A Graphical Method for Analysing Chronological Patterns of Coin Sets / Graficzna metoda analizy profili chronologicznych zestawów monet

Abstract

This paper presents a graphical method for analysing chronological patterns which can be successfully applied to coin sets (e.g. hoards) containing specimens dated within multiple, overlapping timespans of up to several dozen years. The timespans are considered rounded up to full years, i.e. the shortest timespan would be 1 year, while the longer ones could cover several, a dozen or more years. This works well, for example, with Roman coins from the Imperial period, or with some categories of medieval or modern European coinage. The method is based on a simple mathematical model and the values calculated for each year are presented in a graphical form (as values of a discrete function spread on a timeline) to show the chronological distribution of coins in percentage terms. Such distributions make sets of coins easy to compare. The method is much less effective when applied to precisely dated coins (e.g. with an accuracy of one year), like Roman coins from the Republican period, or certain categories of early medieval Islamic coins.