Editorial - March into spring

New season,
new collection!

And if numismatists wrote novels, this is how they would describe this month...

Mars, the Roman god for whom this month is named, looked on as sudden downpours with a ferocity rivalling his own sowed unrest and chaos in the tumultuous skies.

Tucked away in the safety of his study, the collector kept watch in the restless night. Laid out in front of him, just like the unpredictable, tempestuous precipitation raining down from the heavens, were coins originating from all over the world presenting a kaleidoscope of cultures and histories, an uninterrupted waltz of wars, truces, and times of peace, a myriad of stars with a secular history.

Among them, the French coins stood out particularly brightly to him, eternal witnesses to the numismatic wealth of his country and its long history.

But in all truth, in this special month of transition, it was Rome and antiquity which made his heart beat.

In unison with the father of the city’s founders and in grim remembrance of the bloody Ides of March, 44 years before our era...

Lulled by the slow drumming of raindrops on the windowpanes, the collector turned his attention to his precious banknote binders, leafing through them as if in a dream, traversing the centuries and the world via paper money.

Then it was medals which demanded his attention, as a ray of moonlight finally pierced the dark clouds and illuminated the room with a cold, stark clarity.

Patient in the insomnia which kept him awake, he perused them with care.

Finally, as the heavens threatened to stir again, his nocturnal wanderings brought him back to the modern world and the euro coins that he had recently gleaned in what, he had to admit, was a slightly disorganized fashion.

He absent-mindedly caressed the smooth wood of the desk as he sensed that all these epic journeys had finally tired him, and his weary eyes began to close.

After storing his treasures way with care, he turned and made his way to the door.

From his perch atop Mount Olympus, the god calmed the elements for a moment with a casual wave of his hand, just long enough for the weary watchman to fall into a blissful sleep...