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British Museum Department of Coins and Medals

The Fishpool Hoard of mediaeval coins, northern England, late 15th century AD

The British Museum Department of Coins and Medals is a department of the British Museum involving the collection, research and exhibition of numismatics, and comprising the largest library of numismatic artefacts in the United Kingdom, including almost one million coins, medals, tokens and other related objects.[1] The collection spans the history of coinage from its origins in the 7th century BC to the present day, and is representative of both Eastern and Western numismatic traditions.

History

Frontage of the British Museum

Numismatics constituted an important part of the 1753 bequest of Sir Hans Sloane which formed the British Museum's original collection, comprising some 20,000 objects.[2] The collection was incorporated into the Department of Antiquities in 1807, before the establishment of a separate Coins and Medals department in 1860–1.

As in other parts of the museum, the department has been able to expand its collection by purchase, donation and bequest. The department has benefited from the munificence of collectors such as Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode, Sarah Banks, Edward Hawkins, Sir Alexander Cunningham and George Bleazby. A significant strength of the collection are British coins from all ages, which have benefited from the ancient law of Treasure Trove. This has enabled the museum to purchase important hoards of gold and silver coins, many of which were buried during periods of crisis or upheaval. There are approximately 9,000 coins, medals and banknotes on display around the British Museum. More than half of these can be found in the Citi Money Gallery (Gallery 68), while the remainder form part of the permanent displays throughout the museum. Items from the full collection can be seen by the general public in the Study Room by appointment.[3]

The department celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2011.[4]

Research, publications and exhibitions

The Department has a strong research history, which underpins publications (see, for example, the British Museum Catalogues of Coins), exhibitions[5] and other activities.

Publications associated with exhibitions

Other publications

Members of the Department

In addition to being numismatists, staff of the department have also been distinguished linguists, historians, archaeologists, art historians, classicists, medievalists, orientalists, and authors:[18]

Keepers (Head) of the Department

Staff

See also

Gallery

References

  1. ^ "Departments | British Museum". www.britishmuseum.org. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  2. ^ "British Museum - History of the collection".
  3. ^ "Coins and Medals Study Room". British Museum. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  4. ^ "Research Publications series | British Museum". www.britishmuseum.org. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  5. ^ Joanna Bowring, Chronology of Temporary Exhibitions at the British Museum, BM Research Publication 189, 2012 https://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/RP_Exhibitions_Chronology.pdf
  6. ^ Jones, Mark. Contemporary British medals (1986 ed.). Published for the Trustees of the British Museum by British Museum Publications. ISBN 9780714108643.
  7. ^ Cheesman & Williams (2000). Rebels, pretenders & imposters. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9780312238667.
  8. ^ Attwood, Philip (2002). Italian medals c. 1530–1600 in British public collections. British Museum Press. ISBN 9780714108612.
  9. ^ Attwood, Philip (2004). Badges. British Museum. ISBN 9780714150147.
  10. ^ Wang, Helen (2008). Chairman Mao badges : symbols and slogans of the Cultural Revolution. The British Museum. ISBN 9780861591695.
  11. ^ Attwood & Powell (2009). Medals of dishonour. British Museum. ISBN 9780714118161.
  12. ^ Eagleton, Fuller & Perkins (2009). Money in Africa. British Museum. ISBN 9780861591718.
  13. ^ Cribb & Cribb (2011). Eric Gill : lust for letter & line. British Museum Press. ISBN 9780714118192.
  14. ^ Abdy, Richard (2013). Coins and the Bible. Spink Books. ISBN 9781907427305.
  15. ^ Attwood, Philip (2014). Hard at work : the diary of Leonard Wyon, 1853–1867. Spink and Son Ltd for the British Numismatic Society. ISBN 9781907427329.
  16. ^ Ghey, Eleanor (2015). Hoards : hidden history. British Museum Press. ISBN 9780714118253.
  17. ^ Calomino, Daria (2016). Defacing the past : damnation and desecration in Imperial Rome. Spink Books. ISBN 9781907427732.
  18. ^ "Research Publications series | British Museum". www.britishmuseum.org. Retrieved 15 March 2024.

51°31′10″N 0°07′37″W / 51.5195°N 0.1269°W / 51.5195; -0.1269