Tag Archive for: History

Rare Medieval coin on offer in Künker’s next auction sale – an unedited denarius of Charles the Great (768-814) from Bourges

In the March 2010 auction sale of the auction and coin trading company Fritz Rudolf Künker in Osnabruck an extraordinary coin from the reign of Charles the Great will be offered for sale.

The coins of Philipp II of Macedonia

Philipp II ranges amongst the most important rulers of Antiquity. He transformed the small and endangered Macedonia into one of the most powerful kingdoms of the Ancient world. His coins circulated in all of Greece and bought him what he needed – loyalty, politicians, mercenary soldiers…

Sensation at 5 Centimes in Le Petit Journal

The 1896 share certificate of the newspaper Le Petit Journal shows a sou in the lower border. France counted about 40 million people around that time…

Jersey – the Treasure Island of Celtic Coins

Jersey Post has just issued stamps featuring six iron age coins from a hoard found at Le Catillon, Jersey, in 1957. Celtic coin expert Chris Rudd reveals how it comes that Jersey may truly be called Treasure Island of iron age coins…

A King Named Teutamados

Beyond his name, there’s very little known about Teutamados. What we do have, however, is a splendid tetradrachm minted for him. Based on this, he was evidently a Paionian ruler.

Macedonia becomes a province

A rare Macedonian tetradrachm, minted around 147 B. C., tells a story from the beginnings of the Roman province of Macedonia. The rarity is to be auctioned off in the upcoming Künker autumn auction sale to be conducted between the 7th and the 11th October 2013.

Greek mercenaries in Persian service

In auction 304, the Osnabrück auction house Künker offers a series of early Persian coins showing portraits of kings and satraps, including four of the enigmatic tetradrachms of Athenian type with small portraits or Aramaic lettering. They are likely to have been produced under Persian orders for paying Greek mercenaries.

Dionysos – A God of the Greek Religion of Experiences

Most of us react uncomprehendingly while reading the Greek myths. We can’t imagine that once rational human beings were able to believe in gods who behaved like characters invented for a soap opera on TV. Legends tell us about adultery, violation, theft, intrigue and fraud.

Buckingham gold hoard

Around midday on Saturday 16 December 2006 two metal detectorists strolled onto a field near Buckingham and within a few minutes picked up a valuable gold coin that was lying on the surface. By the end of the weekend …

A King at a pinch – the stolen coin collection of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy

A King dealing in coins – that sounds preposterous? Well, in 1944 the satirical magazine “Nebelspalter” published a caricature of the same tenor which was understood throughout Europe. Victor Emmanuel’s passion for coins was proverbial. He is said to have collected 120,000 pieces as the foundation of the most important publication of Italian coinage, the CNI, whose first volume was published exactly 100 years ago…