Tag Archive for: History

Human faces, part 31: The Condottieri, winners in every war

From dishwasher to millionaire, or: from mercenary to Duke of Milan. Francesco Sforza did the impossible and founded one of the most influential families in Renaissance Italy.

Human faces, part 44: Flight to Varennes

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, Louis XVI tries to escape his death in vain.

Egypt and Alexandria. A brief numismatic survey: part V

Join us on our trip through the history of Egypt and its capital Alexandria by its coinage. In the final episode you become a witness to the revolt of Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, and Alexandria’s transition into late antique times.

How Malta Came under the British Flag

On March 12, 2015, the auction house Künker auctions off an unusually rare testimony of the Maltese history. The small silver ingot in the weight of 30 tari from 1800 is the last currency produced on Malta.

Human faces, part 47: The frivolous Vreneli

Why was the human head the motif on coins for centuries, no, for millennia? Discussions about the precise nature of these heads could be highly entertaining as the example of the Swiss Vreneli demonstrates.