Why no numismatic qualifications

[dicker]

So TSF

Universities offer degrees and PhD’s in what I consider entirely useless topics (inapplicable outside of academia at best and some of which may be unacceptable to the public at large).

Why do people think there is no specific education/ training in Numismatics?  There is at least one degree in Horology for example as a niche are

I happen to consider this far more important that many of the “new” degrees / PhD’s that are essentially pointless other than to return money to universities and leaving individuals with debt and no training.

Best

Dicker

 

[flyingveepixie]

A dedicated numismatic degree would be interesting but obviously niche and highly vocational.  My daughter who is an archaeologist has an interest in ancient coinage..

[dicker]

It is a genuinely missing education / qualification.  Given the world wide interest and commerce associate with Numismatism I feel this is a completely missing part if higher Education

[stefffana]

I agree. 

Probably it is an optional auxiliary discipline studied in the sciences of history. Or should be...

I really don't know...😓😓😓

 

[Stuntman]

I think that demand for such a qualification is so minuscule in the real world, that there is perhaps correctly no supply.  

Although I do agree with @dicker about the irrelevance of some current degree courses.

But I think that a degree in numismatics or similar would be a similar white elephant (and castle) in the 21st century.

[GoldStatue]

It's a fair point because the subject area must have the same scope as something like art history, so there won't be any shortage of material for the degree.

You would think if you can get a degree in ABBA or the Beatles you can get one for coins.

I see the ANA do an online diploma revolving around grading/detecting fakes and the modern minting process, not really a degree though.

 

[LemmyMcGregor]

Qualifications are overrated anyway, I'll trust an old school dealer way more than I would trust anyone fresh out of education, same applies to many industries, quite often they are merely a scheme to milk you before you can start doing your job.

[SidS]

Well the fact that academic publications exist such as the British Numismatic Journal (for one example) would suggest that there is a place in academia for serious numismatic study - however this area is generally catered for as a specialism of either archaeology or history.

As a side note, my final dissertation for my history/archaeology degree was a study of the coinage of Stephen's reign (1135-1154) and it was a perfectly acceptable topic which fit in either subject without raising too many eyebrows.

[Basileus]

I think it very much is an auxiliary to history, I took a numismatics course along with sigillography when I was studying. Both very interesting but probably not deep enough to fill out an entire field of study.