Between England and France – the Outbreak of the Hundred Years’ War

He was one of France’s most powerful kings, this Philip the Fair who humiliated the pope, crushed the Templars and humbled the Plantagenets. But 14 years after his death the house of the Capetians had ended. Now the question was: Who was to reign over mighty France?

The Hero of the Second War of American Independence

As part of its Berlin Auction 285, the auction house Künker offers a Congressional Gold Medal. This is no medal like any other, but the one President Madison handed personally to Alexander Macomb, the Hero of Plattsburgh. We are telling his story.

Edward III – the Hundred Years War

In 1337 Eduard III, King of England was the only surviving grandson of the French King Philipp IV. Due to this reason Eduard laid claim on the French throne. And he made his claim visible to everybody issuing a new coin, the noble.
By examining 12 coins we are going to stroll through Great Britain’s history – this is part 4.

Wolfgang II von Barby (1586-1615) – An Imperial Count in Financial Straits

On January 31, 2013, Künker will hold his fabulous Berlin sale in connection with the World Money Fair. Among the many rare pieces on offer is a unique thaler from Barby. This thaler testifies to the financial difficulties of the small imperial estate at the beginning of the modern era.

The Coins of Medieval Mainz

On 21 March 2018 auction house Künker will auction off the Dr. Michael and Dr. Adelheid Loos collection of coins and medals from Mainz. This presents a great opportunity to tell the story of the city in medieval times based on the coins.

Human faces, part 29: The Doge, powerless ruler over a mighty empire

That reality and depictions of reality are two different things is a lesson we already learnt in the episode on Constantine the Great. On this coin, the image of the Doge in his pompous attire belies a reality in which he hardly holds any power anymore.

This is how coins with polymer ring are made: a visit to the Karlsruhe Mint

On April 14, 2016, the 5 euro coins “Planet Earth” will be released. The number of orders exceeds the mintage. For all those who came away empty-handed we have a view inside the Karlsruhe Mint where a portion of the mintage was produced.

Human faces, part 30: The Hercules of Ferrara

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 today’s episode, we’ll tell you the story of an Italian prince who admired Hercules so much that he named his son after him.

Numismatic miniatures from the North: Part 2 – Why cashless could work in Sweden

Sweden is different. The mentality of its inhabitants is characterized by an incredible willingness to act rationally at the expense of one’s personal comfort. And as to what is rational, people are quite ready to let themselves be influenced. Here are some thoughts on why the concept of the cashless society might actually work in Sweden.

Human faces, part 31: The Condottieri, winners in every war

From dishwasher to millionaire, or: from mercenary to Duke of Milan. Francesco Sforza did the impossible and founded one of the most influential families in Renaissance Italy.