Hello,
The current categories of the Numista catalogue (Coins - Banknotes - Exonumia) show some limitations, as discussed in several forum topics: the token sub-categories are not granular enough; the medal sub-categories are confusing; the distinction between coins and exonumia is not intuitive (especially for notgeld, patterns, official collector coins); some banknote sub-categories are missing; it's not possible to search across coins and tokens; and, generally speaking, the exonumia category is perceived as a ragbag of many unrelated things.
In order to address these issues, we would like to implement an overall change of the categories.
- Having just one search form to search across the entire Numista catalogue, letting users chose which categories they want to search.
- Redefining the categories, with a new list of categories and multiple level of sub-categories, each with a written definition.
Here is the mockup of what the new search form would look like.
The new categories would be: Coins, Tokens, Medal, Banknotes and Paper Exonumia.
There would be multiple levels of sub-categories and items can be assigned to any level. For example, some tokens can't be assigned to a specific sub-category and would stay at the “Tokens” level, while other tokens can be assigned to a more specific type such as swimming pool tokens.
Below is my proposal of categories and sub-categories. Can you share any feedback you may have before we implement it?
- Coins
Rigid pieces of material that have a determined value (denomination) within a currency system.
The denomination may be explicit or implied by de facto use. Coins may not necessarily be intended to circulate (for example, some commemoratives, trial strikes, presentation pieces, proofs, etc.)- Standard circulation coins
Coins intended for circulation
N#89 - Circulating commemorative coins
Coins intended for circulation and issued during one year (or very few years) for commemorative purposes.
N#2194 - Non-circulating coins
Coins issued by a government with collection or investment purpose, including non-circulating legal tender coins (NCLT). They were not intended for circulation. The coins are denominated in a currency which has some circulating coins or banknotes.
N#280490 - Collector coins
Coins issued by a government with collection or investment purpose. They were not intended for circulation. The coins are denominated in a currency which doesn’t have circulating coins or banknotes.
N#35964
N#15304 - Fantasy coins
Items that are similar to coins but they are either not issued by an official body for their current circulating currency.- Micronation coins
Coins issued by a micronation.
N#44501 - Fantasy coins
Coins issued by a non-official body with only collection or investment purpose. The coin pretends to be from a place that exists on Earth. - Fantasy coins from fictional places
Coins issued by a non-official body with only collection or investment purpose. The coin pretends to be from a place that does not exist on Earth.
Should we merge this sub-category with the other fantasy coins? - ECU & Pre 1999 Euro
Coins issued in ECU and euro before euro became an official circulating currency.
- Micronation coins
- Emergency coinage
Coins that were issued in an emergency situation to compensate for the lack of official coinage.- Siege coins
Coins issued during a period of war to supply coinage locally
N#111468 - Official necessity coins
Coins issued by an official body, usually a local authority, to supply coinage during a period of coin shortage.
N#8446 - Merchant tokens
Coins issued by private entities to supply coinage during a period of coin shortage. The token is intended to circulate beyond the store(s) of the merchant who issued them. Including Canadian merchant tokens, Singapore merchant tokens, monneron, stamp coins, etc.
Should we create subcategories for stamp coins, bamboo tallies, and other specific forms?
N#353406
N#30957
N#81755
N#110022
- Siege coins
- Local coins
Coins that are issued for usage in a city or small region within a country
N#242118
N#84462 - Coin patterns and trials
- Blank planchets
- Patterns to test or demonstrate a design or a denomination
- Patterns to test or demonstrate a technique
- Patterns that are part of the manufacturing process
- Piedforts
Should we really have a sub-category for piedfort? They are presentation pieces that could also fit in the other pattern category or in the sub-category for non-circulating coins. Maybe piedfort could be a tag or even a manufacturing technique.
- Contemporary counterfeits
- Proto-coins
N#240455
- Standard circulation coins
- Tokens
Rigid pieces of material which can be redeemed or used for something under some limited conditions.- Service tokens
Tokens used to grant access to a service- Sport venue tokens
- Hygiene and wellness
- Transportation token
- Public transportation
Tokens used to grant access to transportation (bus, train, ferry, etc.)
N#301418
Note: shall we distinguish bus / train / ferry? Some tokens are specific while others can be used for several means of transportation. - Bridge tokens
N#168972 - Car wash tokens
N#375813
N#310240 - Parking token
Grant authorization to park somewhere
N#258647
- Public transportation
- Amusement tokens
- Other entrance tokens
N#405689
N#403465 - Deposit tokens
- Telecommunication token
Grant usage to a phone or other telecommunication
N#74890
- Dispenser tokens
Tokens that can be exchanged for some goods in a dispenser. - Trade tokens
Tokens that have a commercial value within a limited area.- Internment or prison tokens
- Leper colony tokens
- Military tokens
- School tokens
- Hospitals, retirement homes, charities
Possible confusion with restaurants?
