Archive: People and Markets

Gilded silver plate, Iran or Afghanistan, probably Parthian or Early Sasanian, probably 2nd–3rd century. © The Trustees of the British Museum.

“Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece” at the British Museum

Over centuries the Persian empire and the Greeks had many conflicts. But nevertheless they influenced each other in many ways, as coins and works of art document. A major exhibition at the British Museum explores the relationship between luxury and power in this time.

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Largest Hoard of Ancient Gold Coins Discovered in Luxembourg

At the end of 2019, two amateur archaeologists in Luxembourg made an impressive discovery that has now been made public: 141 exceptionally well-preserved solidi from the last third of the 4th century. It is the largest hoard of ancient gold coins ever discovered in the Grand Duchy.

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The Mint of Finland is Dead, Long Live the Helsinki Mint

September brought bad news for the numismatic world: the Mint of Finland, once a prolific producer of circulation coins for numerous euro countries, announced it would cease operations. Many questions have since remained unanswered – but one key point is now clear: the future of Finnish coin production has been decided.

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Training Exercise for Cultural Heritage Response Unit

The German Archaeological Institute (DAI), in cooperation with the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), is building an emergency response unit to provide rapid assistance in the event of disasters around the world. In a fictious earthquake scenario, experts were recently trained in how to protect and preserve cultural heritage.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Münster, Osnabrück, Passau and the Counts of Lamberg

Münster, Osnabrück and Passau: How are these places related to the Counts of Lamberg? We use coins from Künker’s auction 424 to illustrate how noble families in the Holy Roman Empire climbed the social ladder in early modern times, and explain the reasons for and the consequences of such ascents.
Horace Vernet, Barrikadenkampf in der Rue Soufflot, Paris, 25. Juni 1848 (Juniaufstand).

French History in Coins – Part 2: From the Second Republic to the Second Empire

In the 19th century, people in France suffered from hunger and poverty. There were uprisings and a revolution. But the first president of the new republic was a nephew of Napoleon and completely took after the old emperor.
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