People and markets
Coin of the Year 2026
As in 2025, the Austrian Mint won three awards, as did the Monnaie de Paris, whilst Ukraine once again dominated the ‘Most Inspirational’ category. The best coin came from China.
read more at our partner SIXBID
125 Years of the Württemberg Numismatic Society
The Württemberg Numismatic Society will celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2026. We recount its founding and the celebrations marking this milestone.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Come to think of it
Contemporary coins: a reflection of our times
To what extent do contemporary coins reflect our times and our sensibilities? Ursula Kampmann illustrates this using CIT’s ‘Scottish Highlands’ coin.
read more at our partner SIXBID
What Is the Value of a Coin?
Ursula Kampmann presents a few extreme examples—all of which were auctioned in June 2026—and analyzes the values.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Contemporary coins: a reflection of our times
To what extent do contemporary coins reflect our times and our sensibilities? Ursula Kampmann illustrates this using CIT’s ‘Scottish Highlands’ coin.
read more at our partner SIXBID
What Is the Value of a Coin?
Ursula Kampmann presents a few extreme examples—all of which were auctioned in June 2026—and analyzes the values.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Coins, Medals and more

The finest specimen of the rarest gold coin from the German Empire
On 23 September 2026, Künker auctions Ernst II’s 20-mark coin from a physicist’s collection—the German Empire’s rarest gold coin, limited to 1,000 pieces. NGC knows no finer specimen.read more at our partner SIXBID

From 10,000 to 325,000 euros: Catherine the Great dominates the auction
The Heidelberger Münzhandlung offered a 10-ruble coin of Catherine the Great at auction 92, starting at €10,000. It climbed to €325,000. We explain why, and what makes this coin so special.read more at our partner SIXBID
Archive
Bloody Flag and Scheepjesschelling
On 27 and 28 September 2024, Künker will auction off part 2 of the Beuth Collection with Dutch coins in collaboration with Laurens Schulman. This important collection includes numerous rarities. But it also contains affordable coins with two-digit estimates that are just as fascinating as their unique and extremely rare counterparts, as we will prove in this article.
The Borki Train Disaster
On 29 October 1888, the Russian imperial train derailed near the village of Borki. 23 people lost their lives. The tsar’s family survived. A medal commemorates the event. It will be offered by the Künker auction house on 1 February 2024.
Maria Theresa and Her Persecution of Jews
On 18 December 1744, Maria Theresa adopted a decree that expelled 40,000 Bohemian Jews from their homeland. A medal testifies to the fact that she had to revoke the decree due to financial and diplomatic pressure. The time of Jewish persecution was over for the time being – that is, until the genocide of the Jews in the 20th century.
Bulgaria, Prince Ferdinand I and the Railroad
One of the highlights of Künker’s auction 395 is a spectacular gold medal with a weight of 110 ductats. It was the personal property of Prince Ferdinand I. of Bulgaria. This medal takes us back into a period when Bulgaria modernized its economy. And the railroad system played a major role in this.
On the road
Boston Is Getting a Museum of American Finance
Boston is opening a new Museum of American Finance: Discover rare banknotes, U.S. financial history, and interactive exhibits exploring the world of money.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Japan Mint: Hiroshima Branch
The Japan Mint doesn’t just produce beautiful circulation coins. It also manages the entire production process in-house, from the blank to the finished coin. This makes Japan one of the few countries that are completely self-sufficient when it comes to its circulation coins. We visited the branch of the Japan Mint in Hiroshima.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Boston Is Getting a Museum of American Finance
Boston is opening a new Museum of American Finance: Discover rare banknotes, U.S. financial history, and interactive exhibits exploring the world of money.
read more at our partner SIXBID
Who is who
Fun
Franklin’s World:
Good to know
What is a Kontorniat?
The word ‘Kontorniat’ comes from Italian and is derived from the Italian ‘contorno’ (= edge). You can find out here what cultural and historical phenomenon lies behind these numismatic objects.
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
Boston Is Getting a Museum of American Finance
Boston is opening a new Museum of American Finance: Discover rare banknotes, U.S. financial history, and interactive exhibits exploring the world of money.
read more at our partner SIXBID
















































Coin of the Year 2026
As in 2025, the Austrian Mint won three awards, as did the Monnaie de Paris, whilst Ukraine once again dominated the ‘Most Inspirational’ category. The best coin came from China.
read more at our partner SIXBID
125 Years of the Württemberg Numismatic Society
The Württemberg Numismatic Society will celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2026. We recount its founding and the celebrations marking this milestone.
read more at our partner SIXBID