Archive: People and Markets

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.

The Mint of Finland is Dead, Long Live the Helsinki Mint

September brought bad news for the numismatic world: the Mint of Finland, once a prolific producer of circulation coins for numerous euro countries, announced it would cease operations. Many questions have since remained unanswered – but one key point is now clear: the future of Finnish coin production has been decided.

Metcalf Lecturer 2023/4: Benjamin Hellings

The Archaeological Institute of America named Benjamin Hellings this year’s Metcalf Lecturer. He is Curator of Numismatics at the Yale University Art Gallery and Chair of the AIA Numismatics Interest Group.

Benjamin D.R. Hellings, The Naseby Cup: Coins and Medals of the English Civil War. Yale University Press, 2024, 144 pp. Paperback, 209.6 x 247.7 mm, with 185 color illus. ISBN 9780300275865. Price: $25.00.

The Naseby Cup – Coins and Medals of the English Civil War

The Naseby Cup is a Victorian vessel of extraordinary numismatic importance, as many incredibly rare coins from the English Civil war are integrated into it. A publication on the cup and its coins will soon be available.

Archive: Coins, Medals and more

25 Years Ago: Millennium Coins and the Dawn of a New Era

The transition to a new millennium captivated the numismatic world. Commemorative coins from that time were colourful and bold, as a brief glance at the past led to a high-speed journey into a high-tech future—only for things to turn out differently.
Mit dieser Münze stimmt etwas nicht! Bild: NGC. Gemälde im Hintergrund: Eduard Gaertner, Unter den Linden, 1852

Counterfeit Detection: Altered Prussia 20 Mark

An NGC expert gives us insight into his everyday life. He shows how the year on a coin from the German Empire was altered by a coin doctor.
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