ART FUND FOR NORWICH CASTLE MUSEUM

The Art Fund recently granted a New Collecting Award to a project aiming to acquire regional medieval numismatics at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery.

Its goals are to expand the collection of coins minted or discovered in historical East Anglia, within the date range of the 7th and the 12th century. The award presents a fantastic opportunity to acquire single coin finds which have increased so dramatically over the past decades but, falling outside of the Treasure process, often have remained beyond the reach of the museum.

New acquisitions will contribute to the museum’s presentation and research of East Anglia’s distinctive medieval history - periods of which are significantly informed through numismatic evidence. They will also enable the different approaches to interpreting and understanding coinage, particularly within the wider artistic and material cultures. Overall, the project will increase access to the numismatic collections for visitors, schools, and local communities.

These acquisitions will help in forming a comprehensive cabinet of regional mints and issues as well as supporting the wider efforts, such as the current NLHF funded refurbishment project of the Norman Keep, to establish Norwich Castle Museum as a centre for the research and exploration of the medieval period. The project is due to be completed in the latter half of 2022. If you would like to know more about the project or have coins which might be of interest, please contact Andrew Ferrara, Project Curator, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, at: andrew.ferrara@norfolk.gov.uk