Archive: People and Markets
Legal Statement Issued on Italy’s Import Requirements for Coins
Italy requires such extensive documentation for the import of coins that many dealers prefer to avoid the country. But now, the Ministry of Culture in Rome has issued a legal statement that deserves some attention.
Poetic Machines: Swissmint Honors Jean Tinguely
Steel, wheels, movement, order and chaos – Swiss artist Jean Tinguely was fascinated by the poetry of machines, which he captured in his kinetic machine sculptures. To mark what would have been his 100th birthday, Swissmint is honoring the exceptional artist with a silver coin.
Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Planchet Error, Overstrike, Double-Strike, Etc.: Which Errors Affect the Price of a Coin? – Part 1
The price of a coin does not only depend on its rarity and grade. There are many things that can affect a specimen’s value in a positive or negative way. This overview will help you to understand common terms, to use them confidently and to understand them in their context.

Unity Coin Sows Discord: More Than Just a Matter of Taste?
The fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification are considered, despite occasional tensions between East and West, as a defining moment in German history, a cause for celebration for many Germans – but not, it seems, within certain corners of the German coin collecting community.











Benin Bronzes Lawsuit Against Smithsonian
Shall all Benin bronzes be repatriated? The Restitution Study Group says no. They argue for the rights of descendants of slaves trafficked by the Benin Kingdom as you can learn from this interview by Kate Fitz Gibbon.
CIT: The Last Issue in the Real Heroes Series – Astronaut
With the last issue of the Real Heroes series, CIT pays tribute to the courage of astronauts. The focus is on an iconic scene that was implemented with technical perfection as a reflection in the visor of a spacesuit.