Archive: People and Markets

End of “Cash Only”? Germany Plans Right to Digital Payment

Cash will remain important in Germany – but digital payment options are set to become mandatory. Germany’s federal government is working on new regulations. Are they truly intended to offer consumers more convenience – or are they also about gaining more control over payment flows?

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The National Archaeological Museum of Athens would be affected by the planned change in law. Alongside other major museums, it is to become more autonomous but, in turn, will be largely on its own when it comes to its finances. The bill of the Minister of Culture and archaeologist Lina Mendoni is being hotly debated. Photo: Erik Drost / CC BY 2.0

Greek Museums Between Commercialisation and Modernisation

Five of Greece’s most important museums are to become more autonomous and operate independently of state funding. A bill of the Greek government to this effect has been hotly debated and led to strikes.

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Eisleben, Germany: Church Treasure Recovered After Almost 400 Years

What a find: last year, a hoard of 864 coins was discovered in a sandstone figure in a church in Eisleben, Germany. The coins were hidden there during the Thirty Years’ War and provide a rare insight into the currency in circulation at that time. A coin expert from the region tells us more about it.

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CIT’s Historical Monuments – Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is considered the most beautiful testimony to Islamic architecture in India and a symbol of love in stone. CIT chose this wonderful building as the subject of the 2025 issue in the Historical Monuments series.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Only 138 out of the planned 1,000 pieces were minted. This makes the Lion Dance a highly contested collector’s coin!

100 Yuan Lion Dance 1995: One of the Rarest Chinese Coins of Our Age

From 13 to 15 May 2024, Heidelberger Münzhandlung will hold its 88th auction sale. Among the highlights are some of the rarest contemporary issues from China, including the 100-yuan Lion Dance coin of 1995. 1,000 specimens should have been minted – but in the end, only 138 were produced.
Gaius Iulius Vindex. Denar, zwischen März und Mai 68, Vienne(?). Äußerst selten. Vorzüglich. Taxe: 1.500 Euro. Aus Auktion Heidelberger Münzhandlung 89 (12. November 2024), Nr. 113. Hintergrund: Büste Neros, im Kapitolnischen Museum in Rom (cjh1452000 - CC BY-SA 3.0) und Büste Galbas im Stockholmer Schloss (Wolfgang Sauber / CC BY-SA 3.0).

The Roman Civil War of 68/9: The Prelude to the Year of the Four Emperors

Heidelberger Münzhandlung will offer a series of coins of impeccable quality struck during the Roman Civil War at its auction on 12 and 13 November 2024. We take advantage of this opportunity to examine the historical background of these issues, going back to a time when counter-emperors did not (yet) dare to put their portrait on coins.
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