FAQs
1. Can you tell me what my numismatic or medallic item is worth?
No. Sorry, I no longer appraise numismatic or medallic items (as I did when I was a medal dealer decades ago). So many factors – condition and composition for all items, recipient, topic interest, mounting, patina for medals – all these will affect current value. It is impossible to do an adequate appraisal without physical inspection of your item (and often some auction price research!). My advice: contact our advertisers. They will appraise your coins, medals, tokens and similar material. If you wish you can go to my article: What's My Medal Worth?
2. Would you buy my item? It’s for sale.
No. Again, I no longer deal in these items. Contact our advertisers: most will serve you any way you wish, outright purchase, sale by auction or by private treaty. Your choice.
3. I want to learn everything about my item, what can you tell me?
If you find your item listed in my databank it will reveal the artist who created it, the year it was made or issued, its proper name, that much for certain. In addition – but not for every item – it’s catalog number(s) in numismatic literature. (This is useful for finding its citation in that literature, listed in the BIBLIOGAPHY) Often I list its sale at auction(s), if it is in public collections, museums and such, if it is illustrated in some article, if the piece has been honored. I am adding websites where I uncover these which mention the item for more information in depth.
4. What is my first step to find an item listed?
Look for little letters somewhere on the item. These can be anywhere, or even on the edge. These can identify the artist, mint or maker. Click on IDENTIFYING INITIALS for more help where initials may identify the artist, mint or maker.
5. I can’t read the little letters you asked for, they are indistinct.
Use a magnifying glass. Use a little imagination. Guess. If all else fails, enter a question mark in the sequence of letters.
6. What are my chances to identify my medal if I find some initials?
Excellent. You can usually learn the correct artist, mint or maker from correct initials. And this could easily lead to the item you are seeking.
7. I can’t find any listing for my item, what’s up?
Chances are the artist or maker is unknown. In the 19th century 80% of all medals and tokens were unsigned and still remain unknown. In later years only better items were signed. I did not list any item that is “anonymous.”
8. What was your criteria for listing an artist?
Any artist born in America, or who moved to or worked in America, plus foreign artists who created works of American topical interest within the thirty categories listed, all are included. You should find 99% of all artists who created any diestruck or cast item made in or with an American theme in which they signed the item An unsigned item may possibly be found in the literature (but will not be included in this databank).
9. What was your criteria for listing works by any given artist?
Generally there were no restrictions for any item within the thirty CATEGORIES which could be documented as to its artist or producer. Size was limited to 18-inch (46cm) or smaller. This was considered a “collectible” size which might be encountered and subject of a search for its artist or maker. Composition was usually metallic, but some nonmetallic compositions are included (as plaster models). Marble media are excluded while glass, ceramic and porcelain are a gray area (and may be included in Exomedallic (Category 27). Any method of producing a permanent form of these items are generally included. My motto: if it exists within my criteria it’s listed.
10. I have an item I know for sure is by a certain artist and you don’t have it listed. What now?
Please contact us. I may have overlooked it when I cast my net to identify every American coin, medal and token. Send us a scan if you can, or describe by email, or simply send a photo by mail. Both sides, please. Any photo, drawing or description of any edge markings is useful.
11. What about photos of the items?
Photos are included. But gathering over 40,000 photographs is a large chore. It will take time. I decided to get the data on the internet for all to use and not to wait for photos., I will accept color photos from collectors of items in their collections. See CONTACT US.
12. Do you pay for photographs you don’t show yet?
No. But I welcome high quality color photos. We award art medals for quantity photos. See CONTACT US.
13. What are all those letter-number designations under references?
It’s like a call number at a library. They are code numbers to books and articles listed in the Bibliography. I arranged all these in logical groups and assigned these code numbers to facilitate easy reference. To obtain the full bibliographical data click on BIBLIOGRAPHY and either scroll down to that code number or do a search for it.
14. How are references different from collections?
References include books, articles that discuss the artist or one or more of the artist’s works listed in the BIBLIOGRAPHY. Collections have one or more of the artist’s works listed in a published book on a public collection. Manuscripts are listed in archives. Read our DATA METHODOLOGY for more information on the types of works cited.
15. Will you ever have a hard-cover reference book of this databank?
Yes. That is in our long-range plans.
16. What is “the American Forrer” mentioned on your home page?
Leonard Forrer compiled a list of all the world’s coin and medal engravers. He began collecting this data in 1892 and started publishing it in 1902, ultimately in eight volumes. See more data on this work in the BIBLIOGRAPHY E3:
E3 {1902-30} Forrer (Leonard) Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Coin, Gem and Seal-engravers, 500 B.C–A.D. 1900. 8 volumes. London: Spink & Son.
Since we have limited our databank to American items only – by American artists or American “themes. Thus, this databank was called “the American Forrer” by numismatist and museum official Cornelius Vermeule; who wrote the Preface for the print edition.
No. Sorry, I no longer appraise numismatic or medallic items (as I did when I was a medal dealer decades ago). So many factors – condition and composition for all items, recipient, topic interest, mounting, patina for medals – all these will affect current value. It is impossible to do an adequate appraisal without physical inspection of your item (and often some auction price research!). My advice: contact our advertisers. They will appraise your coins, medals, tokens and similar material. If you wish you can go to my article: What's My Medal Worth?
2. Would you buy my item? It’s for sale.
No. Again, I no longer deal in these items. Contact our advertisers: most will serve you any way you wish, outright purchase, sale by auction or by private treaty. Your choice.
