Bavarian Numismatic Society
The Bavarian Numismatic Society (BNG) is a non-profit association based in Munich . It is dedicated to the maintenance, promotion and evaluation of numismatics and its auxiliary sciences.
history
The BNG was founded in 1881, making it one of the oldest such associations in Europe. It is the largest numismatic society in Germany with over 400 members worldwide, including international institutions. The BNG itself is a member of the German Numismatic Society (DNG) founded in 1951 .
The first chairman was the banker and numismatist Max von Wilmersdörffer . The founding was decided on August 10th and 11th, 1881 on the occasion of an anthropologist conference in Regensburg , the constitutional meeting took place on October 29th, 1881 in Munich. The Bavarian districts ( Upper Bavaria , Lower Bavaria , Palatinate , Upper Palatinate , Upper Franconia , Middle Franconia , Lower Franconia , Swabia and Neuburg ) were represented from the outset by chairmen. It was also decided to “self-publish”; the editorial committee for the “Mittheilungen der Bayerischen Numismatic Gesellschaft” (MBNG) was headed by Eugen Merzbacher . The committee asked King Ludwig II to take over the protectorate, which was approved. The first general assembly of the society took place from August 13th to 15th, 1882 in Nuremberg .
After the First World War , society was reluctant to get back together. The subsequent inflation does the rest, so that when the MBNG is published, one is “dependent on voluntary contributions from members and other donations”. The annual fee for German and Austrian members will be increased from 30 to 300 marks, while for foreign members it will remain at 6 gold marks. The annexation of Austria to the German Reich in March 1938 created another new situation. In Vienna negotiations began with the Numismatic Society because of the accession of the Austrian Numismatic Society to the German Numismatic Society and the merging of further numismatic journals. The resulting “German Yearbook for Numismatics” as “in future the only scientific-numismatic season publication in Greater Germany” appeared in three volumes in Munich from 1938–1941 as a continuation of the Numismatic Journal Vienna, the Journal for Numismatics Berlin and the communications of the Bavarian Numismatic Society Munich. The intention to integrate the Bavarian Numismatic Society into a Nazi organization was thwarted because instead members of the society took on advice and lectures in the relevant coin collecting group. From 1945 the company's activities practically came to a standstill.
The Bavarian Numismatic Society was not reconstituted until December 4, 1947. An editorial committee (Max Bernhart, Hans Gebhart, Erich Hoffmann) was formed to publish a new yearbook. On December 17, 1947, the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior was asked for a license for the continued existence of the society, so that from March 1948 it could be invited to regular general meetings. In the meantime, the currency reform of June 20, 1948 delayed the publication of the follow-up publication, so that it was not until 1949 that the first volume of the new publication series of the Bavarian Numismatic Society under the title “Yearbook for Numismatics and Monetary History” (JNG) was subsequently supported of the German Research Foundation could appear.
Alfred Noss was chairman of the BNG from 1921 until his death in 1947. The later chairmen of the BNG included the German provincial Roman archaeologist and numismatist Hans-Jörg Kellner from 1968 to 1971 . Former members of the BNG were z. E.g. the numismatist and former director of the Munich State Coin Collection Harald Küthmann , the ancient historian and numismatist Konrad Kraft , the numismatist Peter Robert Franke , honorary member of the BNG, and the numismatist and former director of the State Coin Collection Munich Bernhard Overbeck . Scientifically active members of the BNG are currently z. B. Dietrich Klose , the current director of the Munich State Coin Collection , and the ancient historian Wolfgang Günther .
Tasks and activities
task
The task of the society is to maintain, promote and evaluate numismatics and its auxiliary sciences, in particular to disseminate knowledge in the field of coin, medal and seal studies, taking into account the related monetary, cultural and financial issues, and the amalgamation of those in this field interested scientists, artists, collectors and other people for mutual stimulation and support, the publication of scientific and the support of artistic works, the education of broader sections of the population and especially the youth about coinage issues, especially about the meaning and the first treatment of coin finds and the collection and Evaluation of monetary history experiences for the purposes of economics and practical monetary policy .
The BNG is in contact with similar societies and scientific institutions at home and abroad; in particular, she works closely with Bavarian state and municipal museums.
Medals
The medals, plaques and badges issued by the BNG over the past 135 years reflect the history of the company and until recently were on view as part of a permanent exhibition at the State Mint Collection in Munich. The exhibition will temporarily no longer take place, but the exhibits can be viewed on the BND website.
Publications
The latest findings in the field of numismatics are published in the Society's publications. From 1882 to 1937 the “Mitteilungen der Bayerischen Numismatic Gesellschaft” appeared annually. During the Nazi era , the yearbook was called the “German Yearbook for Numismatics” and the scientific “Yearbook for Numismatics and Monetary History” (JNG) has been published regularly since 1949, with around 750 pages and numerous articles on numismatics, medals and money history. Members of the BNG receive the "JNG" free of charge. The volumes of the internationally important "JNG" since 1949 are available online as PDF files.
Lecture events
The BNG organizes a monthly series of lectures in the library of the State Coin Collection in Munich, guests are always welcome. The dates are regularly announced on the BNG website under "Events".
Web links
- Homepage of the BNG
- Medals from the Bavarian Numismatic Society
- Access to the BNG yearbook since 1949
Individual evidence
- ↑ (after Karl Gebhardt, in JNG 1981/1982)
- ^ Medals website of the Bavarian Numismatic Society. Retrieved November 7, 2018