Tag Archive for: History

Collecting Seleukid Coins – Part II

David Michaels provides an overview of the history and coinage of the Seleukid Empire. The article also includes a rarity guide and a brief bibliography of historical and numismatic references to get any new collector started on the path to a thriving collection.

Henry VII – Founder of the Tudor Dynasty

In the mid-15th century two aristocratic houses divided England deeply fighting the so-called War of the Roses. Henry VII overcame this situation by a marriage founding a new, stable dynasty: the Tudors.
By examining 12 coins we are going to stroll through Great Britain’s history – this is part 5.

Pour le mérite

On May 31, 1740, Frederick II succeeded his father on the throne, soldier-king Frederick William I. To the 28 year-old, that came as some kind of liberation. Finally, he was able to carry out his ideas.

The Whore of Babylon – or: Religious Tolerance prior to the Thirty Years’ War

The coming Künker sale of February 6, 2014, is offering a so-called “biblical thaler”. This piece is a wonderful testimony to the political attitude of a contemporary of the Thirty Year’s War. Here you will find the story behind this remarkable coin.

A German Cicero

On 7 October, 2014, Künker auctions off the Horn Collection. It contains cimelia not just of the European but the German coinage as well. We would like to introduce you to a spectacular piece – the thick triple reichsthaler of Archbishop Anselm Casimir Wamboldt von Umstadt, nicknamed German Cicero.

Sicilian Mosaic Part 12: Naxos and Leontinoi

Naxos was the first Greek city founded on Sicily. Today we take a look at its coins, as well as the coins of Leontinoi, founded by Naxos, and Catane.

Poets and their income: Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen

Beyond price – no, great art has never been beyond price. Quite the opposite actually – it had a clearly defined price. We will see just how high that price was, looking at the example of the German baroque poet Grimmelshausen. No one has left us with a more impressive account of the Thirty Years’ War.

Maxentius, fighter for Rome

The year 307 was one of the most eventful in the history of the tetrarchy. A golden medallion, offered by Hess-Divo at auction 334, refers to this history. On it, Maxentius is being celebrated as defender of Rome.

The Melle Mines

When the Arabs went out in the 7th century to conquer a vast empire with their new faith, the world changed not only religiously and politically but also …

Big price for an emergency coin

The city of Syracuse issued a marvelous gold coin during its war against the Carthaginians. A perfect specimen of this emission sold for 66.700 Euro during the last auction sale of Gorny & Mosch…