A Struggle for Rome

During the auction week from October 8th-12th, Künker will be putting a rare solidus of Theodoric the Great up for auction. The piece, minted in Rome in the name of Emperor Anastasius I, presents a good opportunity to retell the history behind the coin.

A cownapper as royal role model

On 10 March 2014, an octodrachm of the Edones tribe will be auctioned off at Gorny & Mosch featuring on its obverse Hermes who, after just being born, stole the cattle from Apollo. One wonders why King Getas chose that scene to be depicted on his coins.

Emperors bearing Gifts

June 9, 2017, Münzen und Medaillen GmbH will auction off the Markus Weder collection at Weil am Rhein featuring some extremely rare miliarense. Claire Franklin will tell us the story of these coins.

Collecting Seleukid Coins – Part II

David Michaels provides an overview of the history and coinage of the Seleukid Empire. The article also includes a rarity guide and a brief bibliography of historical and numismatic references to get any new collector started on the path to a thriving collection.

Drusus and Sejanus – Roman Rules of Succession to the throne

At the death of Augustus the Roman polity was not a hereditary monarchy. The power over the Romans was not transferred automatically …

The Puteal Scribonis

Most probably every collector of Roman Republican coins is aware of the pieces of Scribonius Libo showing the Puteal Scribonis. But hands up anyone who really knows what that is…

The People of Zurich and their Money 1: The Celts’ First Contact with Greek Money

Our series ‘The People of Zurich and their Money’ takes you along for the ride as we explore the Zurich of times past. In this first chapter, we’ll be eavesdropping on a conversation from the 3rd century BC between a Celtic farmer and his wife. Much like a good DVD, this conversation comes with a sort of ‘making of’ – a little numismatic-historical backdrop to help underscore and illustrate this conversation.

Rediscovery of Celtic gold in Brentonico

Helmut Rizzolli presents three Celtic gold coins which were found in Tyrol in the 19th century. A hundred years ago, a museum used them to pay off their heating bills, now they have reappeared on the collector’s market and can finally be analysed and interpreted.

A new type for an antoninianus of Postumus

In Jacquier sale 43, to be held on September 15, 2017, a hitherto unknown and unique antoninianus of Postumus will be offered. Both its date and its historical context can be pinpointed due to its special bust.

Human Faces Part 8: A Body is Kidnapped

Why is it that for centuries – or rather thousands of years – the head has served as the motif for the side of a coin? And why has this changed in the last 200 years? In this part of the series it is once again about Alexander the Great – at least about his body.