3. I want to learn everything about my item, what can you tell me?
If you find your item listed in my databank it will reveal the artist who created it, the year it was made or issued, its proper name, that much for certain. In addition – but not for every item – it’s catalog number(s) in numismatic literature. (This is useful for finding its citation in that literature, listed in the BIBLIOGAPHY) Often I list its sale at auction(s), if it is in public collections, museums and such, if it is illustrated in some article, if the piece has been honored. I am adding websites where I uncover these which mention the item for more information in depth.
4. What is my first step to find an item listed?
Look for little letters somewhere on the item. These can be anywhere, or even on the edge. These can identify the artist, mint or maker. Click on IDENTIFYING INITIALS for more help where initials may identify the artist, mint or maker.
5. I can’t read the little letters you asked for, they are indistinct.
Use a magnifying glass. Use a little imagination. Guess. If all else fails, enter a question mark in the sequence of letters.
6. What are my chances to identify my medal if I find some initials?
Excellent. You can usually learn the correct artist, mint or maker from correct initials. And this could easily lead to the item you are seeking.
7. I can’t find any listing for my item, what’s up?
Chances are the artist or maker is unknown. In the 19th century 80% of all medals and tokens were unsigned and still remain unknown. In later years only better items were signed. I did not list any item that is “anonymous.”
8. What was your criteria for listing an artist?
Any artist born in America, or who moved to or worked in America, plus foreign artists who created works of American topical interest within the thirty categories listed, all are included. You should find 99% of all artists who created any diestruck or cast item made in or with an American theme in which they signed the item An unsigned item may possibly be found in the literature (but will not be included in this databank).
9. What was your criteria for listing works by any given artist?
Generally there were no restrictions for any item within the thirty CATEGORIES which could be documented as to its artist or producer. Size was limited to 18-inch (46cm) or smaller. This was considered a “collectible” size which might be encountered and subject of a search for its artist or maker. Composition was usually metallic, but some nonmetallic compositions are included (as plaster models). Marble media are excluded while glass, ceramic and porcelain are a gray area (and may be included in Exomedallic (Category 27). Any method of producing a permanent form of these items are generally included. My motto: if it exists within my criteria it’s listed.
10. I have an item I know for sure is by a certain artist and you don’t have it listed. What now?
Please contact us. I may have overlooked it when I cast my net to identify every American coin, medal and token. Send us a scan if you can, or describe by email, or simply send a photo by mail. Both sides, please. Any photo, drawing or description of any edge markings is useful.
11. What about photos of the items?
Photos are included. But gathering over 40,000 photographs is a large chore. It will take time. I decided to get the data on the internet for all to use and not to wait for photos., I will accept color photos from collectors of items in their collections. See CONTACT US.
12. Do you pay for photographs you don’t show yet?
No. But I welcome high quality color photos. We award art medals for quantity photos. See CONTACT US.
13. What are all those letter-number designations under references?
It’s like a call number at a library. They are code numbers to books and articles listed in the Bibliography. I arranged all these in logical groups and assigned these code numbers to facilitate easy reference. To obtain the full bibliographical data click on BIBLIOGRAPHY and either scroll down to that code number or do a search for it.
14. How are references different from collections?
References include books, articles that discuss the artist or one or more of the artist’s works listed in the BIBLIOGRAPHY. Collections have one or more of the artist’s works listed in a published book on a public collection. Manuscripts are listed in archives. Read our DATA METHODOLOGY for more information on the types of works cited.
15. Will you ever have a hard-cover reference book of this databank?
Yes. That is in our long-range plans.
16. What is “the American Forrer” mentioned on your home page?
Leonard Forrer compiled a list of all the world’s coin and medal engravers. He began collecting this data in 1892 and started publishing it in 1902, ultimately in eight volumes. See more data on this work in the BIBLIOGRAPHY E3:
E3 {1902-30} Forrer (Leonard) Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Coin, Gem and Seal-engravers, 500 B.C–A.D. 1900. 8 volumes. London: Spink & Son.
Since we have limited our databank to American items only – by American artists or American “themes. Thus, this databank was called “the American Forrer” by numismatist and museum official Cornelius Vermeule; who wrote the Preface for the print edition.
Permissions
17. Do I need your permission to use any data from your databank?
No need to ask for permission as long as it is for "fair use," for any nonprofit use. However, be sure to credit the databank in any published work so that others may learn of this resource.
18. For profit use?
Contact me for a fair fee payment.
19. How do I cite your databank in my article?
Glad you asked! Citation Machine is an easy to use website that will help you create a citation in MLA, APA, Chicago or Turabian style.
20. Do I need your permission to use any data from your databank?
No need to ask for permission as long as it is for "fair use," for any nonprofit use. However, be sure to credit the databank in any published work so that others may learn of this resource.
No need to ask for permission as long as it is for "fair use," for any nonprofit use. However, be sure to credit the databank in any published work so that others may learn of this resource.
18. For profit use?
Contact me for a fair fee payment.
19. How do I cite your databank in my article?
Glad you asked! Citation Machine is an easy to use website that will help you create a citation in MLA, APA, Chicago or Turabian style.
20. Do I need your permission to use any data from your databank?
No need to ask for permission as long as it is for "fair use," for any nonprofit use. However, be sure to credit the databank in any published work so that others may learn of this resource.