Residenz München

Description

In the Münchner Residenz the Staatliche Münzsammlung München preserves a comprehensive numismatic collection of Bavaria and comprises more than 300,000 coins, banknotes, tokens and medals from antiquity to the present.

The holdings date back to the early modern cabinets of curiosities of the 16th century and were supplemented, merged and reorganized over the centuries. War losses during the Thirty Years’ War formed only part of this eventful history; the remaining core was kept in the Residenz treasury. In the course of political upheavals and secularisation numerous monastic collections passed to the state, significantly expanding the holdings. At the beginning of the 19th century the Münzcabinet was assigned to a scientific institution and received special attention under the regency of Ludwig I, including the issue of circulating commemorative coins. Central parts of the collection expanded in the 19th century, with further important additions following in the 20th century. After the destruction of its former home in the Second World War parts of the library survived, and the exhibition rooms in the Residenz have been in use since 1963.

The collection displays coins, medals, paper money, securities and cut stones; the oldest pieces date to the 3rd millennium BCE. Particular strengths are ancient coins, German Renaissance medals, and the Bavarian Geschichtstaler, which once circulated as commemorative coins to commemorate personalities and events.

The coin cabinet also preserves significant series of German Renaissance medals with associated models, as well as a rich body of modern medallic art that received new impetus in France and Germany from the late 19th century. Paper money specimens from around the world and from different periods complement the holdings, as does an extensive acquisition of ancient gems and cameos. Historical coin cabinets document the history of storage; among them are examples of French court art, Rococo works from Salzburg and Asian lacquer furniture that was converted into coin cabinets.

The Staatliche Münzsammlung maintains Germany’s largest public numismatic library with more than 26,000 volumes, specialist journals, manuscripts and find records, and organises regular special exhibitions on topics from late antiquity to modern medallic art, including large-scale presentations such as “Konstantin 312”, “Keltengeld” and series on contemporary medalists.