Archive: People and Markets

Professor Rory Naismith holding a Byzantine silver coin in the Fitzwilliam Museum. Photo: Adam Page.

Where Did Silver Come from in Early Medieval Europe?

In the mid-7th century, a veritable silver coin boom set off in the North Sea Region. So far, the question of where the silver for the coins came from was up for speculation. A new study provides concrete results.

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CIT’s Underwater Fantasy – Mermaids

The more we learn about the underwater world, its colorful, bizarrely shaped creatures and the sunken testaments to mankind, the more it captures our imagination and inspires our dreams. CIT translated this feeling into a numismatic shape. From a technical point of view, the application of enamel reproducing underwater visuals is highly remarkable.

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The summit building of the Schilthorn with Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Photo: Background: Schilthornbahn via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Coin: Swissmint.

Third edition of the Swiss Cable Cars series: Schilthorn Cable Car

The third coin in the “Swiss Cable Cars” series puts the Schilthorn in focus. A tribute to a region full of history and significance in the Swiss Alps.

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Access to Cash Becoming More Difficult: Bundesbank Sees Growing Challenges

Despite declining numbers of ATMs and bank branches, the Bundesbank currently still considers access to cash in Germany to be secure. However, in its March 2025 monthly report, it warns of clear downward trends.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

In Search of the Big Five

The Big Five – they are the stars on South Africa's commemorative coins. We visit the elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, and leopard in their most famous reserve, the Kruger National Park. Let's see how many of the iconic five we can capture (with the camera).
Einer der Höhepunkte von Künker Auktion 395 ist eine spektakuläre Goldmedaille zu 110 Dukaten, die aus dem persönlichen Besitz von Fürst Ferdinand I. von Bulgarien stammt. Diese Medaille führt uns mitten hinein in eine Zeit, in der Bulgarien seine Wirtschaft modernisierte. Der Fürst packte dabei tatkräftig mit an. Und die Eisenbahn spielte dabei eine zentrale Rolle.

Bulgaria, Prince Ferdinand I and the Railroad

One of the highlights of Künker’s auction 395 is a spectacular gold medal with a weight of 110 ductats. It was the personal property of Prince Ferdinand I. of Bulgaria. This medal takes us back into a period when Bulgaria modernized its economy. And the railroad system played a major role in this.
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