Archive: People and Markets

Die Unterwasserarchäologen bei der Arbeit. Foto: Ufficio Stampa e Communicazione MiC

Archaeologists in Awe at the Sight of Sardinia’s Folles Hoard

Italian archaeologists are calling it one of the most important finds in recent years: up to 50,000 bronze coins dating from the 4th century have been discovered off the Sardinian coast. Apart from the outstanding size of this hoard, the coins’ condition is also astonishing.

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“The Art of Making Medals” Published

What Goes Into Making a Medal? Editor Ross Pollard has packed his new book “The Art of Making Medals” with practical, first-hand insights from contemporary artists into the fascinating world of medallic sculpture. Each chapter was contributed by a member of the American Medallic Sculpture Association and documents the creation of an original medal from start to finish.

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A-Mark Precious Metals Acquires Stack’s Bowers Galleries

One of the largest auctioneers in the numismatic world has a new owner. Stack’s Bowers Galleries, including its parent company, entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by A-Mark Precious Metals.

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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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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Napoleon III, painting by Alexandre Cabanel, around 1865. It was the favourite portrait of Empress Eugénie because it was the most accurate depiction of him.

French History in Coins – Part 3: A New Napoleon

Under Emperor Napoleon III, France experienced an economic upswing. The Paris cityscape was completely revamped, just as coin designs. The gold rush in the US thrust Europe’s silver money into a crisis. The answer came from France.
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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