Archive: People and Markets

A Greek gold necklace with horned lion heads on each end. No, this object has not disappeared, but it is listed by the British Museum as „similar to those that are missing.“ Photo: Trustees of the British Museum

Can the British Museum Recover Their Lost Items?

Around 2,000 un-inventoried objects from the Greek-Roman collection of the British Museum were stolen. The museum recently announced the deployment of a task force and recovery program, but will these measures be enough to see the return of the lost objects?

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There are many ways of transporting gold. But you should never save on security measures. Source: Jazella / Pixabay

How Not To Handle a Gold Transport

Nearly a million euros worth of gold coins were transported in a carrier van to a precious metals dealer without any security measures. No prizes for guessing whether or not they actually got there. A lawsuit in Bavaria reveals how this could happen.

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The “Red Book” and Its Two Fathers

Kenneth Bressett’s memoir “A Penny Saved” celebrates the life of Bressett’s mentor, hobby legend Richard S. Yeo and author of the “Red Book”. Joel J. Orosz explains what numismatics owes both of them.

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Nur eine dieser Münzen ist echt. Erkennen Sie, bei welcher es sich um eine von der Spanischen Nationalpolizei sichergestellten Fälschung handelt? Die Antwort: Die linke Münze ist die Fälschung: Foto: Policía Nacional via X.

Counterfeiters of Hundreds of Thousands of Euro Coins Arrested

A large-scale counterfeiting workshop has been raided in Spain. The culprits put half a million fake 2-euro coins in circulation throughout Europe. Read on to find out how the perpetrators evaded the police for years and how you can identify the counterfeits.

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Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Railway tunnel under Surami pass near the village Tsipa, Chkherimela valley, Georgia 2014. Image: Karel61 via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. In front: Silver medal commemorating the opening of the Suram Tunnel in 1890 by L. Steinman. Künker auction 408, No. 234.

For Railroad Fans: The Suram Tunnel

Railroad history is linked to numismatics in many ways. Fascinating large-scale projects were often celebrated with medals and commemorative coins. Our example takes us to Georgia: A medal that will be offered for auction by Künker commemorates the opening of the Suram Tunnel.

Maria Theresa and Her Persecution of Jews

On 18 December 1744, Maria Theresa adopted a decree that expelled 40,000 Bohemian Jews from their homeland. A medal testifies to the fact that she had to revoke the decree due to financial and diplomatic pressure. The time of Jewish persecution was over for the time being – that is, until the genocide of the Jews in the 20th century.
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