Archive: People and Markets

Single-figure plaque, mid-sixteenth to seventeenth century, cast copper alloy, Dallas Museum of Art. Photo: Daderot via Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain.

Benin Bronzes Lawsuit Against Smithsonian

Shall all Benin bronzes be repatriated? The Restitution Study Group says no. They argue for the rights of descendants of slaves trafficked by the Benin Kingdom as you can learn from this interview by Kate Fitz Gibbon.

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Die drei Könige auf den Münzen des Chew Valley Horts: Auf etwas weniger als der Hälfte der Münzen ist Harald II. Godwinson, der letzte gekrönte sächsische König von England, abgebildet (unten rechts). Etwas mehr als die Hälfte zeigt Wilhelm I., den Eroberer, den ersten normannischen König (unten links). Eine Münze zeigt Edward den Bekenner (oben). © British Museum.

The UK’s Highest Value Treasure Find Ever Discovered

All a group of friends really wanted to do was enjoy a relaxing weekend away and try out a new metal detector. The unexpected result of this trip is the highest value treasure find ever discovered in Great Britain. The coins will soon be on display at the British Museum.

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Marija Jurić Zagorka: A Feminist Icon from Croatia

The Croatian National Bank, in cooperation with the Croatian Mint, continues its series on Croatian literature. The second issue is dedicated to Marija Jurić Zagorka. She is celebrated in Croatia as an icon of feminism.

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Ursula Kampmann: Die Briefe des Herrn von Schellenberg an Johann Jakob Rüeger. Ein entlarvendes Selbstzeugnis vom Niedergang eines gebildeten Reichsritters und Münzsammlers. Bd. I: Die Briefe. (Nomismata, 13.1), Habelt Verlag 2023. 576 S., 29 cm. ISBN 978-3-7749-4378-0. Preis: 89 €.

Collecting Coins Around 1600

In January 2024, the first volume of Ursula Kampmann’s three-part work on the letters of Hans von Schellenberg was published. The author presents one of the most insightful sources on collecting coins in the early modern period in its historical context.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

The Gnadenpfennig – An Object Between Decoration, Medal, and Coin

Gnadenpfennigs are an extremely rare category of numismatic objects. Künker is proud to offer nine lots in auction 418 on 29 January 2025 that are, or are likely to be, gnadenpfennigs. We explain the purpose of these issues and when they were created.

Royal Gold: England’s Five Guineas and the English Gold Currency

On 10 December 2024, Numismatica Genevensis will offer the most complete run of English Five Guineas ever sold at auction. The pieces are considered to be the most beautiful and the heaviest English circulation issues in gold. They were struck from 1668 to 1777, during the period when England replaced its bimetallism with the gold currency. Read on to find out more.
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