Archive: People and Markets

The “Red Book” and Its Two Fathers

Kenneth Bressett’s memoir “A Penny Saved” celebrates the life of Bressett’s mentor, hobby legend Richard S. Yeo and author of the “Red Book”. Joel J. Orosz explains what numismatics owes both of them.

Read more
The British Museum suffered what was probably the largest theft in its history and a scandal that shook the institution to its core. Photo: hurk / Pixabay.

Red Alert at the British Museum

Thousands of objects have disappeared from the British Museum – allegedly stolen by a senior curator. The matter was uncovered by an antiquities dealer, whose warnings fell on deaf ears. The museum’s director has stepped down, and this seems to be merely the tip of the iceberg.

Read more

Jere L. Bacharach (1938-2023)

Jere L. Bacharach, expert on Islamic numismatics, died in April 2023. The ANS remembers its long-time member of the Board of Trustees, and an invaluable scholar of the numismatic community and Middle Eastern studies.

Read more

How the Romans Made Counterfeits

Counterfeits have been around in ancient Roman times, too – usually, they were cast from a copper-tin alloy. Researchers at the University of Tübingen examined the counterfeiting process and reconstructed it experimentally. A video documents their experiment.

Read more

Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Image detail from “The last viaduct before entering the Trieste railway station”, image: SLUB Dresden. Public Domain Mark 1.0. PPN 337170053. In front: Double vereinstaler 1857. From Auction Künker 308, No. 471.

A Commemorative Coin Celebrating the Completion of Austria’s Southern Railway

Commemorative coins were issued far less frequently in the 19th century than today. The fact that Emperor Franz Joseph dedicated a commemorative coin to the Austrian Southern Railway is therefore testimony to the outstanding importance of this line. In auction 408, Künker is offering two of only 1,644 specimens minted.

Coin-Embedded Tableware as Part of European Dining Culture

In European castles and treasure chambers, we often come across magnificent coin-embedded vessels. These items represent wealth and knowledge. Although their roots can be traced back to the Renaissance, it was not until the bourgeoisie of the 19th century that they came into their own.
Search Search