Contact details:  

 

Department of Scottish History & Archaeology

 

Nick Holmes

Retired Numismatist, current Research Associate

 

Dr Fraser Hunter

Principal Curator, Iron Age & Roman Collections

Responsible for Scottish numismatic collections 100 BC – AD 450

 

Dr Martin Goldberg

Senior Curator, Early Medieval & Viking

Responsible for Scottish numismatic collections, AD 450-1100

 

David S. Forsyth

Principal Curator, Medieval-Early Modern

Responsible for Scottish numismatic collections 1100-present

 

Lyndsay McGill

Curator, Medieval-Early Modern

Responsible for Scottish numismatic collections 1100-present and Scottish banknotes

 

Dr Stuart Allan

Principal Curator, Scottish Late Modern Collections

Responsible for Scottish medals 1750-present

 

Department of World Cultures

 

Rosina Buckland

Senior Curator, Japanese & Korean Collections

 

Qin Cao

Curator, Chinese Collections

 

Margaret Maitland

Senior Curator, Ancient Mediterranean

Responsible for Roman, Greek, and Egyptian Collections (south of the Alps)

 

Friederike Voigt

Senior Curator, Middle East & South Asian Collections

 

Sarah Worden

Senior Curator, African Collections

 

Antje Denner

Principal Curator, Oceanic & American Collections

 

Date of visit: 29 October 2012

 

Nature and extent of collection

 

All numbers below are estimated

 

Greek: Small collection.

Iron Age: Very small collection.

Roman: Substantial collection, including many finds from Scotland.

British coins: Large collection, including the largest collection of Scottish coins in  a public collection.

British tokens: Substantial collection of Scottish trade tokens; also some English. Large collection of Scottish communion tokens, with a few from other countries.

European: Substantial collection, mostly post-mediaeval, but including many continental sterlings from Scottish hoards.

Asian: Substantial collections of Chinese and Indian coins, plus some from other countries.

Middle Eastern: Small collection, mostly fairly modern.

African: Small collection, mostly fairly modern.

American: Small collection, mostly fairly modern, including some US proof issues.

Oceania: Small collection, mostly fairly modern.

Modern & Paper Money: Most recent UK commemorative issues; good collection of Scottish banknotes, and some from elsewhere.

Medals: Large collection of Scottish medals, plus some English and foreign.

Paranumismatica: Fairly small collections of jetons and coin-weights.

 

Library: The NMS library has a large numismatic section covering all aspects of the subject of several thousand volumes.

 

Specific strengths: The collections are very strong in all aspects of Scottish numismatics and paranumismatics. There are also about four thousand English Edwardian sterlings, mostly from Scottish hoards. The British collections include a substantial number of proof and pattern issues, mostly belonging to the Lindsay Carnegie bequest of 1911.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Databases

 

Database used: Adlib

 

Proportion of collection on database: c. 99%.

 

How much detail in database entries? Full description, including weight and dimensions, inscriptions and designs.

 

Are images incorporated? No.

 

Is the database accessible to the public? No, except for approved researchers and volunteers.

 

Is the database publicly accessible online? What is the URL if so? n/a

 

 

Display

 

Are there permanent numismatic displays? Yes.

 

Is numismatic material incorporated into more general displays? Yes.

 

Is there a facility for temporary exhibitions? Yes.

 

Have there been numismatic exhibitions in the past? If so, what? No.

 

 

Access to the collection

Is there a study facility? Yes.

 

Is equipment (balances, magnifying glasses, etc.) provided? Space for only one person at a time in Coin Room. No specific provision of aids.

 

 

Public engagement with numismatic collection

 

Is there a handling collection? No.

 

Are numismatic collections used in Education sessions? No.

 

Do numismatic collections feature in gallery talks, lectures? No.

 

Are there other engagement activities based around numismatic collections? No.

 

 

ID and public enquiries

 

Does the museum offer a service for identifying objects and other public enquiries? No.

 

 

Curatorial knowledge

 

Is there any numismatic expertise in-house. If so, who, and in what areas?

Nick Holmes – retired curator, now Research Associate

Is there access to external expertise? If so, who and in what areas? No.

 

If there is expertise in-house, is there a willingness/capacity to share that with other museums? n/a