As we've previously reported, at the end of January, Kuenker held a pair of much anticipated collectible coin and medal auctions, one themed on Russian coins and medals. The full results have only recently been released, and strong sales were shown, demonstrating the investment power of the coin markets.

The strong results from Russian rarities are to be expected. But the other, themed on Roman miniature artwork from the 12th century AD, with Medieval and Modern rarities, was less predictable.

Two lots out of the 700 which were offered were particularly notable: Firstly, from the German/Polish region of Pomerania and the reign of Philip II there was offered a 1617 coin celebrating the centenary of the start of the Reformation.

Martin Luther is kneeling to the left on the obverse and draws with his right arm on an altar in a church. A priest stands to the right bent in a church and holding a book with the inscription "GESEZ" in his hands. The inscription "IVBEL ANNO 1617 is present.

The Triple Reichstaler was expected to bring €50,000, but keen bidders quickly pushed it past this for it to sell at €85,000.

Luther falls to his knees on the Pomeranian coin

The other coin was an Italian rarity from a little later, linked to Napoleone Spinola. The Spinola family was among the four principal families of Genoa. In the 13th Century acquired the Spinola family acquired the Valley of Ronco Scrivia in the mountains of the Apennines.

In 1644, the Marquis Napoleone Spinola received from Emperor Ferdinand III the right to mint coins. The Marquis did not wait long to exercise the newly acquired privilege, and one of the extremely rare coins created went under the hammer here.

Imitating the coins minted in Bohemia by Emperor Ferdinand II, instead of a sceptre and an orb the Italian Marquis holds in his hands a stick and a flower. The coin doubled its expected €50,000 price tag to achieve €100,000 ($137,000).