Coins

Commemorative Coins: What to Record

Coins issued to mark an event, person or anniversary, often in limited numbers.

The Data Sheet for Commemorative Coins

The 42 fields worth recording for commemorative coins, grouped as in the ordicio app. Fields marked with a broader category come from it; the others are specific to commemorative coins.

Identification

Issuer Text Coins: State, ruler, city or bank that issued the piece, e.g. Roman Empire, Kingdom of France, Free City of Hamburg, Deutsche Bundesbank.
Denomination Text Coins: Face value and unit, e.g. 2 Euro, Denarius, Thaler, 10 Mark.
Mint Text Coins: Mint or place of striking, e.g. Philadelphia, Paris, Rome, Antioch.
Catalogue references Text Coins: Catalogue numbers with the catalogue named; coins KM, Numista N, Schoen, Jaeger (J.), ancient RIC, RRC, RPC, Sear (SG), SNG; banknotes Pick, Rosenberg, Friedberg.
Reference link Link Coins: Web page about this object or its reference entry (catalogue, database, sale).
Year Year Modern coins: Year of making, issue or publication when known exactly.
Date as shown Text Modern coins: Date as written on the piece, also in other calendars or numerals, e.g. AH 1325, MDCCXL, 1.1.1920.
Mint mark Text Modern coins: Mint mark or mint master's mark and where it sits, e.g. D below the date; exergue ANT.
Mintage Whole number, at least 0 Modern coins: Number of pieces struck or printed of this issue, from the catalogue.
Strike Choice, or your own Modern coins: How the piece was struck.
Business strike (circulation)
Brilliant uncirculated (BU)
Proof
Reverse proof
Proof-like
Specimen
Matte proof
Pattern / trial strike
Restrike
Variety / error Text Modern coins: Die variety or minting error with its reference, e.g. doubled die obverse, off-centre strike, mule.
Theme / occasion Text: What the issue commemorates or shows, e.g. 50 years Treaty of Rome, Olympic Games 1972.
Issue limit Whole number, at least 0: Maximum number of pieces announced for a limited issue.

Design

What the two sides show.

Obverse Text Coins: Front (head) side, design and legend as read, e.g. bust of Trajan right; IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC.
Reverse Text Coins: Back side, design and legend as read.

Physical

Metal Choice, or your own Coins: Main metal or alloy.
17 choices
Gold
Silver
Billon
Electrum
Platinum
Palladium
Copper
Bronze
Brass
Nickel
Copper-nickel
Nickel-brass
Aluminium
Aluminium-bronze
Zinc
Iron / steel
Bimetallic
Fineness Text Coins: Precious metal content as given, e.g. 0.900, 925/1000, 22 carat.
Weight (g) Number Coins: Weight of the object (without stand, frame or holder unless noted).
Diameter (mm) Number Coins: Diameter at the widest point.
Thickness (mm) Number Coins: Thickness at the rim.
Shape Choice, or your own Coins: Outline of the flan.
Round
Polygonal
Scalloped
Square
Holed
Irregular (hammered / cut)
Edge Choice, or your own Coins: Treatment of the edge.
Plain
Reeded
Lettered
Decorated
Security edge
Interrupted reeding
Die axis Choice, or your own Coins: Orientation of the reverse to the obverse when turned on the vertical axis; for another alignment enter its clock hour, e.g. 3 o'clock.
Coin alignment (6 o'clock)
Medal alignment (12 o'clock)
Edge inscription Text Modern coins: Lettering on the edge as read, e.g. EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT.

Condition

Grade Choice Coins: Condition by wear on the Sheldon scale, with the German abbreviation; uncirculated and proof grades are refined by the numeric grade.
11 choices
Poor (P-1)
Fair (FR-2)
About good (AG-3)
Good (G-4 to G-6; ge)
Very good (VG-8 to VG-10; s-)
Fine (F-12 to F-15; s)
Very fine (VF-20 to VF-35; ss)
Extremely fine (EF-40 to EF-45; vz)
About uncirculated (AU-50 to AU-58; vz-st)
Uncirculated (MS-60 to MS-70; st)
Proof (PR-60 to PR-70; PP)
Numeric grade Whole number, 1 to 70 Coins: Sheldon number 1 to 70 from a grading service or own estimate, e.g. 63 for MS-63.
Grading service Choice, or your own Coins: Third-party grading service whose holder or certificate the piece has.
PCGS
NGC
ANACS
ICG
PMG
PCGS Banknote
Not certified
Certification number Text Coins: Number on the grading holder (slab) or authentication certificate, to look it up in the service's database.
Designations Text Coins: Additions to the grade, e.g. RD/RB/BN for copper colour, Full Bands, Deep Cameo, DMPL, EPQ, Star; details grades such as cleaned or holed.
Condition notes Text Coins: Faults, wear and damage in detail.
Packaging Choice: Original packaging that is present.
Original case or folder with certificate
Original packaging without certificate
Capsule only
Loose / repackaged

Acquisition

How and when the object came into the collection.

Acquisition date Date Coins: Date the object came into the collection.
Acquisition method Choice, or your own Coins: How the object came into the collection.
Purchase
Auction
Gift
Inheritance
Exchange / trade
Self-collected / found
Commission
Acquired from Text Coins: Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
Purchase price Amount Coins: Price paid including fees and premiums.
Provenance Text Coins: Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).

Value

Estimated and insured value.

Estimated value Amount Coins: Current market value as estimated.
Valuation date Date Coins: Date of the current value estimate.
Valuation basis Choice Coins: What the estimated value is based on.
Own estimate
Recent sales / auction results
Dealer offer
Catalogue value
Professional appraisal
Insurance valuation
Insured value Amount Coins: Sum the object is insured for.

Collection record

Your own inventory data.

Inventory number Text Coins: Your own number or label for the object, e.g. C-0042, as written on its label or album page.
Storage location Text Coins: Where the object is kept, e.g. room, cabinet, drawer, album and page, box.