Archive: People and Markets

Austria’s Black Hole 20-euro silver-coin.

And the Champion of the 40th COTY Is…

At the ANA in Pittsburgh, an Austrian coin has earned top honors in the 40th Coin of the Year (COTY) Awards. See all the winners here.

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Exclusive Presentation of the Latest Commemorative Coin: The 100-Franc Gold Vreneli Returns After 100 Years

At the World Money Fair, Swissmint unveiled its latest commemorative coin to mark a special anniversary: on 1 July 2025, the coin “100 Years of the 100-Franc Vreneli” will be released – a tribute to the original edition from 1925.

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A Greek gold necklace with horned lion heads on each end. No, this object has not disappeared, but it is listed by the British Museum as „similar to those that are missing.“ Photo: Trustees of the British Museum

Can the British Museum Recover Their Lost Items?

Around 2,000 un-inventoried objects from the Greek-Roman collection of the British Museum were stolen. The museum recently announced the deployment of a task force and recovery program, but will these measures be enough to see the return of the lost objects?

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At the centre of the indictment against Richard Beale is the provenance of the second-most expensive ancient coin in the world, an EID MAR aureus. From Roma Numismatics XX (2020), Lot 463. Hammer price: 3,240,000 pounds.

Coin Dealer Richard Beale Pleads Guilty

Richard Beale has pleaded guilty to a number of charges. At a court hearing in New York in August 2023, the British coin dealer admitted, among other things, to falsifying the provenance of an EID MAR aureus.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

What People Used to Pay With in South Africa

Coins are only the most recent of the many means of payment used in South Africa. And yet, there is much to be told about the country’s numismatic past. We tell the story of South African means of payment from glass beads to the rand.

Coins on Coins: When Numismatic Legends Are Reborn

Switzerland receives much acclaim for its redesign of the 100-franc Vreneli. Yet, success is not a given—numerous challenges arise for mints and artists alike.
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