numismatics

American  

[noo-miz-mat-iks, -mis-, nyoo-] / ˌnu mɪzˈmæt ɪks, -mɪs-, ˌnyu- /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. the study or collecting of coins, medals, paper money, etc.

---

numismatics British  

/ ˌnjuːmɪzˈmætɪks /

noun

1. Also called: numismatology.  (functioning as singular) the study or collection of coins, medals, etc

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• numismatically
  adverb
• numismatic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of numismatics

First recorded in 1820–30; see origin at numismatic, -ics

Explanation

A person who enjoys collecting coins and studying different types of money and currency clearly has an interest in numismatics. Numismatics refers to the study and collection of currency, including coins, paper money, and medals. People who study numismatics are called numismatists. They learn about the history, art, and even the materials used to make money throughout different time periods. To a numismatist, every coin, dollar, and token tells a unique story about the culture, economy, and technology of its time.

Example Sentences

“When I first heard about the collection, I was in disbelief,” said Vicken Yegparian, vice president of numismatics at Stack’s Bowers Galleries.

From Seattle Times • May 12, 2024

The James III hoard has been put into the British numismatics journal, which charts the best finds in the country.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2024

Ilan Hadad, a numismatics investigator and archaeologist with the Israeli Antiquities Authority, called the coin “a national treasure” that “has strong religious and political symbolism to Jews and Christians around the world.”

From New York Times • Sep. 12, 2022

“While precious metals have been a hot news topic for the last several years, ultra-rare collectible numismatics have quietly continued to have strong investor demand,” Doyle said.

From Washington Post • Dec. 12, 2011

Dr. Lobscheid 368himself has a well-selected, valuable, and extensive library of rare Chinese works on geography, natural science, history, philology, and numismatics, and presented a number of valuable gifts to the Expedition.

From Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara, Volume II (Commodore B. Von Wullerstorf-Urbair,) Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government in the Years 1857, 1858, & 1859, Under the Immediate Auspices of His I. and R. Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, Commander-In-Chief of the Austrian Navy. by Scherzer, Karl Ritter von