Archive: People and Markets

Coin Hoard Gives Fascinating Insight Into Life Before the Glencoe Massacre

Hidden underneath a stone fireplace of a house in Glencoe, Scotland, a pot with silver coins was recently discovered. They were minted in the years shortly before the infamous Glencoe massacre of 1692. Was the person who buried these coins among the victims of the treacherous clan slaughter in the Highlands?

German Coins in 2026: Two New Series and a Familiar Face

The Federal Ministry of Finance has published the coin programme for 2026. Collectors can look forward to a total of twelve coin issues covering a wide thematic spectrum.

Taya Pobjoy, Im Hintergrund des Fotos Trophäen der vielen Erfolge der Münzstätte, beispielsweise die COTY-Auszeichnungen. Foto: Michael Alexander, London Banknote and Monetary Research Centre.

The End of Pobjoy Mint: An Interview with Taya Pobjoy

On 31 December 2023, Pobjoy Mint discontinued their operations. This marked the end of an era. In this interview, Taya Pobjoy explains why she decided to close down the mint and why she did not want to sell the company including her brand.

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.

Archive: Coins, Medals and more

The French Marianne I: Marianne as a Representative of the French People – Part 2

Marianne represents France as a female national allegory. Gabriele Sturm explores how she is depicted on French coins. Part 2 deals with the period of the 4th and 5th Republics, taking us to the present.
Jean Duplessis-Bertaux, The Storming of the Tuleries on 10 August 1792, 1793.

French History in Coins – Part 1: Kings, Consuls and Emperors

The French Revolution also revolutionised the country’s monetary system. Join us on our voyage through the monetary history of modern France. We will start with the First Republic and one of the most famous French coins out there.
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