THE MONEY & MEDALS NETWORK
Discover more about the Money and Medals Network (MMN), a Subject Specialist Network for numismatics run from the British Museum, with MMN Project Curator Henry Flynn
The Money and Medals Network (MMN) is a Subject Specialist Network for numismatics. Funded by Arts Council England, the Vivmar Foundation, the British Numismatic Society and the Royal Numismatic Society and other sources, and run from the British Museum, it exists to build and develop relationships between museums and other heritage organisations with collections of coins, medals, banknotes, tokens and associated objects.
It has been doing this since 2008, via a nationwide collections mapping project and comprehensive programme of training events for people working and volunteering with numismatics in UK museums.
The collections mapping project has reached museums, galleries, libraries and country houses in every corner of the UK. This involves the gathering of information via a questionnaire, and a visit from MMN Project Curator Henry Flynn.
The purpose of this is to provide collections management and curatorial advice in person and to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and expertise. Then, each participating institution gets its own page on the Money and Medals website at www.moneyandmedals.org.uk. This helps to promote these collections and make information about them available to members of the public with an interest in numismatics as well as people working in the museum sector.
Over 180 collections from institutions in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are now represented on the website.
The Money and Medals newsletter is published three times a year. Edited by Dr Richard Kelleher, it features news items, a calendar of upcoming exhibitions and events, and each issue’s Focus section examines a different aspect of numismatics. The full back catalogue of newsletters can be found on the website. The website also features some useful downloadable resources including a booklet all about the Network itself.
In 2018 the Money and Medals Network celebrated its tenth anniversary with a British Museum exhibition. Sponsored by Spink & Son, the exhibition featured loan objects from six key Network participants.
If you are working or volunteering with a numismatic collection in a UK museum or heritage institution and would like to learn more about Money and Medals training opportunities, or if you would like to receive our newsletter, please email mmn@britishmuseum.org and ask to be added to our mailing list.
You can also follow Money and Medals Network activity on Twitter and Instagram:@moneymedalsnet