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Danish Butter King’s Coin Collection for Sale 100 Years After His Death 

Helle Horsnes, senior researcher at the National Museum of Denmark, looks at seven rare coins that the museum bought earlier this year from the collection of butter magnate Lars Emil Bruun, in Copenhagen, Denmark, September 11, 2024. (Reuters)
Helle Horsnes, senior researcher at the National Museum of Denmark, looks at seven rare coins that the museum bought earlier this year from the collection of butter magnate Lars Emil Bruun, in Copenhagen, Denmark, September 11, 2024. (Reuters)
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Danish Butter King’s Coin Collection for Sale 100 Years After His Death 

Helle Horsnes, senior researcher at the National Museum of Denmark, looks at seven rare coins that the museum bought earlier this year from the collection of butter magnate Lars Emil Bruun, in Copenhagen, Denmark, September 11, 2024. (Reuters)
Helle Horsnes, senior researcher at the National Museum of Denmark, looks at seven rare coins that the museum bought earlier this year from the collection of butter magnate Lars Emil Bruun, in Copenhagen, Denmark, September 11, 2024. (Reuters)

The 20,000-piece coin collection of Danish butter magnate Lars Emil Bruun, worth an estimated $74 million, is set to go under the hammer on Saturday in Copenhagen, a century after his passing.

The collection, kept by Bruun's relatives in line with his will, includes rare coins and medals from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and England dating back to the Viking age. It is expected to attract bids from some of the world's wealthiest people.

Bruun, born into poverty in 1852, amassed a fortune through his butter export business. He developed a passion for coin collecting in his childhood, resulting in what is expected to be the most valuable non-US coin collection ever sold.

"The collection is unique in many ways, partly because it's so valuable, but also because it's been kept safe as a sleeping beauty for 100 years without nobody having access to the coins," said Michael Fornitz, a professional numismatic appointed by auction house Stack's Bowers to oversee the sale.

After World War One, Bruun, fearing another war or bombing of Copenhagen, decided his historic collection should be kept in reserve for the Royal Coin and Medal Collection in Copenhagen for a century.

The auction will commence on Saturday with the sale of the first 286 coins, starting with a coin minted in 1496 for Denmark's King Hans. The coin has an estimated price of up to 600,000 euros ($663,900).

"It has probably been struck for King Hans' personal use when he traveled through Europe and he needed to show that Denmark was not just an insignificant province in the North of Europe but actually a power to be reckoned with," said Fornitz, holding the coin in his hand.

The collection has been showcased to potential buyers in Hong Kong, Europe, and the United States. According to Brian Kendrella, Stack's Bowers president, the coins are expected to sell for amounts ranging from less than $100 to more than $1 million each.

"Buyers might be some of the wealthiest people who are making Forbes lists and things like that. But there's also regular people that have deep interest in history and interest in coin collecting," he said.

Proceeds from the auctions, expected to continue for several years, will go to Bruun's direct relatives, as stipulated in his will. A representative for his relatives did not reply to a request for comment.

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Culture

Top Prosecutor: Louvre Heist Probe Still Aims to Recover Jewelry

FILE - People wait for the Louvre museum to open, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - People wait for the Louvre museum to open, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
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Top Prosecutor: Louvre Heist Probe Still Aims to Recover Jewelry

FILE - People wait for the Louvre museum to open, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - People wait for the Louvre museum to open, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

French investigators remain determined to find the imperial jewels stolen from the Louvre in October, a prosecutor has told AFP.

Police believe they have arrested all four thieves who carried out the brazen October 19 robbery, making off with jewelry worth an estimated $102 million from the world-famous museum.

"The interrogations have not produced any new investigative elements," top Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said this week, three months after the broad-daylight heist.

But the case remains a top priority, she underlined.

"Our main objective is still to recover the jewelry," she said.

That Sunday morning in October, thieves parked a mover's truck with an extendable ladder below the Louvre's Apollo Gallery housing the French crown jewels.

