<< <i>Thanks for all the advice everyone, but I'm going to do it how I'm going to do it. >>
Then why post on this subject?
How do you justify numismatics as a major, or even as a minor? I can see majoring in history with an interest in a topic that can be illuminated with numismatic knowledge but not much more. I am open to hearing your argument, don't get me wrong. To me, numismatics, taken in isolation, is ultimately about identification and classification of coins. This is an experteise in which one might get a certification but it is not really an academic field.
<< <i>Thanks for all the advice everyone, but I'm going to do it how I'm going to do it. >>
Then why post on this subject?
How do you justify numismatics as a major, or even as a minor? I can see majoring in history with an interest in a topic that can be illuminated with numismatic knowledge but not much more. I am open to hearing your argument, don't get me wrong. To me, numismatics, taken in isolation, is ultimately about identification and classification of coins. This is an experteise in which one might get a certification but it is not really an academic field. >>
While it is true that numismatics includes the identification and classification of coins, the subject includes much more than that. How could one not include history, economics, art, political science, or chemistry? Or even business when it comes to the buying/selling of coins. My interest in numismatics is writing. I love to research and write about coins, no matter what topic. All of the above mentioned topics can collectively or individually be included in any writings about numismatics. With a degree in numismatics, I am getting a college-level education in each of them. Therefore, I can take the knowledge from each of them and apply them to numismatics. Isn't it nice to know that the person who wrote the book you're reading is acredited to some degree?
Here's how I designed the degrees to proportionately add all of the topics. I considered history to be a major (though not the only) area of the numismatics that I am interested in. Instead of clogging up the numismatics degree with history courses, I decided to add it as a second major. Economics, art, and a little bit of political science comprise the numismatics degree. At first, I wasn't going to add chemistry because the amount of prerequisites needed to get to the courses that I wanted to take would have clogged the degree with chemistry courses. Then, when I mentioned this numismatics degree here, a member mentioned that they would add chemistry to the curriculum no matter how long it took. That got me thinking that chemistry is pretty important. So, I decided that since I was going to have to take the amount of courses needed to get to the ones that I wanted, I should just add chemistry as a minor to the numismatics. Then I realized that even the prerequisites could be tied into numismatics, so it made it even better. A good understanding of chemistry does come in handy when it comes to toning, environmental damage, compositions, and especially determining authenticity.
What it really comes down to is personal satisfaction. I'm not going to college right out of high school. After graduation, I spent six years working as a plumber before finally realizing that I was never going to be happy in that profession. I have been interested in numismatics since I was seven. Throughout middle and high school, I was a less than average student because my true interests were in numismatics and not in school. I nearly failed the seventh grade because I couldn't keep my head out of coin books. After deciding to go back to college, already with a wife and child, I decided to do something that will ultimately make me happy. At the local community college I earned two associate's degrees, one in history and the other in performing arts, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and international recognitions. Now, I'm in my second semester at the four year school doing what I'm doing. I'm not saying that to be a numismatist, one must have a degree. I'm not saying that my having a degree will make me more knowledgable than any of the experts. But, for the field of numismatics that I am pursuing, I would feel more comfortable knowing that I have learned the basis of my work in college.
A well-rounded four-year university education with a couple of semesters each of English, communications, chemistry, math, physics, economics, world and American history, art, law, biology, political science and a foreign language or two is immensely valuable to a numismatist, whether there is ever such a degree or not.
Frank Provasek - PCGS Authorized Dealer, Life Member ANA, Member TNA. www.frankcoins.com
Comments
<< <i>Thanks for all the advice everyone, but I'm going to do it how I'm going to do it. >>
Then why post on this subject?
How do you justify numismatics as a major, or even as a minor? I can see majoring in history with an interest in a topic that can be illuminated with numismatic knowledge but not much more. I am open to hearing your argument, don't get me wrong. To me, numismatics, taken in isolation, is ultimately about identification and classification of coins. This is an experteise in which one might get a certification but it is not really an academic field.
<< <i>
<< <i>Thanks for all the advice everyone, but I'm going to do it how I'm going to do it. >>
Then why post on this subject?
How do you justify numismatics as a major, or even as a minor? I can see majoring in history with an interest in a topic that can be illuminated with numismatic knowledge but not much more. I am open to hearing your argument, don't get me wrong. To me, numismatics, taken in isolation, is ultimately about identification and classification of coins. This is an experteise in which one might get a certification but it is not really an academic field. >>
While it is true that numismatics includes the identification and classification of coins, the subject includes much more than that. How could one not include history, economics, art, political science, or chemistry? Or even business when it comes to the buying/selling of coins. My interest in numismatics is writing. I love to research and write about coins, no matter what topic. All of the above mentioned topics can collectively or individually be included in any writings about numismatics. With a degree in numismatics, I am getting a college-level education in each of them. Therefore, I can take the knowledge from each of them and apply them to numismatics. Isn't it nice to know that the person who wrote the book you're reading is acredited to some degree?
Here's how I designed the degrees to proportionately add all of the topics. I considered history to be a major (though not the only) area of the numismatics that I am interested in. Instead of clogging up the numismatics degree with history courses, I decided to add it as a second major. Economics, art, and a little bit of political science comprise the numismatics degree. At first, I wasn't going to add chemistry because the amount of prerequisites needed to get to the courses that I wanted to take would have clogged the degree with chemistry courses. Then, when I mentioned this numismatics degree here, a member mentioned that they would add chemistry to the curriculum no matter how long it took. That got me thinking that chemistry is pretty important. So, I decided that since I was going to have to take the amount of courses needed to get to the ones that I wanted, I should just add chemistry as a minor to the numismatics. Then I realized that even the prerequisites could be tied into numismatics, so it made it even better. A good understanding of chemistry does come in handy when it comes to toning, environmental damage, compositions, and especially determining authenticity.
What it really comes down to is personal satisfaction. I'm not going to college right out of high school. After graduation, I spent six years working as a plumber before finally realizing that I was never going to be happy in that profession. I have been interested in numismatics since I was seven. Throughout middle and high school, I was a less than average student because my true interests were in numismatics and not in school. I nearly failed the seventh grade because I couldn't keep my head out of coin books. After deciding to go back to college, already with a wife and child, I decided to do something that will ultimately make me happy. At the local community college I earned two associate's degrees, one in history and the other in performing arts, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and international recognitions. Now, I'm in my second semester at the four year school doing what I'm doing. I'm not saying that to be a numismatist, one must have a degree. I'm not saying that my having a degree will make me more knowledgable than any of the experts. But, for the field of numismatics that I am pursuing, I would feel more comfortable knowing that I have learned the basis of my work in college.