Identify a Coin

What the Catalog Covers

The NumisLens catalog contains over 81,000 coin types drawn from the major numismatic reference systems. Ancient Roman coverage includes the full Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC) series from Augustus through the late empire, Roman Republican Coinage (RRC), and Roman Provincial Coinage (RPC) for eastern and regional issues. Greek and Hellenistic coverage draws from the British Museum Catalogue (BMC) series. Cross-references to the Sear catalogues (SEAR) are included throughout.

Each type entry includes the denomination, mint or region of issue, metal, approximate date range, obverse and reverse descriptions, and the primary catalog reference number. Where multiple reference systems overlap, cross-references are provided. Types with confirmed images from auction records are marked and shown with representative examples.

How Identification Works

Two approaches are available depending on how much you already know about the coin.

Quick Search works best when you have partial information: a ruler name, a catalog number, a mint, or a phrase from the obverse or reverse description. The search queries denomination, date range, mint name, and descriptive text simultaneously, returning ranked results you can filter by catalog system or metal. It is the fastest path when you already have a reference number or a clear idea of the ruler.

The Visual Wizard works step by step, narrowing the field through a series of questions about what you can observe on the coin: era, metal, denomination, portrait type, and reverse iconography. It is designed for cases where you are starting from the coin itself rather than from a reference.

What You Get per Type

Each catalog entry provides the information needed to attribute a coin and record it accurately. This includes the full catalog reference (system, volume where applicable, and type number), the standard denomination name, the issuing mint or region, the metal, the date range of issue, and the full obverse and reverse descriptions as they appear in the reference source.

Where images are available from the reference database, representative examples are shown to aid visual comparison. From any type page, you can add the coin directly to your cabinet with the attribution pre-filled: catalog reference, ruler, denomination, mint, and metal are populated automatically, leaving only condition, grade, and personal notes to complete.

Catalog Systems Covered

• RIC — Roman Imperial Coinage, all volumes from Augustus to the late empire
• RRC — Roman Republican Coinage (Crawford)
• RPC — Roman Provincial Coinage, eastern and regional mint issues
• BMC — British Museum Catalogue, Greek and Hellenistic series
• SEAR — Sear Roman Coins and their Values, with cross-references throughout