Archive: People and Markets

Faust Vrančić: The Croatian Leonardo

Croatia issues two new collector coins as part of its “Croatian Innovators” series. They are dedicated to Faust Vrančić, a Croatian polymath whose parachute design, published in his 1595 book “Machinae novae”, is the first appearance of this device in a printed work.

Between Tradition and the Demands of a New Economic World

The 32nd Mint Directors Conference took place in Cape Town from April 27th to 29th, 2025. It was the highlight of my numismatic journey through South Africa. In an international context, South Africa presented itself as a promising country of (numismatic) opportunities.

Royal Dutch Mint and Osborne Coinage Join the Heimerle + Meule Group

It was only recently that we posted about the acquisition of Reischauer by the Heimerle + Meule Group – but the next big announcement follows right away: the company acquired all shares in the Royal United Mint, who is the parent company of well-known businesses like the Royal Dutch Mint and Osborne Coinage.

Der Palazzo del Collegio Romano in Rom ist der Dienstsitz des Italienischen Kulturministeriums. Dessen Rechtsabteilung hat jetzt eine Stellungnahme abgegeben zur Frage, unter welchen Auflagen Münzen nach Italien eingeführt werden dürfen. Foto: Lalupa / CC BY-SA 3.0)

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.

Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Royal Gold: England’s Five Guineas and the English Gold Currency

On 10 December 2024, Numismatica Genevensis will offer the most complete run of English Five Guineas ever sold at auction. The pieces are considered to be the most beautiful and the heaviest English circulation issues in gold. They were struck from 1668 to 1777, during the period when England replaced its bimetallism with the gold currency. Read on to find out more.

VOC: The Other Side of the Dutch Golden Age

VOC coins tell the story of the Netherlands’ colonial past. The States General granted the VOC all the rights of an independent state: it could declare war, make treaties and issue its own currency. Join us on a trip to Indonesia, the place where the spices grew that financed the Dutch Golden Age.
Search Search