Identifying coins: how to place a piece
Identifying an unknown coin is detective work and is a large part of the appeal of numismatics. For many it is an inseparable part of Collecting coins . With a few steps you can get closer to most pieces.
What the coin itself reveals
Start with what is in front of you: the image and the lettering on the obverse and reverse, the material, the diameter and the weight. A ruler portrait, a coat of arms or a deity in the image, and the legend, that is the inscription, are the most important clues. You will find the technical terms for this in the Glossary of Numismatics.
Ruler, place and time
The legend often names the ruler or the minting city, sometimes also an office or a year. A mint mark reveals the mint. From this information you can derive the era, the origin and often a fairly precise date.
Reference works and catalogues
For almost every collecting area there are standard catalogues in which coins are systematically recorded and numbered. They are the central tool for identification. For antiquity these include RIC, RPC, Sear and the collection catalogues of the SNG series, for modern German coins Jaeger and AKS, and for Bavarian coinage Beierlein. The society's specialist literature, above all the Jahrbuch für Numismatik und Geldgeschichte, also helps with classification. Online, pieces can be classified through databases such as OCRE for the Roman imperial period, or Numista for modern coins. You will find a detailed list of databases and identification aids in our Glossary.
Assessing condition and value
The value of a coin depends on rarity, demand and above all condition. A reliable assessment comes from experienced collectors, dealers or auction houses. Do not clean an old piece beforehand: that can reduce the value instead of increasing it.
Advice from experts
You make the fastest progress with experienced numismatists. For this, the Bavarian Numismatic Society offers Lectures and exchange with connoisseurs. An overview of the field is given by Numismatics in Munich. You can learn more about the society under About the BNG. The way to Membership can also be found there.