March 20, 2014 – A major two-day event focussing on coinage associated with York will be held in York, 13th – 14th June, 2014. Day One is the “Romano-British Congress” and Day Two will be the fifth biennial international “Symposium in Early Medieval Coinage”.
The coin is easily misread as having the obverse inscription EGOMANIAC! Arent Pol provided the correct description: ‘the extraordinary tremissis, with legend PECOMANIACO (an unidentified location), when positioned correctly shows a moneyer at work on the reverse (and possibly a hand held die on the obverse as well); the design may be a pun to the name of the place (“pecunia”)’. See J. Lafaurie, BSFN (1964) 342-343.
The conference – for which there is no charge – will showcase overviews of new numismatic research, specifically relating to Yorkshire, to a non-specialist audience. Those from the related disciplines of archaeology, classics, history and art history are particularly welcome as are numismatic scholars, academics and students, museum partners from across the region, in addition to members of the public, collectors and detectorists.
Prominent keynote speakers from beyond the discipline have been recruited. The conference will be broadly split between classical (Friday) and early medieval (Saturday) periods to provide coherence on each day. Patrick Ottaway, author of “Roman Yorkshire” and renowned expert on the archaeology of Roman York, will give a keynote address considering York and its coinage on Day One. On Day Two, Professor Julian Richards (University of York) will discuss the archaeology of Early Medieval Yorkshire and the role that coins finds play within this.
The event builds on previously successful local conferences such as the two-day ‘Festival of Numismatics’ split between Leeds & York in 2011 as well as the one-day joint British and Royal Numismatic Societies’ summer meeting held at York Racecourse in 2013.
The venue
On both days the event will be held in the Department of Archaeology, University of York in the historic surroundings of King’s Manor in the heart of York. This venue is conveniently located for all services and is just a couple of minutes’ walk from many internationally celebrated sites – York Minster, the Yorkshire Museum and Betty’s. Information can be obtained here.
Travel and Accommodation
Information on travel is available from the registration weblink above. Drivers should note that Lendal Bridge is closed to cars daily from 10:30am to 5:00pm. Information on accommodation may be obtained here.
The Sponsors
This year’s event is under the joint auspices of the York Museum Trust and the Yorkshire Numismatic Society, to whom we are grateful for financial and material support, as we are to the British and Royal Numismatic Societies, the UK Numismatic Trust, Classical Numismatic Group and the Department of Archaeology, University of York. There will be a sponsored reception on the evening of Day One.
The Programme
The provisional programme is as follows:
Friday 13th of June: Roman Yorkshire, Constantine and Coinage
10.00 – 11.00 – Introducing Roman Coinage
11.30 – 01.00 – Roman Coinage and York
02.00 – 03.30 – Coinage, Yorkshire and further afield
04.00 – 05.00 – Keynote Address: Patrick Ottaway
Saturday 14th of June: Money in Early Medieval Northumbria
10.00 – 11.00 – Coinage in the Early Middle Ages
11.30 – 01.00 – Alcuin, Anglians and coinage
02.00 – 03.30 – Money in Viking Yorkshire
04.00 – 05.00 – Keynote Address: Julian Richards
Abstracts will be circulated at a later stage.
Registration – from 20th February.
The event is free. However, a popular response is expected so it is important to register early. It is strongly recommended that to register online on this website.
Registration opens on 20th February. Alternatively, you may register by contacting any of organisers, whose details are shown below.
Organisers’ contact details
Andrew Woods, Curator of Numismatics, York Museums Trust
Tony Abramson
Lee Toone