Numismatic Puzzle: Alexander the Great
Today you can try your hand at a tetradrachm of Lysimachus. The reward is a portrait of Alexander the Great!
Numismatic Puzzle: Greek Yin and Yang
This time, you will try your hand at a drachm from Istros on the Black Sea coast. The issue does not specify what the motif in the style of a Chinese yin and yang symbol depicts: the brothers Castor und Pollux, the trade up and down the river? Anyway: a fascinating beauty!
Numismatic Puzzle: Spade Coin
No, today’s issue does not feature gardening tools, but a numismatic object lesser known in Europe. Spade coins were a type of money in ancient China. This coin is from the 3rd century BC and you can probably tell straight away how it got its name.
Numismatic Puzzle: A New Capital for the Roman People
Today’s puzzle shows us how the Roman Empire moved its centre of power around 300: on this solidus, Roma presents the globe to Emperor Constantine the Great. From then on, it was no longer the old lady on the Tiber who played first fiddle but the metropolis on the Bosporus.
Numismatic Puzzle: A Rebellious Mint Master
According to its reverse, this denarius of Louis the Pious was minted in Venice. But the lagoon city wasn’t even ruled by the Carolingians! How is this possible? Does this coin testify to a plot of the mint master against his doge? …
Numismatic Puzzle: Frederick II – Stupor Mundi
Today you can try your hand at an augustalis of the Holy Roman Empire. The reward is a portrait of Frederick II, King of Sicily!
Numismatic Puzzle: Electrum Stater
Today’s puzzle is an electrum stater from Milet. After solving the puzzle, you can marvel at a roaring lion!
Numismatic Puzzle: Augsburg
Rich Augsburg could afford to build massive fortifications. However, they did not stop the Swedes from conquering the city in the Thirty Years’ War. When this taler was minted in 1641, the Bavarians had just driven out the Swedes – but not for long. And Augsburg bled.
Numismatic Puzzle: Racing Didrachm
This time you will have a go at a Roman didrachm from about 220 BC. You will assemble a racing quadriga. The depiction is the reason why these coins are called quadrigati. Do you recognize who is driving the carriage?
Numismatic Puzzle: The Noble
In 1340, England’s King Edward III defeated France in a sea battle – the beginning of the Hundred Years’ War. He celebrated this victory in 1344 with a new gold coin, the noble. For centuries, the noble was an extremely popular coin on the continent, too.
