Archive: People and Markets

Sir Winston Churchill at 150: Highlights From the J. Eric Engstrom Medal Collection

Last November, Winston Churchill would have turned 150 years old. To mark the occasion, the Heberden Coin Room at the Ashmolean is displaying pieces from their rich collection of medals related to Churchill, most of which come from the J. Eric Engstrom Collection of Churchill Medals.

Royal Mint Discontinues Rose Gold Alloy for Sovereign Coins

The Royal Mint has unveiled the Sovereign collection for 2025, alongside a major announcement regarding the coin’s future composition.

Archaeological Museum of Tegea, exhibition view. Image: Savvas Avramidis (KIKPE Numismatic Collection, Athens).

A Numismatic Itinerary Through the Peloponnese

The Archaeological Museum of Tegea in Greece shows in a temporary exhibition how places in the Peloponnese were presented on ancient coins.

Florida Recognises Gold and Silver as Legal Tender

A new step in the monetary policy of US states: the “Sunshine State” will soon allow certain precious metal coins to be used in everyday transactions. However, this alternative form of currency must meet specific requirements in order to qualify.

Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Background: Doktent via Wikicommons / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Regensburg: Where the Emperor and the Empire Met

Only a few German cities issued as magnificent early modern coins as Regensburg. And there is a good reason for this – gold and heavy silver coins in particular were in high demand in this city. Not for trading purposes but for representation. After all, the Perpetual Diet of the Holy Roman Empire sat in Regensburg. Read here how it worked and what role coins played in this event.
Napoleon III, painting by Alexandre Cabanel, around 1865. It was the favourite portrait of Empress Eugénie because it was the most accurate depiction of him.

French History in Coins – Part 3: A New Napoleon

Under Emperor Napoleon III, France experienced an economic upswing. The Paris cityscape was completely revamped, just as coin designs. The gold rush in the US thrust Europe’s silver money into a crisis. The answer came from France.
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