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In the Empire of The Merry Widow

From October 8 to 12, 2012 at Künker’s in Osnabrück a rare 100-perpera piece is going to be auctioned. It was struck in honor of Nikola I of Montenegro, ruler of a realm, which is reflected as Pontevedra in the famous musical comedy ‘The Merry Widow’.

Twenty years of Belgas

‘At first sight it looked like a rather plain certificate. But I was puzzled because it was not mentioning the familiar Belgian Franc as its currency denomination but Belgas. Thundering typhoons, what were Belgas?’ Read Franky Leeuwerck’s intriguing article to learn about it if you don’t know yet.

Cochin-China – an almost forgotten episode of French history

On June 22, 2011, a big collection of French coins will be auctioned off at Künker’s including a rare pattern, which was produced in Paris for the French colony Cochin-China. What’s the story behind? And where is Cochin-China located anyway?

The coin in the fish’s mouth

Matthew 17:24-27 reports that Peter found a coin in a fish’s mouth, which was meant for paying the Temple tribute. David Hendin explains what kind of coin it was and what was the most common silver coin in the ancient Holy Land…

Agrippa’s Meeting of Kings at Tiberias

Josephus tells us of a most interesting meeting in Tiberias, apparently convened by Agrippa I (37-44 CE), grandson of Herod the Great, probably around 42 CE…

Surcharge of the Money Changers

Do you know, why there were money changers in the Temple of Jerusalem and how much they did earn? No, you don’t? Well, then you should read the article of David Hendin on this very special detail of every day’s life in the ancient Holy Land…

Ottoman Imtiyaz medal awarded to German Emperor William I yields 161,000 Euros

On December 30, 1883, the Ottoman ruler drafted a decree by which he invested the German Emperor William I, his new confederate, into the Golden Order of Merit of his country, called Nishan Imtiyaz. That honor was intended to strengthen the political ties between the German Emperor and the Empire at the Bosporus River…

At the Height of the Thirty Years’ War

Why issued Emperor Ferdinand III a gold medallion on his son’s coronation to King of Hungary and Bohemia only ten years later? This numismatic question leads us in the middle of the bloody Thirty Years’ War and to Wallenstein.