Archive: People and Markets

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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Bad news from Brunswick: MDM is apparently preparing to reduce its workforce. Collage: Canva / Wieschowski.

Decline in Print Business: MDM Announces Job Cuts

The Münzhandelsgesellschaft in Brunswick reports a decline in sales and plans to reorganise its sales and develop new products.

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70 years after its first approach, Japan Mint commemorates Godzilla. Photo credit: Japan Mint (Vordergrund), YuriHope von Getty Images (Hintergrund) via Canva Pro.

New Coin Sets Mark 70th Anniversary of the Godzilla Series

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Godzilla series, two new coin sets have been released: the 70th Anniversary of GODZILLA Series BU Coin Set and the 70th Anniversary of GODZILLA Series 2024 Proof Coin Set.

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The Capitoline Museum is home of some of the most important cultural goods of Italy. Image: Suicasmo via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Legal Head of Italian Culture Ministry: “Fiendishly Extensive” Proofs Bar Imports

A significant statement on the importation of numismatic goods was issued in June 2023 by the legal department of the Italian Ministry of Culture. Read an analysis by Valentina Tarquini for Cultural Property News here.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Sotheby’s, The One (2nd February 2024), lot 8: The 2nd May 1840 Penny Black Cover. Estimate: $1,500,000 – $2,500,000.

The First Piece of Mail Sent Using a Stamp to Be Offered at Sotheby’s

A Penny Black affixed to a Mulready envelope is among the most valuable items in Philately ever offered at auction. The earliest posted envelope using a prepaid stamp, dating to 1840, will be sold at Sotheby’s with an estimate of $1.5–2.5 million.

25 Francs in Gold: Swissmint’s New Gold Coin

Since 2022, Swissmint has been issuing 25-franc gold coins. The latest release is a tribute to the history of Swiss gold coinage, combining elements of the first 20-franc piece and the enigmatic 1955 issue, which never entered circulation. And Swissmint also has some interesting plans for the future, as Ursula Kampmann discovered.
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