what catalog index numbers do you use/consult?

mrfred

This brief thread got me thinking about the various index and catalog numbering systems in our hobby.

I find that I make greatest use of the Krause-Mishler numbers in their Standard Catalog. Those are the very common 'KM' numbers; sometimes recorded simply as a 'K' number (I buy sometimes from one dealer who does that). Most entries in their catalog bear a 'KM' number; some entries in their catalog are 'Y' numbers, dating back to a time (before the KM books started) when Yeoman had a world coin numbering system. When I record a coin w/ a 'Y' number in the KM catalog, I record it as: 'KM:Y<whatever>'.

An interesting sidebar to this topic is how the various numbers re-start. I noticed that the Conder numbers (see the thread above) restart w/ each county in the UK. And the KM numbers restart w/ each country, ignoring century -- for example, if 'KM6' is used for a particular country in the 18th century KM catalog, it won't be re-used in the subsequent centuries. Is that right?

Another interesting sidebar is how KM subset numbers: decimals and letters. I am still trying to figure that out, but it may be something simple -- like running out of numbers, or more likely, to indicate very slight changes in a series.

I've also noticed that numbers appear to be assigned laterally -- suppose a country issues new series in several denominations. KM will use up the next numbers in sequence. Suppose one denomination is the 'cent' (or equivalent) minor coin. The next time that coin gets redesigned, its KM number will be larger by a factor of several values, indicating the multiple denominations that changed the previous time.

Anyway, what catalog index numbering systems do you consult and use, regularly? Any other esoteric observations about KM or some of the common indexing systems?

And: how do you suppose a particular indexing system gets established in wide use? Marketing? Word of mouth?

AuldFartte

I use the same KM numbers like you ... if it's a "Y", I call it "KM.Y#___."

I use both Krause and Spink for all Great Britain stuff, Dalton & Hamer (DH#___) for Conders. I have no real clue as to how they come up with thier numbering systems, however. Some seem to make sense ... others just don't.

For liteside stuff, I remember Breen coming up with a numbering system to replace Sheldon's for early date large cents. It never "took off" and Breen was rather PO'd about that.

laurentyvan

The Krause-Mishler catalogs work for me on the majority of my coins.

If there's doubt, available other reference numbers from specialty catalogs, British might be Spink or Coincraft, Canadian-Charlton, etc.

As collectors move into Ancients and particular countries, a whole new series of references take over. I read of a dealer recently who has over $50,000 invested in Numismatic literature and references; I imagine the number could easily be higher. I see adverts in World Coin News for a plethora of books, most recently a reference on Portugeuse coins, close to $100 I believe.

At this point I've probably spent somewhere between $500 to $600 on reference material and that seems to work for me.

mrfred

It seems to me that there may be a market for an consolidate index-of-numbers, or maybe a guidebook that tells people where to find various numbering systems.

I agree that building a fine numismatic library can be costly. Thinking about it, I probably have about $500 in mine, as well. Some of that is material that has little to do w/ indexing. For instance, I recently bought and about half-way through the story of the U.S. 1933 Double Eagle that broke the single-coin auction record: Illegal Tender.

SYRACUSIAN

Don't be surprised to see European auction houses and some US shops using different resources. You'll often see Fr preceeding a number in Steibnberg's listings, referring to the "Gold coins of the World" catalogue by Friedman, but there are even more esoteric issues, such as the Divo numbers for (modern) Greek coins, a catalogue that was compiled in 1969 and is still used today by Spink ,UBS and more,to name but one.

rhound1977

I also use Krause, Spink and occasionally Craig......

AndyBruce

Spink, CoinCraft and ESC as well as Krause

Aethelred

Numbers used:

SPINK
KM
ESC

Catalogs used (often):

Spink
Krause
ESC
Coincraft

mrfred

Back to the top... Anybody else want to chime in?

NJMark1

A few other reference books I found helpfull at times
Poland-Fischer Katalog Monet Polskich
Belgium- Standard Catalog of Belgian Coins by Renie Van Bergen
Japan- Catalog of Modern Japanese Korean and Manchuko Coins By J.G.Spadone
Great Britain- Guide Book of English Coins by Ken Bressett
General World Coins- Modern World Coins by R.S. Yoeman

Of Course Krause is the Major Player but the others sometimes help out as some of the pictures are clearer and lists more detailed

Mark