LOOSE CHANGE: AUGUST 23, 2026

Syracusan Gold Coin Found in Ancient Necropolis
Archaeologists have uncovered a rare fifth-century BC Syracusan gold coin during an emergency excavation at the Maddalusa necropolis near Agrigento, Sicily. The discovery was made during the recovery of a Greek tile-covered burial, known as a cappuccina tomb, in the coastal dunes west of the mouth of the Akragas River. The excavation, carried out under the direction of the Agrigento Superintendency, revealed an exceptionally well-preserved gold coin dating to the final decades of the fifth century BC.

The obverse depicts the head of Heracles facing left, wearing the leontè—the skin of the Nemean Lion, which the Greek hero defeated during his first labour. The reverse features a quadripartite incuse square enclosing a small female head, accompanied by the inscription Syra, identifying the coin as an issue from Syracuse.

According to archaeologists, the coin belongs to an extraordinary series of gold issues struck by Syracuse during the Carthaginian invasion of Sicily at the end of the fifth century BC. The city minted these coins to help finance its military campaign as it allied with Akragas against the advancing Carthaginian forces.

To read the complete article, see:
Rare Syracusan gold coin unearthed in ancient necropolis (https://www.heritagedaily.com/2026/08/rare-syracusan-gold-coin-unearthed-in-ancient-necropolis/158873)

Although now recognized under a conjoined name, for over a hundred years, Stanley Gibbons Baldwin's was two individual auction houses. Both houses were established by namesakes whose legacies would continue for over a century: Stanley Gibbons in 1856 and Albert Henry Baldwin in 1872. And as the years went on and these founders ended their tenures, the leadership of these companies has continued despite evolving technology, world wars, and even after their famous merger in 2013.

A shift in leadership has come upon the company again after the recent sabbatical of former CEO Victoria Lajer. Filling this vacancy is Iain Murphy, a philatelic professional who is no stranger to the auction world. Murphy began his career in philatelic auctions in 2006, becoming an auctioneer and later Managing Director of Stanley Gibbons Baldwin's. Now, as CEO of the auction house, Murphy has taken on the responsibilities of leading the company's development.

To read the complete article, see:
Interview with Iain Murphy (https://www.numismaticnews.net/interview-with-iain-murphy)

Judging an exhibit involves evaluating whether its contents reflect the title, the extent of numismatic information provided, the quality of the exhibit layout and presentation, and the significance of the items displayed. Beyond simply judging the exhibit, the judges are also supposed to compliment what was good about the exhibit and where it could use improvement. The exhibitors are given copies of the judges' reports to review (there are three judges for each category to reduce the impact of any judge's personal biases) so that they may improve this or another future exhibit.

The exhibits I have judged have almost all been on subjects outside my previous numismatic exposure. Along with many numismatists, I love history. Therefore, one of the benefits of serving as a numismatic exhibit judge is enjoying a new historical perspective. I have viewed some extraordinary pieces of history, several great rarities, and gained a greater appreciation of the wide range of numismatics.

Numismatic judges tend to be seasoned collectors. A significant percentage of them are themselves exhibitors (where judges are not allowed to judge categories where they might have their own exhibit), a few are coin dealers (being a judge may involve 3-5 hours of your time at a convention, which may preclude sole dealers being able to be away from their table for that long), and several are noted numismatic researchers or authors. Another benefit of being an exhibit judge is the opportunity to meet and learn from some people I might otherwise not encounter.

To read the complete article, see:
Benefits Of Numismatic Exhibit Judging (https://www.numismaticnews.net/benefits-of-numismatic-exhibit-judging)

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