Coins and Medals A Process and sources for initial checks from information readily to hand Acquisitions of some 75,000 coins and medals made between 1933-86 have been checked. The British Museum is satisfied with the provenances of these items . Research on acquisitions post 1986 continues. It must be noted that coins and medals are mass-produced items , and a large percentage of them are base metal and of very little commercial value. They are very difficult to trace through the market.
Extensive pedigrees are normally available for a small proportion of numismatic items, eg.
Anglo-Saxon coins, Renaissance medals and classical rarities. Many coins can be accounted for from recent hoards, either directly, or via sales or specialist collectors. These factors reduce the likelihood of finding dubiously acquired material from the 1933-45 period. Ancient Near East A Process and sources for initial checks from information readily to hand Provenance records are being checked for the names of dealers etc. who were known to be active during the 1930 s 1940 s. Research on 3,700 items in the target area has been carried out.