Tag Archive for: Nations

The history of South America told by coins from the Lissner Collection

The numismatic history of South America is as fascinating as its political turmoils between the Spanish Conquista and the fight for independence. The Lissner Collection has gathered innumerous numismatic gems and thus illustrates perfectly this intriguing history.

The Holy Year on coins and medals

Do you know what the Church understands by a ‘Holy Year’? Initially, it was created as a special attraction for the pilgrims coming to Rome who were promised a plenary indulgence. Today, every Pope has his own year. In this regard, we show you coins from five centuries…

Christians fight against Christians with the assistance of the Turks

It is an unspectacular coin, that testimony of the culminating conflict between France and Spain, between Francis I and Charles V. …

From Pavia to the Sack of Rome – siege coins in Italy

Why was it that Renaissance rulers went to Italy to seek good fortune? Why was it that thousands of ducats and thaler were spent on mercenary soldiers? This article gives an insight into the war between Francis I of France and Charles V of Italy…

Leyden suffering – a siege during the Dutch War of Independence

Few wars have appealed to people’s emotions like the Dutch War of Independence. The roles seemed to be assigned all too clearly: on the one side there were the evil Catholic Spaniards, on the other the good Protestant Dutchmen. What we omit, however, is that this war was one the first in which propaganda was utilized in full awareness of its effects.

The Order of the Golden Fleece

Countless coins from the Holy Roman Empire show something many catalogs briefly address as “neck chain” of the Order of the Golden Fleece. This article will explain, when and where this chivalric order originated and why it became the most important order of knights all over the Old World…

The great Ottoman monetary reform

On December 12, 2011, the Osnabrück auction house Künker sells the Sultan Collection of Coins of the Ottoman Empire. These 908 lots reflect the history of the coins of the last Ottoman sultans and the monetary reform of 1845…

Coin Grading Made Easy

A lot of coin collectors are insecure when it comes to judging the condition of a coin. This article offers an introduction to this high art…

Gradings made in the USA

“Slabs“, that is how Americans call the small plastic boxes where coins are welded in, against a fee, after a procedure called grading. What is behind that? What advantages has that system? What problems?

Splendor of a dynasty – the five family roubles of Tsar Nicholas I (1825-1855)

King Louis’ I “historic thaler” made impression in Russia and left it’s marks. Tsar Nicholas I struck similar coins with his family on the reverse. How this happened and why there are five different types you can read here…