling their story.

The Purim Festival of the Protestants

In its Berlin Auction 286, the auction house Künker auctions off the Ottar Ertzeid Collection with coins from the Swedish Territories. The offer includes a series of Purim talers. In this article, we address the question why the Protestants of Erfurt took a Jewish festival, of all events, to date their coins.