Making the Case for the Gold Standard: The Coins of Josef Wild

By means of hyperinflation, the German government transferred the cost of World War I onto its citizens. Josef Wild, a simple goldsmith from Nuremberg, tried to do something about it. He died in prison as a counterfeiter of coins.

The Casa Savoia – A Noble Family between Italy, France, and Switzerland Part 1

Auction house Gadoury will auction off an extensive collection Casa Savoia originating from the possessions of a gentleman of the royal family. In the first article of the three-part series you will learn more about how the counts of Savoy rose from a minor noble family to being protagonists of European politics.

Virginia City – Where monetary history was written…

Do you believe, too, that precious metal always retains its value? Well, then you better accompany us to Virginia City, where, in the Comstock Lode, so much silver was found that the silver standard was rendered obsolete.

Parade of the “Lange Kerls” (Long Guys)

They were his special hobby, the “Lange Kerls” (Long Guys), Frederick William I of Prussia tested his military innovations on. He even had a medal dedicated to them.

Human faces, part 37: Francis I, “Traitor of Christendom”

Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? And why did that change in the last 200 years? In this episode, King Francis I makes a politically necessary decision, which earns him the title “Traitor of Christendom”.

Human faces, part 47: The frivolous Vreneli

Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? Discussions about the precise nature of these heads could be highly entertaining as the example of the Swiss Vreneli demonstrates.

Human faces, part 42: The Duke of Friedland

Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? And why did that change in the last 200 years? In this episode we talk about Albrecht von Wallenstein and his business model.

Human faces, part 36: Charles V – Territories as far as the eye can see

For centuries, no, for millennia, human faces were the most popular choice for the decoration of a coin obverse. That the coin’s reverse can be just as fascinating will be shown in this episode of our series.

Human faces, part 43: The thrifty Sun King

Frugality is probably the last thing you would associate with Louis XIV. Versailles is not the only manifestation of the more than lavish lifestyle that he was so popular for. Still, this episode shows a very different side of the monarch.

A coin is being made – the Swiss commemorative coins celebrating the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel

It takes much effort and planning until a collector can purchase his commemorative coin that will serve as a memento of an event which – like the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel – will become part of the national myth.