News
Cutbacks at Geldmuseum Utrecht
For years the new Geldmuseum in Utrecht struggles with serious budgetary problems. Now the bigger part of the staff will be laid off, services will be extremely reduced, the research department cut off, the library closed and much more. Here you will find an information send by the Head of Department and the Librarian. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey – 2009
Silifke, ancient Seleucia on the Calycadnus, is a small provincial town in the middle of nowhere nearby which once Frederick Barbarossa drowned. Follow us on our way to the ancient metropolis Antioch and into the marvellous grove of Daphne, that even today is in the modern Antiochenes’ favour as an important area for recreation. [ more ]
Armed Robbery of Coin Dealer from Munich
On January 27, 2012 coin dealer Dr Hubert Lanz from Munich was assailed and robbed in Hilversum, Netherlands. [ more ]
Our Cartoon: Franklin’s World
Philologist, numismatist and cartoonist Claire Franklin provides insight into her daily thoughts. Recently, far away from any chemist ... [ more ]
FIDEM congress 2012 at Glasgow
The 32nd FIDEM congress will be held in Glasgow on 10-14 July 2012. The programme will include talks on historical and contemporary medals, with the theme of the principal sequences of papers being ‘The medal as object / The medal as idea’. [ more ]
Renaissance-mania captures Royal Australian Mint with a new display
The Royal Australian Mint offers to the public the display “Shadows and Perspective: The Influence of the Renaissance on Contemporary Coin Design”. The exhibition reveals techniques still used by modern mints that have been introduced in the Renaissance era. [ more ]
Finland launches 10 euro coin at World Money Fair Berlin
The Mint of Finland and the Ministry of Finance are to issue a new 10 euro collector coin commemorating Henrik Wigström the Finnish workmaster of the famous Fabergé firm. The coin is to be launched at the World Money Fair in Berlin on 3 February 2012. [ more ]
New Latvian circulation coin dedicated to Gingerbread Heart
The Netherlands Mint struck a new 1 lats circulation coin for the Republic of Latvia. The coin is dedicated to the “gingerbread heart” and has been issued on December 9, 2011. [ more ]
A coin to stop modern-day slavery
The United Future World Currency are to present a prototype of a new coin that carries the message of ending modern-day slavery and human trafficking. The coin will be struck at the Royal Mint UK in eco silver, a responsibly sourced product. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey – 2009
It’s grey, it’s cold, it’s dark. Sometimes you don’t believe that it’s ever going to be light again. Enjoy a little breeze of the Turkish summer in the dead of winter. This diary of some numismatically highly interesting but barely visited sites in Turkey was written in 2009. [ more ]
Action against Bob Hecht in Italy abandoned
Italian courts accused him of having been one of the most active dealers on the black market in ancient art. Now the trial against the 92-year-old man ended with no verdict – because the time allotted for the trial had expired. [ more ]
Symposium in Early Medieval Coinage 2012
Tony Abramson’s symposia in early medieval and medieval coinage have now become a firm fixture in the numismatic calendar of events. On March 31, 2012 the event returns to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. [ more ]
Rare U.S. Coins post $196 million total at Heritage Auctions in 2011
Heritage posts $806+ million 2011 total sales, its best year to date. World Coins posts $39.5 million total. Record totals were realized in Comics, Jewelry, Music & Entertainment, Decorative Arts and more. [ more ]
Silver on the centenary of the Jungfrau Railway
Swiss Mint closes the series on the subject of “mountain railways” with a 20 CHF silver coin depicting the motif “100 years of Jungfrau Railway”. This issue commemorates the fact that this track made the whole area accessible leading to the highest station in Europe. [ more ]
Klimt And His Women Told By Coins
The Austrian Mint is going to issue a new 5 part gold coin series celebrating the Austrian art nouveau artist Gustav Klimt. Each coin is dedicated to one of his finest and most famous works. The first coin shows his first portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. [ more ]
Perth Mint begins its 2012 with new releases
The Perth Mint commemorates the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II with a gold coin. 2012 is also the year of the Dragon, and that is why some issues are dedicated to the Dragon – featuring also a baby dragon for the kids. See the comprehensive list of new releases in January. [ more ]
Seizure and Detention at the New York International
On January 3, 2012 law enforcement officers seized two coins from a joint sale of Classical Numismatic Group and Nomos Ltd. The coins’ owner, Dr Arnold-Peter Weiss, was detained. [ more ]
What’s a coin worth?
