How Malta Came under the British Flag
On March 12, 2015, the auction house Künker auctions off an unusually rare testimony of the Maltese history. The small silver ingot in the weight of 30 tari from 1800 is the last currency produced on Malta.
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 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”.
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.
Human faces, part 38: Henry VIII and the second of his six wives
That Henry VIII had an entire collection of wives in his lifetime is not news. But can you remember all of them? In this episode of “Human faces”, we will tell the story of his second wife, Anne Boleyn.
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.
Human faces, part 39: The price of power
Possessing colonies with vast resources of silver, Spanish king Philip II could have helped his kingdom to enormous economic prosperity. But even the largest treasure of silver could not realise Philip’s power-hungry fantasy of proselytizing half of Europe.
Human faces, part 45: The birth of liberty
Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? And why did that change in the last 200 years? Today we will talk about the aftermath of the French Revolution and the beginning of a reign of terror …
