Tag Archive for: Nations

Adolf of Schwarzenberg – The Liberator of Raab

On March 29, 1598, Adolf of Schwarzenberg reconquered the fortress of Raab, taking it back from the Turks. The Emperor was thankful: He elevated the victorious military to Imperial Count and thus made the House of Schwarzenberg an important factor in the Habsburg Empire.

The People of Zurich and Their Money 2: The Customs Station of Turicum

Our series takes you along for the ride as we explore the Zurich of times past. This time, you’ll get a chance to read about two men chatting with one another at the customs station of Turicum at the end of the 2nd century AD. Much like a good DVD, this conversation comes with a sort of ‘making of’ – a little numismatic-historical backdrop to help underscore and illustrate this conversation.

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 mints of San Francisco Part 1: The Old Mint

Join us on our trip to the “Old Mint” of San Francisco. Old and new photos give an insight into the minting as it was done in The Granite Lady.

The Purim Festival of the Protestants

In its Berlin Auction 286, the auction house Künker auctions off the Ottar Ertzeid Collection with coins from the Swedish Territories. The offer includes a series of Purim talers. In this article, we address the question why the Protestants of Erfurt took a Jewish festival, of all events, to date their coins.

Medieval Sicily Part 3: Arab Influence

The Arabs didn’t just rule Sicily. They had such an impact on its art and culture that this influence continued to have an effect long after the expulsion of the Muslim masters. This episode tells of what Europe owes to them.

Leo Mildenberg

In the first semester of 2011, the glorious history of the Bank Leu / Leu Numismatik AG and LHS Numismatik AG will come to an end. Hence, it is time to look back when Leo Mildenberg left a decisive imprint on the numismatic scene in Zurich…

A fresh interpretation of the Portland Vase as depiction of the first wedding on earth

An ancient cameo vase has recently appeared on the market. It does not only captivate by its beauty. It resembles another famous object, the Portland Vase whose interpretation had been controversially debated for a long time. But a closer look at the “new finding” permits a deeper understanding of the Portland Vase as well.

The age of alchemy

The wonders of alchemy enthralled the smartest men of early modern times. An impressive testimony to his passion is a silver medal, which will be auctioned off at the upcoming Künker Fall Auction on September 28, 2016.

Making the Case for the Gold Standard: The Coins of Josef Wild

By means of hyperinflation, the German government transferred the cost of World War I onto its citizens. Josef Wild, a simple goldsmith from Nuremberg, tried to do something about it. He died in prison as a counterfeiter of coins.