Switzerland: Competition for the best design of banknotes

As part of the planning process for the development of a new banknote series, a competition for the artistic design of the new banknote series was launched at the beginning of 2005 by Swiss National Bank. Twelve artists were invited to present their designs for all six denominations on the theme “Switzerland open to the world”.

And now the winners are:

Third place

Martin Woodtli

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Posted by serge, 24 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
banknote competition design Switzerland

Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk glove sold for 350K

Michael Jackson’s first ever rhinestone encrusted glove was sold at an auction in New York for a whopping $350,000!!!

The glove was the one he wore when he did the moonwalk for the first time in 1983. The glove, still marked “Made in Korea”, is one of the most famous pieces of pop history, worn by the king of pop himself at a momentous music occasion. The glove was estimated to be sold for anywhere from 40 to 60 thousand dollars. Everything owned by the king of pop that was auctioned at the “Music Icons” sale sold for way more than predicted.

His 1987 leather jacket he wore for his “Bad World Tour” sold for $225,000, when it was estimated to sell for $10,000. A fedora hat that was predicted to sell for $2,000, went for $22,000. Even an autographed photo of The Jackson Five sold for $1,600 instead of $200.

Even in death, he still is the king.

Posted by serge, 23 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
auction celebrity king money

1792 Disme

PCGS Specimen-65 Brown. This 1792 Copper Disme: The Story of the Finest Known Specimen can be described easily using following auction results:

Ex Col. James W. Ellsworth Collection (Wayte Raymond, 1923) - Garrett IV (Bowers & Ruddy, 3/1981), lot 2352, where it was graded About Uncirculated and realized $54,000 - Marvin Brauder - Alhambra Coin Center; sold in 1998 - Hanks & Associates - Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "E-Fair Signature Sale"; October 8, 1999, Lot 6187, unsold (as of November 23, 1999, this coin was being offered by Hanks & Associates of El Paso, Texas for $575,000; then, in the May 22, 2000 issue of Coin World, the asking price was raised to $700,000) - "a group of private investors" - Rare Coin Wholesalers of California - Benchmark Ventures, L.P. with an asking price of $1.2 million.

Posted by serge, 19 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
auction coins United States

Volkswagen "banknote"

To continue our subject about "what we can do more with paper money and coins", we can say: banknotes are cheap and effective advertising area.

In times of financial crisis all people want to save money, including big companies such as Volkswagen AG. They had to announce that Volkswagen offers the perfect car: Volkswagen BlueMotion vehicles need little fuel for little money. How did they this? They just stamped a route on Euro banknotes. It showed how far you’ll drive with a BlueMotion for the Banknote’s value. 5,000 modified banknotes were put to circulation by daily money transfers of Volkswagen dealers and Volkswagen Service shops.

click to enlarge the poster

To visualize how far for how less you get they used the medium with the highest relevance for their target group: The Euro banknote itself. With a smart trick they turned it into a unique advertising space for free. With a little investment into stamps we got the attention of more than 50,000 people. After three weeks the click rate on www.bluemotion.de increased by 14%.

Posted by serge, 18 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
banknote cars euro Germany

Numismatics dreams

Today, in the forest, I hit my foot against a half-buried metal thing. I dig into the ground and find a beautiful box, heavy enough not to be empty. I already imagine myself with gold coins. It's the corpse of a dead cat. © fmylife.com

Posted by serge, 17 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
coins funny gold treasure

Once in museum

In museum there are a lot of interesting and unique exhibits, and many collectors visit them over the world; it is a good place to see, and even touch the history...

But it is a worse place to preserve...

Posted by serge, 16 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
exhibit funny museum

Warhol’s ‘200 One Dollar Bills’ Fetches $43.8 Million in N.Y.

Andy Warhol's Silkscreen "200 One Dollar Bills" (1962), depicting two-hundred-dollar bills, was sold today at auction Christie's in New York for $43.8 million. London art collector Pauline Karpidas,exhibiting work by Warhol up for auction, bought it in 1986 for $385,000, reports Bloomberg.com

Posted by serge, 12 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
auction bill Christie NYC United States

Creativity and paper money

Like with vinyl face it easy to have fun with paper money:

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Posted by serge, 11 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
face fun paper money

Nostalgia for East German products on Berlin Wall anniversary

East German products have received a new lease of life 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall as Germans bask in nostalgia for the old Democratic Republic.

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Posted by serge, 10 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
Berlin wall Cola East German Germany Stasi

Wedding of Charles & Diana coins

One of the most important events of the 20th century was Prince Charles and Diana Frensis Spencer wedding. It has been connected with the big expectations. Prince Charles, the applicant number one on a royal throne, has received chance to get successors that guaranteed continuation of dynasty Winsors. Diana Frensis Spenser, the daughter of the viscount and viscountess Oltorp became the bride of the prince. Wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spenser has managed to the British treasury in 600 thousand pounds sterling Also it became the most expensive in the British history. In honour of wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spenser London mint made a memorable coin with face value one crone.

England 1 crone 1981. Princess Diana and Prince Charles.

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Posted by serge, 9 ноября 2009. Post has 0 comments.
Charles coin Diana United Kingdom wedding