Tag Archive for: Nations

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.

Munich, the German Mecca for Coin Collectors

No other city in Germany offers such an accumulation of well-known coin auction houses in a relatively confined space as Munich does. On and around the Maximiliansplatz such important companies are located as…

Gold for Portugal

Portugaleser, that is how the magnificent large gold coins are called that were produced in Hamburg. But what do they have to do with Portugal? The answer lies in the route the African gold has taken in the Early Modern Times…

Coins in the fountain well: Trevi Fountain in Rome

Do you know actually, who invented the fashion to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Rome in order to return to the Eternal City? If you do not, you will find the answer within this article…

Henry VIII – the Man Who Had Six Wives

Henry VIII is renowned for his many wifes. Behind these marriages was his endeavour to unite love and a secure dynasty. On behalf of this goal he even broke with the Pope and the church.
By examining 12 coins we are going to stroll through Great Britain’s history – this is part 6.

The Hero of the Second War of American Independence

As part of its Berlin Auction 285, the auction house Künker offers a Congressional Gold Medal. This is no medal like any other, but the one President Madison handed personally to Alexander Macomb, the Hero of Plattsburgh. We are telling his story.

Human Faces Part 23: Beginnings of the War of Roses or the idle king

Why is it that for centuries – or rather thousands of years – the head has served as the motif for the side of a coin? And why has this changed in the last 200 years? In this episode, we will look at Henry’s VI coin portrait and tell his story.

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.

Trade Coins of Frederick II

On 2nd July 2014, the Osnabrück auction house Künker can celebrate a jubilee. It is going to conduct its 250th auction sale on that very day. It goes without saying that this calls for something special to be auctioned off: The Masuren Collection – Coins of the Kingdom of Prussia. It includes rarities of the Prussian coinage in the best state of preservation. That is a wonderful opportunity to look at the trade coins of Frederick the Great in detail.

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.