As a sign of their power, the abbesses of the Fraumünster in Zurich had the right to mint coins. But by the time they decided to depict themselves on their issues, as on this late 13th-century pfennig, they had already had to surrender much of their power to the citizens of the town.
This solidus of Arcadius was minted in AD 395. Arcadius’ father Theodosius had just died. His brother Honorius administered the western part of the empire from Rome, and he himself administered the east from Constantinople. The beginning of the Byzantine Empire!
This gold coin is an issue by Sico I, the Lombard Prince of Benevento (817-832). His realm was in southern Italy and bordered Byzantine territories. Coins like this solidus testify of the neighbour’s cultural impact.
For many collectors, Greek coins form the highlight of numismatics. Already the Celts of Britain were enchanted by these coins. A gold stater of Cunobelinus from the 1st century BC was inspired by coins of Alexander the Great.
Well-shaved or with beard? It’s always a statement – and it even was in ancient Rome. Hadrian was the first emperor with beard. Why? Scholars are still trying to figure out the answer. The beard certainly added a whole new “touch” to his coins as this aureus shows.
Today’s coin from Metapontum in southern Italy is a masterpiece of incuse minting. The ear was the trademark of the Greek settlement on the Gulf of Taranto.
In today’s puzzle you will deal with the rolling mill. The reward is a reconstruction of this machine, which revolutionised the minting of coins in the 16th century.
This time you will deal with San Francisco’s Old Mint, which was built as a symbol of San Francisco’s wealth after the California Gold Rush.
In 2020 we celebrated the 500th birthday of the taler. In this puzzle, you will put together the pieces of the Joachimsthal mint, which the new currency was named after.
