In Auction 76, Heidelberger Münzhandlung will offer an extremely rare taler of John I, Duke of Palatine-Veldenz-Zweibrücken. It was minted by a historian, coin collector and convinced Christian who converted from the Lutheran to the Reformed faith. This taler could be a record of his decision.
The coronation of Maximilian II in Frankfurt set the tone for a period of religious peace in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation: The pragmatic politician was willing to break new ground, including for his own coronation.
A new tradition, which the numismatic world has been oblivious to so far, has developed in the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, over the past 20 years. As symbols of brotherhood and loyalty, soldiers are having medals minted to preserve their accomplishments for eternity.
Modern coins rarely depict rulers as whole-body figures. There are good reasons why Queen Salote Tupou of Tonga is depicted that way. She was 1.91 m tall and therefore physically a “big” queen. And taking into consideration what she achieved for her country, one can also figuratively call her a big queen.
On 9 October, 2014, Künker will offer a large series of Swiss gold coins for sale. This is a good opportunity to have a closer look at the gold coinage of Zurich.
Strängnäs, July 31, 2018. Thieves have run off with two crowns and an orb. These are unique relics of Swedish history that represent the nation’s conversion to Protestantism. Of course, we went to see them on our journey to the North.
The euro coins are a splendid means for all countries in the eurozone to convey their own self-conception. Why did the Italians choose to depict solely works of art on their euro coins? And how important a role does famous Castel del Monte, built by Frederick II, play in Italian national identity?
Only three days to go until the 2014 FIFA World Cup final. The players of the victorious team will become national heroes. The losers, on the other hand, will travel home, defeated, yet considerably richer than when they arrived at Brazil. They face a much happier fate than the players of the Mayan ball games.
Why is it that for centuries – or rather thousands of years – the head has served as the motif for the side of a coin? And why has this changed in the last 200 years? This section of the series ‘Human Faces’ tackles the question whether the commandment ‘Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image’ applies to coins as well.
Why is it that for centuries – or rather thousands of years – the head has served as the motif for the side of a coin? And why has this changed in the last 200 years? This chapter looks at a woman of exceptional strength in her day.
