Archive: People and Markets
Call for Papers: Conference on Ancient Coin Legends in June 2025
From 26th to 28th June 2025 the conference “Ancient coin legends: composition, design, lexicography, and framing potential” will be held in Munich. Abstracts can be sent in until October 31st 2024.
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.
Archive: Coins, Medals and more

The Heidelberg Tun and Early Modern Winemaking
The most well-known symbol of the city of Heidelberg actually began as a sort of treasury: the Heidelberg Tun was built to accommodate the Palatinate’s tax revenue generated from winemaking. And then a Calvinist propagandist turned it into a tourist attraction. This is reflected in a medal that Künker will be auctioning on 29 September 2023.

The Birth of the Krugerrand
The South African Krugerrand is the world’s oldest bullion coin. When it was first minted in 1967, the concept of producing a coin that matched the weight of an investment unit – one ounce – was both new and innovative. Learn more about the economic background and the meaning of its design here.











Gold Coins With Altered Years: Also a Known Problem in Switzerland
In one of our last issues, we published an article by NGC about a Prussian gold coin with an altered year. Switzerland is also very familiar with such forgeries, as Patrick Huber tells us.
End of “Cash Only”? Germany Plans Right to Digital Payment
Cash will remain important in Germany – but digital payment options are set to become mandatory. Germany’s federal government is working on new regulations. Are they truly intended to offer consumers more convenience – or are they also about gaining more control over payment flows?