Articles

Do you know the coins from Himera with the crab of Acragas on the reverse? More about the coinage of these two cities and the historical background of this particular reverse motif can be found here.

In 1683, Johann Jacob Wolrab created one of the most beautiful medals showing the relief of Vienna, which marked the end of the second Ottoman siege. Incredibly rich in details, this strike depicts the dramatic battle at Kahlenberg Mountain.

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? In this episode, Frederick II proves that the sword is not the only way to gain a throne.

Carolina, Georgia, California – many people were attracted to set out for the unknown by the prospect of an easy yield in the gold fields. That makes the gold rush one of the foundation myths of the United States of America. In the Berlin auction Künker offers a range of numismatic testimonies to this eventful era.

There is a special coin among the lots offered at the Auction 42 of the Münzen & Medaillen GmbH: It’s a so called Wiener Stadtbancozettel Teilungsmünze, coined in 1807. The name sounds quite strange: What does it mean?

“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.

During the upcoming Künker March Auction of 2016 an innovative coin of the Roman Civil War will be auctioned off. Sextus Pompey created an aureus referring to his father, Pompey the Great and his brother, Gnaeus Pompeius.

In 466 the tyrant Thrasybulus was expelled from Syracuse, which is how the Syracusans became democratic and soon enough had to defend themselves against Athens – which would have liked to also have influence over Sicily.

Thanks to Flavius Josephus, we know a lot about the Jewish-Roman War. And thanks to the coins, we know how it was perceived by the Romans. On the example of coins from the upcoming Künker antiques auction 318, we recount what happened back then, and why it became such an important topic in Flavian coinage.

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.