Tag Archive for: History

The Russians in Koenigsberg: a numismatic testimony to the Seven Years’ War

In the upcoming auction of the Tempelhofer Münzenhaus / Berlin, on April 6, 2017, a large collection of coins of Frederick II will be auctioned off. They include a comprehensive series of Russian coins from East Prussia. We are telling their story.

The Coins of Medieval Mainz

On 21 March 2018 auction house Künker will auction off the Dr. Michael and Dr. Adelheid Loos collection of coins and medals from Mainz. This presents a great opportunity to tell the story of the city in medieval times based on the coins.

The Casa Savoia – A Noble Family between Italy, France, and Switzerland Part 1

Auction house Gadoury will auction off an extensive collection Casa Savoia originating from the possessions of a gentleman of the royal family. In the first article of the three-part series you will learn more about how the counts of Savoy rose from a minor noble family to being protagonists of European politics.

The Colts of Corinth

This beautiful early stater of Corinth bears Pegasus on its obverse. The winged horse was the symbol of Corinth and each citizen of this important seaport felt the whole city and himself connected with this winged horse. Why did he do so and how did this connection come into being?

Drusus and Sejanus – Roman Rules of Succession to the throne

At the death of Augustus the Roman polity was not a hereditary monarchy. The power over the Romans was not transferred automatically …

Helena, the First Christian Pilgrim

Inspired by a visit of the church of Santa Croce. David Hendin recalls to us the story of Helena, mother of Constantine, a “rags to riches” story, which ends with the first Christian pilgrim establishing the tradition of pilgrimage to the Holy Land and bringing to Rome pieces of the True Cross…

Alexander of Abonuteichos – a lesson from Asia Minor about gullibility in the 2nd cent. A. D.

You are one of those people who believe than there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy? Well, you are in accordance with a deep-seated tradition and can appeal to the fact that already in antiquity there were people who thought the same as you. ..

Great is Artemis of the Ephesians

On his visit to Ephesus, St. Paul was in imminent danger to be lynched. Why was it that the Ephesians felt so threatened by this herald of a new god? Were they more pious than other Greeks? They were, in a way, since they lived on their religion…

Human Faces Part 9: The Battle of Macedonia against Rome

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 of the series ‘Human Faces’ looks at the battle between Macedonia and Rome.

Unique dragon coin from Kent

On 20 February 2014 an ancient British silver coin of the highest rarity was unearthed by a metal detectorist near Canterbury in Kent. It was probably struck sometime around the birth of Christ by an obscure Cantian ruler.