Fig. 61. — San Francisco Committee of Vigilance 

 gold medal, 1856. 



by the establishment of an American Institute of 

 Numismatics. 



Considering the ever broadening scope of the 

 collections and the activities of the Division of 

 Numismatics, it will be necessary to give recognition 

 to the various areas of knowledge by establishing 

 specialized sections. It also will be necessary to con- 

 sider the introduction of new methods of electronic 

 data processing and information retrieval. 



The exhibits will be expanded within the near 

 future to include displays illustrating a history of 

 banking and other historical topics. To show particu- 

 larly extensive and space consiuiiing displays like 

 paper currencies and documents of value as well as 

 large series of coins, it will be necessary to expand the 

 use of semi-automatic multiple tray exhibit cases. 

 It appears desirable to develop special exhibit units 

 featuring electronic selector devices in combination 

 with storage units containing several display panels 

 from which the visitor may select the one of particular 

 interest to him. This should further increase visitor 

 participation. 



Research into the application of scientific methods 

 of investigation, particularly physics, to numismatics 

 will be intensified and developed even further. The 

 application of optical interferometry in surface 

 examination is an example of recent work done in 

 this field in our Division. Perfecting methods of trace 

 analysis and mass-spectrography may be used in 

 metal dating; isotope ratios may give indications for 

 the provenience of metals used in coinage. These 

 examples are mentioned to show some of the new 

 horizons in this area of research which we plan to 

 pursue with the cooperation of the National Museum's 

 Research Laboratory. 



Last but not least, we believe that metal analysis 

 should become a prerequisite and a routine require- 



ment in descriptive works. Indeed, the correct 

 composition of metallic objects must be established 

 for cataloging purposes. It is not sufficient to give a 

 description and to indicate with varying degrees of 

 accuracy the relative position of die axes, or to record 



^^0m\,i,. 



r/- 



'Sqi£im7r7rAr£SjM/^i> ' 



" ^DJPLOjVIAT 



Fig. 62. — Bronze Casting from first study for 

 Franklin medal made by A. Saint-Gaudens in 

 1906. 



the individual weights; as we must proceed further 

 in many series to comparative die studies, we also 

 must consider of equal significance a better and exact 

 knowledge of the composition of the matter studied. 



In summary, the advancement of the Division of 

 Numismatics must be linked to the following basic 

 quests: The development of aiUhoritative collections, 

 the arrangement of educationally meaningful exhibits, 

 and the training of specialists, thus fulfilling the 

 mission of a modern museum. 



All these activities will be given true significance and 

 a measure of permanent value only through an ade- 

 quate and parallel publication program. New horizons 

 dawned in this field with the series of publications re- 

 leased since 1965. Further activities along similar lines 

 will help us expand all our programs and will help 

 give the numismatic activities at the Smithsonian 

 Institution the recognition they deserve. 



PAPER 31 : HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL NUMISMATIC COLLECTIONS 



35 



