Archive: People and Markets

Gilded silver plate, Iran or Afghanistan, probably Parthian or Early Sasanian, probably 2nd–3rd century. © The Trustees of the British Museum.

“Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece” at the British Museum

Over centuries the Persian empire and the Greeks had many conflicts. But nevertheless they influenced each other in many ways, as coins and works of art document. A major exhibition at the British Museum explores the relationship between luxury and power in this time.

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After being kept untouched for 100 years, the Bruun collection with an insurance value of over 70 million USD will be auctioned at Stack’s Bowers.

After 100 Years: The Bruun Collection Comes Under the Hammer

The Bruun Collection has been held by Denmark’s National Museum in Copenhagen for 100 years. Now Stack’s Bowers Galleries has been commissioned with the sale of the collection, which Stacks refers to as “the most valuable collection of World Coins to ever come to market”.

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A reconstruction of what the gold necklace probably looked like. Illustration made by archaeologist Thea Eli Gil Bell. © Theo Eli Gil Bell, The Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger.

Baldrs Horse: Detectorist Makes “Find of the Century” in Norway

On the Norwegian island of Rennesøy, a metal detectorist recently made an extraordinary gold find that was buried long before the Viking Age. The nine coin-like gold pendants engraved with rare horse symbols discovered along with ten gold beads and three gold rings are the first find of this kind in Norway since the 19th century.

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The Zurich International Coin Fair 2023

For many decades, the coin fair in Zurich has been the most important meeting point for the Swiss numismatic scene. In 2023, it was particularly crowded, as Swissmint had planned a special sale that drew many interested people.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

The Birth of the Krugerrand

The South African Krugerrand is the world’s oldest bullion coin. When it was first minted in 1967, the concept of producing a coin that matched the weight of an investment unit – one ounce – was both new and innovative. Learn more about the economic background and the meaning of its design here.

Joachimsthal and the Reformation

On 29 January 2025, Künker will auction a series of valuable Renaissance medals. They feature biblical topics and were minted in the region of Joachimsthal to spread the teachings of the Reformation. Johannes Mathesius, the author of Luther’s Table Talk, may have been at the origin of some of the motifs.
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