Archive: People and Markets
Data Breach During Sale of 2-Euro Coin in Cyprus: How to Avoid Server Crashes
Cyprus wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its EU membership with a 2-euro coin – but the party turned into a fiasco. Even before the start of sales, the server crashed; at times, customers could see the data of other buyers, and to this day, it is unclear whether the central bank will make another attempt to sell the coins.
Double Beginner’s Luck: Man Wins Metal Detector and Finds Hundreds of Coins
A Dorset man was lucky enough to experience two windfalls this spring. First he won an expensive metal detector in a prize draw, then – just a short time later – he made a valuable find with it.
Archive: Coins, Medals and more

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.

Joachimsthal and the Reformation
On 29 January 2025, Künker will auction a series of valuable Renaissance medals. They feature biblical topics and were minted in the region of Joachimsthal to spread the teachings of the Reformation. Johannes Mathesius, the author of Luther’s Table Talk, may have been at the origin of some of the motifs.
King Felipe Unshaven: New Commemorative Coins from Spain
Spain has presented its first commemorative coins for 2024 – and the designs show an interesting detail.
A Well-Known Scam Strikes Again: Gold Coins Worth 280,000 Euros Gone
Using a well-known scam, a fraudster tricked a German senior citizen into handing over gold coins worth 280,000 euros. Find out how the scam works and how you can protect yourself and others.