MONEY & MEDALS
Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1.1JF
tel: +44 (0)300 123 6789
web: www.nms.ac.uk
email: [email protected]; [email protected]
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