Two of the thieves climbed up the ladder, broke a window and used angle grinders to cut glass display booths containing the treasures, while the other two waited below, investigators say.

The four then fled on high-powered motor scooters, dropping a diamond-and-emerald crown in their hurry.

But eight other items of jewelry -- including an emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise -- remain at large.

Beccuau said investigators were keeping an open mind as to where the loot might be.

"We don't have any signals indicating that the jewelry is likely to have crossed the border," she said, though she added: "Anything is possible."

Detectives benefitted from contacts with "intermediaries in the art world, including internationally" as they pursued their probe.

"They have ways of receiving warning signals about networks of receivers of stolen goods, including abroad," Beccuau said.

As for anyone coming forward to hand over the jewels, that would be considered to be "active repentance, which could be taken into consideration" later during a trial, she said.

A fifth suspect, a 38-year-old woman who is the partner of one of the men, has been charged with being an accomplice but was released under judicial supervision pending a trial.

Investigators still had no idea if someone had ordered the theft.

"We refuse to have any preconceived notions about what might have led the individuals concerned to commit this theft," the prosecutor said.

But she said detectives and investigating magistrates were resolute.

"We haven't said our last word. It will take as long as it takes," she said.

Culture

Desert X AlUla Unveils Acclaimed Lineup of Saudi and Global Artists in 2026 Edition

Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks. SPA
Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks. SPA
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Desert X AlUla Unveils Acclaimed Lineup of Saudi and Global Artists in 2026 Edition

Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks. SPA
Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks. SPA

Arts AlUla has announced the lineup of Saudi and international artists participating in the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla, the international open-air art exhibition held in collaboration with Desert X.

Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks, ranging from large-scale installations and sound pieces that stretch across and beneath the desert landscape, to kinetic works and immersive interactive experiences.

The showcase reflects a deep connection to AlUla’s unique environment, its dramatic natural landscapes, and rich cultural heritage.

Desert X AlUla, the region’s first public art biennial, will feature 11 artists presenting diverse perspectives, materials, and artistic traditions in their large-scale works in its 2026 edition.

The program offers a delightful mix of performances and interactive family activities, alongside dedicated programs that blend sound, movement, storytelling, and play.

Also, the visitor pavilion will host a live music program curated in collaboration with AlUla Music Hub, creating moments where art, nature, and community converge in a shared experience shaped by rhythm and a strong sense of place.

Arts AlUla confirmed that Desert X AlUla 2026 will be open to the public.

Culture

Saudi Heritage Commission Announces Discovery of 20 Rock Engravings in Soudah Peaks Project

The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. (SPA)
The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. (SPA)
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Saudi Heritage Commission Announces Discovery of 20 Rock Engravings in Soudah Peaks Project

The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. (SPA)
The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission, in collaboration with Soudah Development, a Public Investment Fund company, announced on Tuesday the discovery of 20 ancient rock art sites within the Soudah Peaks area.

Spanning more than 636.5 square kilometers across Soudah and parts of Rijal Almaa, the project area is now recognized as home to some of the region’s oldest cultural landmarks. The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old, offering valuable insights into the region’s rich history.

The findings include Thamudic inscriptions, along with vivid depictions of ibex, hyenas, and ostriches, as well as scenes of hunters, dancers, palm trees, and weapons, reflecting the environmental and social practices of the ancient communities that once inhabited the area.

The survey forms part of a memorandum of understanding signed between the Heritage Commission and Soudah Development. Conducted in four scientific phases, the initiative began with data collection and site analysis, concluding with the documentation and classification of high-value archaeological sites in preparation for future development and preservation efforts.

Soudah Development remains committed to protecting and promoting the natural and cultural heritage of the project area. The company continues to work towards creating an integrated cultural and tourism experience that reflects the authenticity and historical richness of the region, in line with its vision to transform Soudah Peaks into a premier luxury mountain destination rooted in heritage.