Archive: People and Markets

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.

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The company name Heimerle + Meule Group is now history. HM Precious Metals is geared towards a future-oriented global audience.

Heimerle + Meule Group becomes HM Precious Metals

Following a number of major acquisitions in recent months, the Heimerle + Meule Group is now adapting its name – not least to make it easier to pronounce internationally.

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Royal Mint Discontinues Rose Gold Alloy for Sovereign Coins

The Royal Mint has unveiled the Sovereign collection for 2025, alongside a major announcement regarding the coin’s future composition.

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Left: Humphrey Paget (1893-1974) Bust of Edward VIII for gold pattern for £5, £2 and sovereign, 1937, Royal Mint Museum. Right: Hugh Cecil (1889–1974) Profile photograph of Edward VIII, 1936, The Royal Mint Museum.

Money Talks – Art, Society & Power

A new exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford aims to explore the intricate and often humorous relationship between art, money, and society. Meet Nero, Edward VIII, Warhol, Banksy and many more.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Franz Joseph und Sisi, gemalt von Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Davor Rückseite der Hochzeitsmedaille aus dem offiziellen Erinnerungs-Set, aus Auktion Künker 415 (28. Oktober 2024), Nr. 361.

Sisi and Franz: Commemorating the Dream Wedding that Was Actually a Nightmare

As part of the phaleristic auction 415 on 28 October 2024, Künker will be auctioning the set of gold medals that Emperor Franz Joseph presented to his father-in-law, Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria. It is the numismatic souvenir of a wedding that turned out to be a nightmare for his daughter – young Elisabeth, who is better known as Sissi or Sisi today.

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.
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