Face the King
2,500 years ago, Greek artists invented portrait on coins. There was a reason for it: portraits were supposed to strengthen the loyalty of the ruler’s troops. After all, mercenaries should be aware of who brought the money. Andreas Pangerl is summarizing his history of portraiture.
White Gold: Studies in Early Electrum Coinage
Finally, the proceedings of two conferences on electrum coinage have been published. The work offers a detailed picture of the evidence at hand for understanding the contexts in which early electrum coins were produced and used.
Survey on Collector Preferences
Franky’s Scripophily BlogSpot celebrates its 10-Year Anniversary with a challenging survey. These survey questions are relevant to coin enthusiasts, too. It is fun to do, and you’ll surprise yourself about your own motives why you decided to collect.
NGC and PMG to Offer Europe Expedited Grading Specials
Even though CNG’s and PMG’s on-site grading events had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus, PMG will make it possible for submitters to enjoy the same fast turnaround times of the companies’ popular on-site grading events until these events can resume.
Cash Is Resisting
Since the beginning of the pandemic, misinformation has been circulating evoking the risk of transmission of the Covid-19 virus when handling cash. The latest situation report of the Mint Directors Working Group confirms that there is no evidence for that claim.
Cherry Blossom in the Japan Mint Starts Off Spring
One of the annual highlights in Japan is the beginning of spring, when the cherry trees blossom. The Japan Mint had to close one of the country’s most magnificent cherry tree avenues because of the corona crisis, but this is where modern technology comes into play...
Mint of Poland Commemorates Pope John Paul II
The Mint of Poland initiated and created a commemorative coin dedicated to the late Pope John Paul II who was born 100 years ago. “Karol Wojtyła in Memoriam – 100th Anniversary of the Birth” was designed by Polish artists on behalf of Republic of Cameroon.
The Origins of the Roman Empire. A New Era Begins
“We continue to live in the good old days of the Republic.” This is what Augustus wanted to convey to his contemporaries after the bloody civil war. But his completely new and high-quality coins speak an entirely different language, as Florian Haymann points out.
SINCONA AG, CH-Zurich
Auctions 63 and 64 of Zurich based SINCONA AG consist of about 4,000 lots with an estimate of almost 3 million Swiss francs. Highlight can be found among world coins and medals, bullion issues for investors and important pieces from Switzerland.
Our Cartoon: Franklin’s World
Philologist, numismatist and cartoonist Claire Franklin provides insight into her daily thoughts. Recently, at Athens…