Archive: People and Markets

The Mint of Finland is Dead, Long Live the Helsinki Mint

September brought bad news for the numismatic world: the Mint of Finland, once a prolific producer of circulation coins for numerous euro countries, announced it would cease operations. Many questions have since remained unanswered – but one key point is now clear: the future of Finnish coin production has been decided.

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Image: Australian Centre for Ancient Numismatic Studies – ACANS via Facebook.

Numisma – The Zoom Seminar Series of the Australian Centre for Ancient Numismatic Studies

Today the online lecture series NUMISMA starts into the second half of the year. Students, researchers and collectors who are interested in ancient coins are very welcome! Find the upcoming lectures here.

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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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2-Euro-Ticker: New 2-Euro Coins in November

The year 2024 is drawing to a close, and collectors of 2-euro coins are eagerly awaiting the final releases among the 35 designs planned for this year. Meanwhile, a minor scandal surrounding the launch of a new 2-euro coin has caused quite a stir.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

The Bending Willow Tree

On 29 January 2025, Künker is going to auction off a unique willow tree coin. The reverse of the 10-ducat piece depicts a willow tree in a storm. But what is the message that William V, the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel on whose behalf the coin was created, wanted to convey with this issue?
Background: Doktent via Wikicommons / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Regensburg: Where the Emperor and the Empire Met

Only a few German cities issued as magnificent early modern coins as Regensburg. And there is a good reason for this – gold and heavy silver coins in particular were in high demand in this city. Not for trading purposes but for representation. After all, the Perpetual Diet of the Holy Roman Empire sat in Regensburg. Read here how it worked and what role coins played in this event.
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