Tag Archive for: History

How much for a castle?

What do you think, how much did it cost to build a castle in the Middle Ages? What would it cost to build the exact same castle today? And how much of a small town’s income would the costs have taken up? This article gives you the answers to these questions.

Human faces, part 39: The price of power

Possessing colonies with vast resources of silver, Spanish king Philip II could have helped his kingdom to enormous economic prosperity. But even the largest treasure of silver could not realise Philip’s power-hungry fantasy of proselytizing half of Europe.

Human faces, part 25: The Saint of Halberstadt

Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? And why did that change in the last 200 years? This episode’s coin features the head of Saint Stephen, who once saved the Bishopric of Halberstadt from its liquidation.

Human faces, part 40: The pirate queen

“The Virgin Queen” is certainly the most well-known epithet of Elizabeth I. We thought, however, that “Queen of the Pirates” would be equally befitting as English privateers belong to Elizabeth’s story just as much as her virginity.

Human faces, part 26: Viva il popolo

Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? And why did that change in the last 200 years? John the Baptist paid for his convictions with his head. The Florentines honour his courage on their coinage.

Human faces, part 41: Augsburg and the Thirty Years’ War

Being a Free Imperial City proved fatal for Augsburg during the Thirty Years’ War. This episode discusses the disastrous effects of the war on the city’s economic situation.

40 Years Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung

Many coin collectors never forget, who was the one, who sold the very first coin to them. Perhaps you as well will remember your own collecting past, while reading the history of 40 years of Gorny & Mosch…

Human faces, part 27: Stupor Mundi

Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? And why did that change in the last 200 years? A particularly clever mind was hidden in Frederick’s II head, whose inexhaustible thirst for knowledge earned him the nickname “Stupor Mundi”, wonder of the world.

Human faces, part 42: The Duke of Friedland

Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? And why did that change in the last 200 years? In this episode we talk about Albrecht von Wallenstein and his business model.

2000-year-old Victoria Cross found

In October 2012 metal detectorist John Goody found a ‘new’ ancient British coin, hitherto unrecorded and unpublished. It is rather worn, but nonetheless intriguing because I’m unable as yet to pin it down to a particular ruler or even, with confidence, to a particular tribe.