Archive: People and Markets

This Panticapaeum stater was minted in the 4th century on the Crimea and was sold by auction house NAC in May 2023 for 5,390,000 CHF. Image courtesy of Numismatica Ars Classica.

Panticapaeum Stater Most Expensive Ancient Coin

A gold stater from the city of Panticapaeum is currently the most expensive ancient coin ever sold at auction. In May 2023, it was sold by Numismatica Ars Classica in Switzerland for the record sum of 5,390,000 CHF or ca. $6 million.

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There is no evidence that proves that the illicit trade in antiquities is the third largest in the world. That is the finding of a new study by Donna Yates and Neil Brodie.

Researchers Analyse the Myth About the Massive Illicit Trade in Antiquities

An extensive new study shows that the scale of the illicit trade in antiquities is much smaller than activists claim. The study demonstrates how these false numbers came about, and how we actually should deal with the problem of the illicit trade in antiquities.

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Pobjoy’s 50 Pence Moon Coin

Pobjoy Mint has issued a 50 pence coin featuring the surface of the moon. The coin is available in two versions and comes with special permission granted by NASA.

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You can find Achaemenid and Hellenistic period coin types from the southern Levant in LCO. Image: ANS.

Levantine Coins Online (LCO) Now Live

A new digital database is now available online: “Levantine Coins Online” catalogs Achaemenid and Hellenistic period coin typologies from the southern Levant. The database will be continuously expanded with new areas and collections.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Clémentine d’Orléans: Extraordinary Woman and Coin Collector

Few women have left such a decisive mark on the history of 19th-century Europe as Cleméntine d’Orléans, and yet it was not until 2007 that her life was honored with a biography. Künker is now offering the coin collection that once belonged to this unusual woman.

Queen Anne: Great Britain on Its Way to Becoming a Global Power

On 26 May 2025, SINCONA will auction off part 6 of the British Collection presenting the medals of this ensemble. In this article, we will show you some of the treasures among the lots and explore the story of Queen Anne. Under her rule, Great Britain became the most important trading power in Europe.
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