News

Anyone dealing with ancient coins knows the New York International Numismatic Convention, the most important event early in the year, which was held from January 2 to 12 in 2015. Ursula Kampmann reports on her impressions.

In a very remote corner of the Balkans a small kingdom is hidden where not only His Majesty Alanus Rex rules, but numismatics and humor as well. Becoming a citizen there is difficult. Only he who feels the true Bermanic spirit is granted citizenship. Ursula Kampmann has been made citizen and noble of Bermania on January 10, 2015.

In collaboration with the British Museum and the Münzkabinett of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the ANS launched a new tool to aid in the identification, research and cataloging of the coins of the ancient world: the Coinage of the Roman Republic Online (CRRO).

Rhett Jeppson became the Principal Deputy Director of the United States Mint on 12 January 2015. Since the Mint has currently no director, Mr Jeppson will be the chief operating officer of the world’s largest coin manufacturing agency.

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation has added early federal gold coins to the many series that it will recognize comprehensively by variety numbers. All pre-1834 issues may now be submitted to NGC to receive Bass-Dannreuther (BD) numbers.

Compared to the previous months, German investors have bought significantly more precious metals in November. The demand for gold and for silver has risen. Degussa estimates the total sale of gold in November to be around 15 tons, with a value of about 450 million Euro.

Heritage Auctions posted its “best ever” year in 2014 with a total of more than $969 million in total prices realized across its auction business ($623+ million) as well as its Private Treaty sales ($345+ million).

The Spanish Royal Mint presented the designs of the new 2015 Spanish Euro circulation coins. The new 1 and 2 Euro coins are the first circulation coins with the effigy of H.M. Felipe VI alone. The 2 Euro commemorative coin is dedicated to the Cave of Altamira.

A US Federal court has passed a more benign judgment on Bernard von NotHaus, the creator of the Liberty Dollar stressing that he is no terrorist. But again the court made it clear that as for financial matters the US government is not to be trifled with.

Doug Davis is an expert in numismatic crimes. He has fought criminals for long as a police detective and eventually founded the Numismatic Crime Information Center. In this text he gives you information at hand how to not become victim of a crime.