THE NUMISMATIC DATABASE

While the output of the Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum project has traditionally been volumes of  text and plates, in recent years digital recording of this material has begun to take place.  A relational database application has been funded by the British Academy specifically for the recording of numismatic data and this application forms the basis of the electronic publication of this data on the WWW.

This does not indicate a change in the aims of SNG but rather a recognition that the information SNG publishes should be available in forms other than printed books. 

Currently some 25,000 coins from the Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum volumes are online in the form of a searchable database. The original data has been normalised to ensure consistent searches across the volumes. Eventually the database may be expanded to include unpublished material.  The application will thus provide hugely increased access to SNG data.

Please send any comments or suggestions concerning the database to the Secretary of the Committee.

Whilst the Search Online Database query form has been designed to be more or less self explanatory an overview of its operation is given below together with explanation of a few points which might not be immediately apparent.

Search on one of more of: -

This section of the query form offers three ways to enter search criteria: -

1. Drop Lists. Each drop list offers all unique values in a normalised format. 

2. Numeric Input. This is now effected by use of drop lists.

3. Text Input. Text input is required for fields where a drop list of all the values in the database is impractical. You may enter either complete or partial words or phrases. Often it is better to enter a partial phrase, e.g. entering athena l into the Obverse Description field will return any coin which has Athena l. or Athena Left, i.e. a case insensitive partial match.

Entering more than one search criteria: -

Normally searches are based on more than one criteria, indeed you may enter a value into each of the fields but there are restrictions.

1. The field values you enter are linked by the function AND. This means that if you enter athena in both the Obverse and Reverse Description fields you will be given coins which have Athena on the obverse AND the reverse sides of the coin, not on the obverse OR the reverse. To find all the coins with Athena as part of the Description do two searches, one for athena in the Obverse Description and one for athena in the Reverse Description.

2. The 'Search All' field is a special case because any value entered is checked against all the fields whereas a value entered into the Obverse Description field is, not surprisingly, checked against only the Obverse Description field. So, entering athena for Search All will return all coins with Athena mentioned anywhere, including the Obverse Description and Reverse Description fields.

Other options: -

Include images. When selected, thumbnails of the obverse and reverse for each coin will be included in the summary reply.

Only records with images. When selected, thumbnails of the obverse and reverse for each coin will be displayed without any text.

Records per page... The reply to a search is output in pages of 10, 100, or 1000 records with navigation buttons to view the Next or Previous pages. As a rule of thumb, select 10 if you are connected to the database by a dial-up modem, select 100 for ADSL or Cable connections, select 1000 if you are connected via a LAN or are not in a hurry. 

Records summary. When selected, search results will be displayed with text and, if requested, thumbnail images.

Image gallery. When selected, only thumbnail images will be displayed as search results.

Order by... The reply to a search is ordered by the selection of volume, repository, state, ruler, or mint.

Submit effects the search and sends the reply to a new browser window leaving the query form on screen to modify and search again. The reply will take the form of the selected combination of thumbnail images and text. Clicking on any image will call up a full data page for that coin. Alternatively, the full data page may be called by clicking on the text link and the end of each record summary.

n.b. To save an image to disk, right click on the image, select Save Picture As to call the Save As dialog box which will offer the image name by default.

Reset clears the form ready for a new search.

End.