Archive: People and Markets

One of the coins seized during the police’s Operation Fantail. (Courtesy of Durham Constabulary.) Next to it, a passage from the biography of Alfred the Great written by Asser. The coin presents the prominent 9th-century ruler in a whole new light.

How Two Fraudsters Almost Changed England’s History

Two English metal detectorists attempted to sell off some illegally excavated coins. In a police operation straight out of a movie, the pair were caught and have now been sentenced. The seized coins present England’s King Alfred the Great in a totally different light.

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Ursula Kampmann: Die Briefe des Herrn von Schellenberg an Johann Jakob Rüeger. Ein entlarvendes Selbstzeugnis vom Niedergang eines gebildeten Reichsritters und Münzsammlers. Bd. I: Die Briefe. (Nomismata, 13.1), Habelt Verlag 2023. 576 S., 29 cm. ISBN 978-3-7749-4378-0. Preis: 89 €.

Collecting Coins Around 1600

In January 2024, the first volume of Ursula Kampmann’s three-part work on the letters of Hans von Schellenberg was published. The author presents one of the most insightful sources on collecting coins in the early modern period in its historical context.

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Even 2,500 years ago, the story of Pegasus fascinated people so much that they depicted him on coins. Background: Dorota Kudyba via Pixabay.

Pobjoy’s Pegasus is Back With Charles III

The celebrated motif of Pegasus reappears in its 6th edition for Pobjoy’s reverse frosted silver coin. The new edition carries an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III produced exclusively by Pobjoy Mint.

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A ‘reverse proof’ commemorative issue – this is the coin all 2-euro collectors wanted to have, but even those who paid for it could not get their hands on the coin. Photo: Monnaie de Paris

Monnaie de Paris Faces Criticism from Enthusiastic Collectors

As athletes around the world prepare to deliver top performances at the Olympic Games, the Monnaie de Paris – France’s prestigious mint – has disqualified itself in the eyes of many collectors for unsporting behaviour. What happened?

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Gustav III: A Conservative Revolutionary

On 20 June 2023, Künker will auction off medals that the Swedish King Gustav III himself gave as a present to the young Peter Frederick Augustus of Oldenburg. These medals are a testament to the policies of the king who was shot dead at a masked ball in 1792.
On 29 October 1888, the Russian imperial train derailed near the village of Borki. 23 people lost their lives. The tsar’s family survived. A medal commemorates the event. It will be offered by the Künker auction house on 1 February 2024.

The Borki Train Disaster

On 29 October 1888, the Russian imperial train derailed near the village of Borki. 23 people lost their lives. The tsar’s family survived. A medal commemorates the event. It will be offered by the Künker auction house on 1 February 2024.
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