Finally – Or: Duke Augustus Celebrates His Birthday

Lösers were more than representative coins. They played an essential role in court ceremonials that took place on special occasions. The löser rarities of the Friedrich Popken Collection, which will be auctioned off at Künker on 29 June 2021, illustrate this function.

What Are Mining Issues? Mining Prior to the Industrial Revolution

If you mint coins, you need metal. The minting techniques employed for this were technical breakthroughs and closely linked to advances in engineering. So-called mining issues bear witness to this. Wilhelm Müseler tells their story.

The Markstetten Coin Hoard: Witness to a Political Thriller in the High Middle Ages

On 18 June 2017, a coin hoard was discovered near Markstetten. It was probably buried around 1230 and is reminiscent of a dispute over the Regensburg episcopal see. Auction house Künker offers the entire hoard for sale on 25 March 2021.

Joachim I: The Power-Conscious Elector Who Minted the First Brandenburg Taler

We are back in 1521: Luther stands in Worms and can do no other and the elector of Brandenburg mints the first talers of Brandenburg history. 500 years after it was minted, Künker offers one specimen of the extremely rare talers. We tell its story.

Gold From Coal and Stone: Ernst III of Holstein-Schauenburg

While others ruined themselves with enormous buildings, Ernst III was one of the beneficiaries of early absolutism. He supplied others with the material needed for construction and metalworking. On 28 January 2021, auction house Künker offers a 10fold ducat of this enterprising count.

Lösers in Death Rituals: The Funeral of John Frederick of Brunswick-Calenberg

On 28th January 2021 auction house Künker offers selected lösers from the Popken Collection. One of them gives us a clue as to what lösers may have been used for. We learn from a book that this coin was distributed as a gift of honour to the princely attendees of the funeral of John Frederick of Brunswick-Calenberg.

The Giesen Collection: The Coinage Imagery of the Ottonian and Salian Dynasties

If you want to understand the world of the Ottonian and Salian dynasties, you have to study their coins. The Giesen Collection, one of the most important collections on this subject in recent decades, is perfectly suited for this purpose. Frankfurter Münzhandlung offers this collection in its upcoming auction.

The Hunting Pleasures of the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt

Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, went down in history as the Hunting Landgrave. With the help of coins that were sold in Künker’s Auction 327, you can learn his story and why he is wronged when derogatorily called simply the Hunting Landgrave.

Caught Between all Stools: Simon V of Lippe

From 22 to 26 June 2020, the Summer Auction Sales 337-338 take place in Osnabrück. In this article, we will introduce you to one of the pieces from the upcoming auctions: a guldengroschen of 1528, minted on behalf of Simon V of Lippe, who had just become count.

Johann Adolf of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf and His Portugalesers

Originally, later-born son Johann Adolf was supposed to become Bishop of Bremen and Lübeck, but when his two brothers died, he had to fight for the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein. Minting portugalesers was part of the diplomatic game. Künker will offer three of these rare portugalesers in their upcoming auction.