Archive: People and Markets

Gold bars at the supermarket? A growing success in the U.S. for over a year. Photo credit: Global_Intergold (foreground) via pixabay, Leung Cho Pan (background) via Canva Pro.

A Year of Gold Bars in US Supermarkets: Could the Costco Model Work in Europe?

Since autumn 2023, Americans have been able to invest in gold at the wholesale chain “Costco.” Those who bought then have enjoyed a handsome return – but whether gold will ever be sold at Aldi or Lidl in Europe remains uncertain.

Read more

PNG Advisory: No, You Don’t Have A $124 Million Penny

Recent online stories about pennies allegedly worth $124 million and billion-dollar 1976 Bicentennial quarter dollars are either false or grossly misleading, advises the Professional Numismatists Guild.

Read more

A New Chapter: The Foundation of a New Auction House for Numismatic Literature

A new auction house enriches the numismatic landscape: the numismatic antiquarian bookshop Numismatisches Antiquariat Lang is an auction house specializing in numismatic literature.

Read more
At the centre of the indictment against Richard Beale is the provenance of the second-most expensive ancient coin in the world, an EID MAR aureus. From Roma Numismatics XX (2020), Lot 463. Hammer price: 3,240,000 pounds.

Coin Dealer Richard Beale Pleads Guilty

Richard Beale has pleaded guilty to a number of charges. At a court hearing in New York in August 2023, the British coin dealer admitted, among other things, to falsifying the provenance of an EID MAR aureus.

Read more

Archive: Coins, Medals and more

Only 138 out of the planned 1,000 pieces were minted. This makes the Lion Dance a highly contested collector’s coin!

100 Yuan Lion Dance 1995: One of the Rarest Chinese Coins of Our Age

From 13 to 15 May 2024, Heidelberger Münzhandlung will hold its 88th auction sale. Among the highlights are some of the rarest contemporary issues from China, including the 100-yuan Lion Dance coin of 1995. 1,000 specimens should have been minted – but in the end, only 138 were produced.

Münster, Osnabrück, Passau and the Counts of Lamberg

Münster, Osnabrück and Passau: How are these places related to the Counts of Lamberg? We use coins from Künker’s auction 424 to illustrate how noble families in the Holy Roman Empire climbed the social ladder in early modern times, and explain the reasons for and the consequences of such ascents.
Search Search