Tag Archive for: History

Union et Force: A coin of the French Republic, minted under Napoleon

On February 4th, 2016, Künker will offer a French 5 franc gold pattern of year 10 for sale. The type can be traced back to the French Directory and it was only changed when Napoleon was certain of his power.

Napoleon tames the Saxon Steed

Napoleon was a master in the art of humiliation. Please find here a characteristic example of his mastership: The French Victoria is taming the Saxon Steed on a medal made from Saxon silver.

The Treaty of Hamburg

In 1701, the Treaty of Hamburg ended the dispute over Mecklenburg-Güstrow between Friedrich Wilhelm I and Adolf Friedrich II. And another dispute culminated in the medals minted to mark the treaty, namely the one between the mint-master and the warden of the Schwerin mint. We are telling you the story.

The Delian League and the Athenian Money

In 479 BC the Greeks defeated the Persians at Plataiai. At that time nobody dared to hope that the fight was so soon to end. On the contrary, every Greek city was afraid of the Persian king, who had vast resources at his disposal. He was feared to raise another army in order to conquer the whole of Greece. Something had to be done to prevent that.

Numismatics in Russia

What is it like when a government claims a monopoly on his culture? The real socialism in the former Soviet Union gives an appalling impression about what happens if the state prohibits any private collecting.
Vasily Gerasimov, distinguished expert on the Russian coin scene, provides a close up view of the Russian numismatic world – during socialism and today…

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.

The First Marcomannic War of Marcus Aurelius

In the middle of the 2nd century AD the tribe of the Goths left its native homeland. The tribesmen moved southwards and expelled other people from their homes who in their turn tried to find new land further south. One of these tribes were the Marcomanni.