What’s the duty of a journalist? It’s information, but we feel that another major task is making readers think about our world and its self-evidences. To reach this aim, journalism has many possibilities. One of them is a slight form of deliberate provocation. We thought it’s not self-evident that an ancient Greek coin is worth $ 3.25 million. And here is, what our readers thought... [ more ]
“Jonah In the Whale” Named Coin of the Year
A 2-New Sheqalim coin from the Bank of Israel has been named Coin of the Year by Krause Publications. The “Jonah In the Whale” silver coin was chosen the best of 10 individual category winners for coins minted in 2010 by an international panel of coin experts. [ more ]
Swiss Mint dedicates coin to traditional cow fights
Each year in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland the strongest cow, the “Queen of the Queens”, is crowned after many fights. She leads the traditional driving of the cattles to the Alpine pastures. This custom of cow fighting is vivid more than ever and therefore the Federal Swiss Mint has dedicated a coin to it. [ more ]
Money gallery at British Museum being rebuilt
The Money gallery at the British Museum opened 14 years ago, and was at the time an innovative way of displaying coins and medals. Now it is being rebuilt and therefore will remain closed to the public until June 2012. [ more ]
International Collectors Fair Collecta in Slovenia
The 6th International Collectors Fair – Collecta will take place from 23rd to 25th March 2012 at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre in Slovenia. [ more ]
Perth Mint issued 2012 Australian Platypus 1oz Platinum Bullion Coin
The Perth Mint struck one platinum bullion coin, the Australian Platypus 1oz Bullion Coin. Now the 2012 issue has been announced and will certainly be much requested as the 2011 edition is sold out yet. The design features a swimming platypus, an animal unique to Australia. [ more ]
Huntington Collection For Sale – Spanish history in 37,895 coins
The vast Archer M. Huntington Collection of coins relating to the history of Spain will be offered as a single lot in a sealed-bid auction at Sotheby’s New York ending on 8 March 2012. One of the world’s most famous coin collections is expected to realize between $25 and 35 million. [ more ]
Interest: balancing money
There’s quite a lot you can do with coins: Spend them, collect them, describe them. But you may treat them also as a skill exercise stacking them in the thousands. A young American did this and published a video clip online documenting his piling performance. [ more ]
PCGS Division of Collectors Universe Expands to Asia
In a major expansion of its international services and activities, the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) division of Collectors Universe, Inc. has established a Hong Kong-based authentication and grading operation: Collectors Universe (Hong Kong) Ltd. [ more ]
Roman coin project at the Museum of London
The Museum of London is currently working on an ambitious funded project to deliver over 90,000 of its objects online over the next two years, showcasing its diverse collection and opening it up to a worldwide audience. Part of it will be the Roman numismatic collection of 4000 coins. [ more ]
Slovakia issues gold coin in honor of Prince Pribina of Nitrava
Pribina was the first renowned Slav ruler, Prince of Nitrava, a territory in the Western part of present-day Slovakia, where he reigned until 833. The Central Bank of Slovakia commemorates the 1150th year of Pribina’s death by issuing a gold coin in his honor. [ more ]
Britannia Silver Bullion Coin Revealed
The Royal Mint has revived the iconic depiction of the goddess to mark the 25th anniversary of Britannia bullion coins. The new bullion coin for 2012 will be available from 1st November 2011. [ more ]
Cash Logistics – Visiting Geldservice Austria GmbH
Have you ever thought about how it comes that your ATM has always the right banknotes ready to provide you exactly with those you want? In Austria exists a big logistic company, Geldservice Austria (GSA), responsible for distributing cash. We went to see how it works. [ more ]
Voting Opens for 2012 People’s Choice Coin of the Year Award
Voting is now open for the People’s Choice Coin of the Year Awards, sponsored by Krause Publications and NumisMaster.com. Everybody is invited to participate and give his or her vote! [ more ]
Our Cartoon: Franklin’s World
Philologist, numismatist and cartoonist Claire Franklin provides insight into her daily thoughts. Recently, in the coin cabinet ... [ more ]
Armed Robbery of Houston Area Dealer
Two gunmen robbed a Houston coin dealer and showed extreme violence. After having bitten the dealer’s arm they sliced the skin around the wound in order to remove any DNA evidence and threatened to kill the 12 year old daughter if not shown all valuables. [ more ]
80 Years Downies
Founded in 1932 by Phil Downie the Australian auction house Downies commemorates 80 years of existence and success. Today Phil’s son Ken is Managing Director and leads one of the largest Numismatic companies in the southern hemisphere. [ more ]
Krause Publications Celebrates 60 Years in 2012
Krause Publications, a leading producer of books, magazines, events and online products for the coin and paper money collecting hobbies, will celebrate its 60th year in business in 2012. [ more ]
Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection has been published as SNG 6
The Academy of Athens has published a new volume of the international series “Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum” entitled “The Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection. From Thessaly to Euboea.” [ more ]
New Limited Edition UK Proofs Sets Announced
The Royal Mint has revealed its new 2012 Premium and Collector Proof Sets. Besides the full range of UK circulating coins in proof quality it contains also two commemorative coins. One of them is dedicated to The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the other to the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. [ more ]
Korean Coin Commemorates Athletics Federations 2011 Championships
The Bank of Korea has issued 50,000 Won silver coins commemorating the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) Championships hold in Daegu from August 27 to September 4, 2011... [ more ]
Minister releases circulating wedding coin for all Australians
The Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten announced a commemorative 20 cent coin, celebrating the marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton, will be released into public circulation after the wedding takes place... [ more ]
News on the Frome Hoard
The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) seeks donations to conserve the Frome Hoard and to keep this important treasure on public display in the county in which it was discovered... [ more ]
The Immortal Alexander the Great – The myth, the reality, his journey, his legacy
Did you like our last article of the week? Now you have the chance to see originals of that period in Amsterdam! [ more ]
150th Melbourne Cup Celebrations
Victoria Racing Club and Royal Australian Mint launch commemorative coins to celebrate Melbourne Cup milestone... [ more ]
