The Ethos and Ethics of Collecting

Many archaeologists insist that collecting coins of historical importance is tantamount to looting. This chapter examines the ethos and ethics of collecting by introducing a case study. In a pointed dialogue, a biologist who collects coins with a nautical/marine ecology theme confronts the objections of college students taking a numismatics course. The collector explains his interest in coins and shares with the class some of the results. Students raise questions about the visitor’s right to own rare artifacts, no matter his good intentions. The commercial side of numismatics is explored, as well as the role played by museums in curating artifacts. When called upon to referee if not resolve the debate, the professor explains how paleontology might offer a better model for numismatics than does archaeology.