Network
MONEY & MEDALS
Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums
Aberdeen Maritime Museum
Shiprow
Aberdeen
AB115BY
tel: +44 (0)1224 337700
website: www.aagm.co.uk
email: jenbrown@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Contact details: Jenny Brown, Lead Curator (History)
Date of visit: 10 April 2013
Nature and extent of collection
20,000 pieces. The collection of coins, medals, tokens and paper money is comprehensive since it covers the period from ancient Greece and Rome to the present day as well as most countries of the world. It has as its nucleus a number of early-20th century bequests and the contents of the medieval hoards from Aberdeen city centre. The inclusion of the latter mean that the collection is of European significance.
While the collection is international in compass its greatest strength lies in the material relating to Scotland and to Aberdeen and the North-east in particular. This category has seen considerable enhancement since the late 1980s and, within current financial and curatorial constraints, is likely to remain the principal focus of numismatic collecting for the foreseeable future.
All numbers below are estimated
Greek coins: 12
Roman coins: 120
British coins: 16,500
British tokens: 850
European coins: 700
Asian coins: 150
Middle Eastern coins: 50
African coins: 100
American coins: 200
Oceania: 50
Paper Money: 250
Medals: 800 (military and commemorative)
Paranumismatica: 120 (includes Nuremberg jetons, coin weights, seals and beggars' badges)
Other: 150 (includes bank passbooks, coin packets, cheques and money boxes)
Specific strengths: Local medieval coin hoards; Scottish coins; British coins 13th century to present day; Scottish banknotes.
Library: General collection of works on numismatics with emphasis on Great Britain. Most works relate to British coins, tokens and paper money including around 45 vols of the British Numismatic Journal.
Databases
Database used: TMS
Proportion of collection on database: 90%
How much detail in database entries? Accession number, title, date of acquisition, description etc.
Are images incorporated? Yes, around 5-10% of records have images and this mostly relates to the paper money collection.
Is the database accessible to the public? N/A
Is the database publicly accessible online? What is the URL if so? Some records are accessible via the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums website: www.aagm.co.uk
Display
Are there permanent numismatic displays? Not at present.
Is numismatic material incorporated into more general displays? Occasionally, yes.
Is there a facility for temporary exhibitions? Yes.
Have there been numismatic exhibitions in the past? If so, what? Yes. Most areas of the collection have featured in exhibitions over the past 20 years (e.g. hoard coins, Scottish, British and foreign coins, tokens, medals and banknotes).
Access to the collection
Is there a study facility? Yes.
Is equipment (balances, magnifying glasses, etc.) provided? An electronic balance and an illuminated magnifier are available for use.
Public engagement with numismatic collection
Is there a handling collection? Yes.
Are numismatic collections used in Education sessions? Yes.
Do numismatic collections feature in gallery talks, lectures? Yes.
Are there other engagement activities based around numismatic collections? Equipment for striking reproduction Scottish medieval silver pennies is available and has been used in educational activities and exhibitions.
ID and public enquiries
Does the museum offer a service for identifying objects and other public enquiries? Yes.
Curatorial knowledge
Is there any numismatic expertise in-house? If so, who, and in what areas? Not at present.
Is there access to external expertise? If so, who and in what areas? N/A
If there is expertise in-house, is there a willingness/capacity to share that with other museums? N/A