Archive: People and Markets
Fiasco – A Cautionary Tale of What’s to Come Once the New EU Import Regulation Comes Into Force
If you want to get an idea of how enforcement might work under the European Union’s new import licensing regulation after June 28, 2025, here is a cautionary tale, shared by Ivan Macquisten.
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.
Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Gold at Record Highs: Melt Down or Preserve Historic Gold Coins?
Gold is now more expensive than ever. This trend has put many collectors and dealers in a moral dilemma: Which gold coins can be sold or melted down without hesitation, and where do the real treasures lie?

Unity Coin Sows Discord: More Than Just a Matter of Taste?
The fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification are considered, despite occasional tensions between East and West, as a defining moment in German history, a cause for celebration for many Germans – but not, it seems, within certain corners of the German coin collecting community.















Dr. Albert J. Beck (1935-2024)
Dr. Albert (“Al”) J. Beck passed on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Our friends from Stephen Album Rare Coins shared this obituary for their colleague with us.
Poetic Machines: Swissmint Honors Jean Tinguely
Steel, wheels, movement, order and chaos – Swiss artist Jean Tinguely was fascinated by the poetry of machines, which he captured in his kinetic machine sculptures. To mark what would have been his 100th birthday, Swissmint is honoring the exceptional artist with a silver coin.