What is the difference between “Catalogue References” data and the Classification System References, such as Van Arsdell, Mack, and Allen numbers?
Essentially, the Classification System References refer to particular coin “types” (though each system groups things according to different criteria, and at different levels in a hierarchy), whereas the “Catalogue References” refer to unique numbers given to an individual specimen at various times in its history. This is where any individual specimen number is recorded: whether a unique number when excavated, a unique (not group) accession number when taken into a public collection, or a museum or collector’s catalogue number, or a unique specimen number when published in a study. Sometimes, references in literature are to such numbers: we think it is helpful to track these unique numbers, as it helps to avoid confusion among similar specimens, and is an aid to building a more accurate history of the specimen.
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