MONEY & MEDALS
South Efford House
Milford Road
Lymington
SO41 0JD
tel: +44 (0)1590 676969
website: www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk
email: [email protected]
Contact details: Rosalyn Goulding; Lianne Warner
Date of visit: 31 January 2017
Nature and extent of collection
2,000 pieces. St. Barbe Museum collects to record, preserve and interpret the history of Lymington and the New Forest coast including New Milton, Barton-on-Sea, Milford-on-Sea, Hordle, Sway and Boldre. The collection has been developed since 1989 and now numbers c.20,000 items. St. Barbe collects material with a clear provenance or relationship to the parishes mentioned above. There is no limit as to the time period collected which ranges from the Barton fossils from 40 million years ago to contemporary collecting.
All numbers below are estimated
Iron Age coins: 1
Roman coins: 1
British coins: 1,609
British tokens: 33, including Lymington trade tokens
Modern and paper money: 195, including postal orders, pre-decimal currency presentation pack, Britain's First Decimal Coins presentation set in plastic wallet
Medals (commemorative or military): 60, including Jubilee medals, medal awarded for service in national emergency May 1926, school attendance medals, coronation medals, military medals
Paranumismatica: 67
Other: 16, including ARP badge, military badges, Soldier's Service Pay Book, pack of 'Snip Snap' playing cards, Post Office Savings Bank booklet and cardboard 'Home Safe' money box, decimal currency calculator
Specific strengths: Roman coins, paranumismatica.
Library: No numismatic books. The library exists to aid researchers, including those handling enquiries from the public and putting together exhibitions in house. The library is intended to further support the information we hold about the items in our main collection, along with the themes and stories that they cover. The library includes books under the following themes:
• Lymington, New Milton and the outlying villages
• The New Forest
• Hampshire
• Art History and Art Biographies
• Exhibition catalogues for St. Barbe Galleries
• Military/Maritime and General History
• Collections/object information - providing either information about existing collections or information to help identify new objects offered to the collection.
• Fiction, if they have either been written by a prominent local figure, or where the places featured in the book are heavily based on nearby locations.
Databases
Database used: Modes
Proportion of collection on database: 90%
How much detail in database entries? This varies; we are working to update catalogue entries.
Are images incorporated? This is an ongoing project, currently about 25% of records include pictures.
Is the database accessible to the public? No.
Is the database publicly accessible online? No.
Display
Are there permanent numismatic displays? Not currently, but there will be when the museum reopens.
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 (from July 2017 when the museum reopens), although we intend this to be used principally for access to the documentary/photographic collection.
Is equipment (balances, magnifying glasses, etc.) provided? Yes, magnifying glasses are provided.
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? Yes - lectures.
Are there other engagement activities based around numismatic collections? Yes, including making coins out of air-drying clay. We’re investigating the possibility of a coin-striking activity.
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? No.
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