N#125105 - Work encampment tokens, mine tokens and wage tokens
Note: possible overlap with other categories.
N#276082
N#159187 - Co-operative tokens and business unions
Tokens that can be redeemed within a group of stores. - Ration tokens
Tokens usually distributed to people in need and which can be redeemed in some designated place to get some food (bread, soup, meal, etc.), energy sources (gas, coal, etc.), and other basic necessities.
N#381437
N#371826 - Event tokens
Tokens that can be redeemed at the shops of an event during the duration of the event. - Business tokens
Tokens that can be redeemed at a business for some goods. The value can be expressed as a number of goods, a monetary value or a discount. - Casino chips
N#155697 - Sales tax tokens
Tokens with small fractional value to pay sales tax
N#20561
- Tax tokens
Tokens which serve as proof that a tax has been paid.
N#93973 - Spiritual tokens
- Utility items
Just a way to group tokens that are useful per se, not just representing something? - Bullion
- Rounds
Round flat objects which serve as a storage of value.
N#14465 - Bars
Non-round objects which serve as a storage of value.
- Rounds
- Attendance tokens
- Notary tokens
- Bank and insurance company shareholder tokens
- Chamber of commerce tokens
- Service tokens
- Medals
Rigid pieces of material that have no concrete utility. The purpose is generally a reward, a souvenir or beauty.- Award medals
Medal given to reward people for an exceptional achievement- Sport awards
- Agricultural or industrial awards
- Scholastic, academic and scientific awards
- Artistic awards
- Military awards
- Civic awards
- Commemorative medals
Medal commemorating or celebrating something or somebody- Inauguration medals
Medals commemorating the inauguration of some place or work (not for people inauguration)
N#154527
N#387989 - Coronation and election medals
Medals commemorating the coronation, the election or the inauguration of somebody
N#319887 - Visit medals
Medals commemorating the visit of some important person to some place.
N#406913 - Exhibition, fair and festival medals
Medals commemorating an exhibition, a fair or a festival
N#85278- Shooting medals and thalers
A shooting thaler is a silver coin in thaler size minted to commemorate a Shooting festival or free shooting in Switzerland. Swiss Schützentaler are the silver coins equal in size and weight to the Swiss 5 francs coin. These coins were not intended as legal tender, even though they were issued by the federal mint with a nominal face value. Because they were minted to the official specifications of the 5 francs coin, they were nevertheless circulated de facto.
N#27038
N#318453
- Shooting medals and thalers
- Inauguration medals
- Coin replicas
Replica of coins produced for illustration purpose (not counterfeit)
N#121224 - Membership medals
Medals given or sold to the members of a club, a society, a freemason lodge, etc. to prove or reward membership. Not to be confused with commemorative medals.
N#169785- Challenge coins
N#111143
- Challenge coins
- Art medals
Medals with no commemorative or other purpose other than being a piece of art.
N#142685 - Touristic medallions
Medallions and tokens, sold as souvenirs to the visitors of some place or event.
Not to be confused with “commemorative medals”- Elongated coins
- Advertising medallions
Medals and medallions given as gifts for advertising purposes.
N#160539 - Religious medals
Medal worn or received as part of some religious activity
Not to be confused with “commemorative medals” with a religious theme.
Not to be confused with “religious tokens”, which have some utility
N#167229- Baptism and confirmation
- Wedding
- Award medals
- Banknotes
- Standard banknotes
- Commemorative banknotes
- Non-circulating banknotes
Banknotes issued by the government for collection purpose only.
N#203503
N#201767 - Local banknotes
N#258254
N#351303 - Emergency banknotes
Banknotes issued in emergency, usually in periods of war, to provide banknotes when official banknotes are not available.
N#375185 - Non-issued banknotes
Banknotes that were prepared for circulation and printed but never issued for circulation.
N#203310
N#208975 - Banknote patterns and trials
N#352695 - Contemporary counterfeits
- ATM test notes
Notes used by ATM manufacturers to develop and test ATMs.
N#217158 - Fantasy banknotes
- Paper exonumia
- Banknote replicas
- Souvenir banknotes
- Zero-euro banknotes
- Confinement vouchers
- Foreign exchange certificates
N#244515 - Postal Orders
N#307166 - Promissory notes
Not sure?
N#357753 - Travelers cheques
N#308708 - Promotional coupons
Not sure?
N#303142 - Ration coupons
Coupon distributed to organize the distribution of food or other basic necessities.
N#393577 - Trade vouchers
Vouchers with commercial value redeemable in some designated store(s)
N#329720
N#217755
