Articles of the week

L. E. Bruun: A Collector in His Time

On the occasion of the upcoming auction of the second part of the Bruun Collection, Ursula Kampmann set out again to explore the story of the person behind this collection on behalf of Stack’s. This time, she took a close look at Bruun’s career as a collector. Read on to learn about the coin trade and the world of collecting before the Second World War.

Marcus Antonius: The Loser Who Did Not Write History

Künker’s auction 419 features numismatic rarities from the Roman civil war that followed Caesar’s death. In addition to the Eid Mar denarius, aurei of Marcus Antonius will cross the auction block. We will re-tell his story – from his point of view, not that of Augustus.

Coins on Coins: When Numismatic Legends Are Reborn

Switzerland receives much acclaim for its redesign of the 100-franc Vreneli. Yet, success is not a given—numerous challenges arise for mints and artists alike.

Record! South African Rarity Leaves All Previous Top Prices Far Behind

Recently, a South African coin was auctioned at Heritage for $1.8 million (excluding premium) – exceeding the previously highest known auction results for South African coins by a remarkable $1.5 million. What makes the “Single 9” such a rarity?

The Gnadenpfennig – An Object Between Decoration, Medal, and Coin

Gnadenpfennigs are an extremely rare category of numismatic objects. Künker is proud to offer nine lots in auction 418 on 29 January 2025 that are, or are likely to be, gnadenpfennigs. We explain the purpose of these issues and when they were created.

25 Years Ago: Millennium Coins and the Dawn of a New Era

The transition to a new millennium captivated the numismatic world. Commemorative coins from that time were colourful and bold, as a brief glance at the past led to a high-speed journey into a high-tech future—only for things to turn out differently.

Joachimsthal and the Reformation

On 29 January 2025, Künker will auction a series of valuable Renaissance medals. They feature biblical topics and were minted in the region of Joachimsthal to spread the teachings of the Reformation. Johannes Mathesius, the author of Luther’s Table Talk, may have been at the origin of some of the motifs.

A Medal Made by Dürer as the Official Gift of the City of Nuremberg for Charles V

On 29 January 2025, auction house Künker will be auctioning an object of major art-historical importance in Berlin: the very Albrecht Dürer himself had been commissioned by the Nuremberg City Council to create the dies for medals that were to be officially handed to Charles V during his entry into the city in 1521.

The Bending Willow Tree

On 29 January 2025, Künker is going to auction off a unique willow tree coin. The reverse of the 10-ducat piece depicts a willow tree in a storm. But what is the message that William V, the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel on whose behalf the coin was created, wanted to convey with this issue?

Swissmint Patterns at Numismatica Genevensis SA

Numismatica Genevensis will offer Swissmint patterns at auction on 9 and 10 December 2024. Some of these patterns belong to a commemorative coin that will not even be released until 2025. All of these patterns are true rarities – ranging from unique to a maximum of four pieces in existence!