Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles facts for kids
The Sylloge of the Coins of the British Isles (SCBI) is an important project. It aims to publish details of all major museum collections of British coins. It also includes some important private collections. Each book in the series shows full details and pictures of every coin. You can see many Anglo-Saxon and Norman coins from the project online. This is done through the SCBI Database. It is based at the Department of Coins and Medals in the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge.
Discovering the History of British Coins
The idea for the SCBI project came about in the early 1950s. Christopher Blunt and other coin experts suggested it. These experts were part of the British and Royal Numismatic Societies.
In 1956, their unofficial group became an official committee. It was recognized by the British Academy. Sir Frank Stenton helped make this happen. The very first book, or "volume," was published two years later in 1958. It was about Anglo-Saxon coins in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. Philip Grierson prepared this first volume.
Since that time, more than sixty other volumes have been published. These books cover coin collections from many places. They include museums and private collections in Britain, the United States, Germany, and many other countries. More books are being prepared for the future. Some big collections, like those at the British Museum and the Royal Coin Collection in Stockholm, are still being worked on. Some of the older books also need to be updated. This project has been very helpful for studying British numismatics, which is the study of coins. New books are still published almost every year.
Who Guides the Coin Project?
Since it began, the Sylloge Project has always had a well-known Anglo-Saxon historian as its chairman. This shows how important Anglo-Saxon coins are to the project. It also ensures that an expert from outside the coin world helps guide the work.
Here are some of the people who have led the project:
- Sir Frank Stenton, FBA (1956–1966)
- Professor Dorothy Whitelock, CBE, FBA (1966–1979)
- Professor H. R. Loyn, FBA (1979–1993)
- The Rt Hon. Lord Stewartby, FBA, FRSE (1993–2003)
- Professor S. D. Keynes, FBA (2003–present)
The project has also had several General Editors. These are people who oversee the overall publication process. Some of them include Christopher Blunt and Professor R. H. M. Dolley.
The Sylloge Committee also includes other experts. They help guide the project and make sure the books are accurate and complete.
Exploring the SCBI Coin Books
The "volumes" of the Sylloge are the published books. Each volume focuses on a specific collection of coins. These collections can be from museums or private owners. The books show detailed pictures and descriptions of the coins. They help researchers and coin enthusiasts learn about British coins through history.
For example, the very first volume was about the coins at the FITZWILLIAM MUSEUM, CAMBRIDGE. It covered Ancient British and Anglo-Saxon Coins. Another early volume, HUNTERIAN MUSEUM, GLASGOW, focused on Anglo-Saxon coins from that museum.
The series covers many different types of coins and locations:
- Some volumes focus on coins from specific historical periods, like Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Norman coins.
- Others highlight coins found in certain areas, like the COINS OF THE CORITANI (an ancient British tribe).
- Many books feature collections from museums around the world. Examples include the ROYAL COLLECTION, COPENHAGEN and the STATE MUSEUM, BERLIN.
- There are also volumes dedicated to important private collections, such as the NORWEB COLLECTION. This collection includes tokens, which are like early forms of money.
These books are a huge resource for understanding the history of money and trade in the British Isles. They show how coins changed over hundreds of years. Each volume adds to our knowledge of this fascinating subject.
