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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Archaeological Museum of Tegea, exhibition view. Image: Savvas Avramidis (KIKPE Numismatic Collection, Athens).

A Numismatic Itinerary Through the Peloponnese

The Archaeological Museum of Tegea in Greece shows in a temporary exhibition how places in the Peloponnese were presented on ancient coins.

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Freshly unearthed silver coins – denarii of the Bohemian princes from the turn of the 11th to the 12th century. Photo: Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague.

More Than 2,000 Medieval Denarii Discovered in Czechia

It is said to be one of the most important Czech coin hoards of the last 10 years: more than 2,000 coins from the period around 1100 have been discovered near Kutná Hora. The find dates from a time of conflict between members of the Přemyslid dynasty for control of the Prague princely throne.

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Gilded silver plate, Iran or Afghanistan, probably Parthian or Early Sasanian, probably 2nd–3rd century. © The Trustees of the British Museum.

“Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece” at the British Museum

Over centuries the Persian empire and the Greeks had many conflicts. But nevertheless they influenced each other in many ways, as coins and works of art document. A major exhibition at the British Museum explores the relationship between luxury and power in this time.

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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.
Euro coins from Croatia. Photo: Angela Graff

The First Error Coins from Croatia

Croatian euro coins are still quite new: the popular tourist destination introduced the currency as recently as in January 2023. By now, the first Croatian coins have long found their way into Central European wallets – and there are also some error coins among them!
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