Archive: People and Markets

Tatort 1 und 2: Das Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst in Köln und das Römer- und Pelizaeus- Museum in Hildesheim: Fotos: Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 und Longbow4u / CC0, via WikiCommons.

German Museums Continue to be Hit by Wave of Burglaries

With no end in sight, German museums are still regularly targeted by burglars. Often, the general public is unaware of the break-ins as the cases only make headlines in local newspapers. What can museums do to deal with these crimes? We present two cases from autumn 2023.

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Ra 3,000 years ago and now – a picture of Ra and Amon in the tomb of Ramses IV. Image: Riccardov via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5.

Pobjoy Mint Features Egyptian God Ra

The Egyptologist Thomas Young made significant contributions to the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphics. On the occasion of his 250th birthday, Pobjoy’s releases its 2023 Egyptian Gods Series. The third coin in the series features the God Ra.

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Those are the people honored by being portrayed on the new Japanese banknotes.

These Are Japan’s New Banknotes

In April 2023, the Bank of Japan has presented the first specimens of the new banknotes, which will enter circulation in 2024. The 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen denominations will feature new motifs and new security features.

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Nur eine dieser Münzen ist echt. Erkennen Sie, bei welcher es sich um eine von der Spanischen Nationalpolizei sichergestellten Fälschung handelt? Die Antwort: Die linke Münze ist die Fälschung: Foto: Policía Nacional via X.

Counterfeiters of Hundreds of Thousands of Euro Coins Arrested

A large-scale counterfeiting workshop has been raided in Spain. The culprits put half a million fake 2-euro coins in circulation throughout Europe. Read on to find out how the perpetrators evaded the police for years and how you can identify the counterfeits.

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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.

25 Francs in Gold: Swissmint’s New Gold Coin

Since 2022, Swissmint has been issuing 25-franc gold coins. The latest release is a tribute to the history of Swiss gold coinage, combining elements of the first 20-franc piece and the enigmatic 1955 issue, which never entered circulation. And Swissmint also has some interesting plans for the future, as Ursula Kampmann discovered.
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