Archive: People and Markets

The British Museum first opened its doors in 1759. Over 250 year later there are still hundreds of thousands of objects not properly documented. Image: Ham via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0.

British Museum Sets Out Plans to Digitize Fully the Collection

After the disappearance of thousands of objects, the British Museum aims to document all of their over 2 million objects within the next five years and make them available online. Mark Jones on why he wants to increase access to the objects now.

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There are many ways of transporting gold. But you should never save on security measures. Source: Jazella / Pixabay

How Not To Handle a Gold Transport

Nearly a million euros worth of gold coins were transported in a carrier van to a precious metals dealer without any security measures. No prizes for guessing whether or not they actually got there. A lawsuit in Bavaria reveals how this could happen.

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100-Euro Gold Coins: Loyal Customers of Münze Deutschland Make a Bargain

Buying gold below the market price? Under normal circumstances, that’s not possible – the only exception is placing an order with the German Mint before the gold price skyrockets. As in previous years, customers of the official sales office can look forward to a substantial return.

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United States Department of State, Washington. Image: AgnosticPreachersKid via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Your Tax Dollars at Work

Is the State Department funding a crusade against private ownership of cultural goods in the U.S.? Peter Tompa explains how taxpayer money was used to justify cultural property Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) or “emergency import restrictions.”

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Jean Duplessis-Bertaux, The Storming of the Tuleries on 10 August 1792, 1793.

French History in Coins – Part 1: Kings, Consuls and Emperors

The French Revolution also revolutionised the country’s monetary system. Join us on our voyage through the monetary history of modern France. We will start with the First Republic and one of the most famous French coins out there.
Napoleon III, painting by Alexandre Cabanel, around 1865. It was the favourite portrait of Empress Eugénie because it was the most accurate depiction of him.

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.
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