Oriental Numismatic Society
The Oriental Numismatic Society is a world-wide network of those interested in Oriental coins and money (collectors, scholars, and enthusiasts).
The Society publishes the Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society, an international journal that is released quarterly to our members worldwide.
The different regional sections of the Society hold meetings around the world at which members can meet and hear talks by collectors, scholars and enthusiasts working on a variety of numismatic topics.
Society Activities
Upcoming Meetings
ONS UK COIN STUDY DAY: AUGUST 15
European members are invited to attend the UK and Ireland Region Coin Study Day to be held at the British Museum on Saturday August 15, 2026 (11.00–16.30 (BST)) via Zoom.
PROGRAMME: (NOTE THE TIMES GIVEN ARE THE LOCAL LONDON TIME (BST))
- 11.00-11.45: Bao Lubin (Zhejiang University) - The Rise and Fall of Wang Mang’s Worth 50 Big Coin (Daquan Wushi) coinage (9-23 CE)
- 11.45-12.30: Dr. Tong Yu (Ningbo University of Economics and Finance) - The Evolution of Alloys in the Shunzhi Reign Coinage (1644-1661)
- 12.30-14.00: Lunch
- 14.00-14.45: Chen Xiaolong (Hebei Normal University) State Law versus Custom: Monetary System Transitions in Modern East and West
- 14.45-15.30: Joe Cribb (Hebei Normal University) The Taiwan Old Man Dollar (1830-40s)
ONS Quarterly Lecture Series online/worldwide Saturday August 22
Phil Hauret, The Coinage of Arakan
The ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority living in Myanmar’s Rakhine State—historically known as Arakan—has prompted widespread scrutiny of the coinage of the former Kingdom of Arakan (circa 1430–1784). Previously obscure and little collected, these coins have now emerged as significant artifacts in the debate about the Rohingya’s right to reside in Myanmar. As a result, Arakanese coinage has evolved from a numismatic curiosity into a contentious body of evidence central to a polarized debate. Philip Hauret’s recently published book, The Politicized Coins of Arakan, seeks to incorporate the latest academic findings on Arakan and to reveal which historical narratives the coins uphold and which they challenge.
ONS-meeting Leiden 12 September 2026
On Friday September 12, 2025, the annual ONS-meeting in the Netherlands will be held at the premises of the Leiden University.
As usual, there will be a number of lectures and in the late afternoon a member auction.
The tentative program:
- 09.30 - 10.00 h. Welcome at the Leiden University, Faculty of Archaeology (cafeteria)
- 10.00 - 12.30 h. Lectures
- 12.30 – 13.45 h. Joint lunch
- 13.45 – 15.15 h. Continuation of the morning session.
- 15.15 - 17.00 h. Auction of some Oriental coins and books. 17.00 –c. 17.30 h. Communications among members and informal get-together. 18.00 - c. 21.00 h. dinner (€ 28,50/p. excl. drinks) in restaurant
Auction lots are illustrated at ZENO.RU – Oriental Coins Database.
Speakers
- Alexia Kaperoni, Bridging Disciplines: Introducing Oriental Numismatics to Non-Specialists.
- Danny Van de Wielle, "Coins of the Parthian kings - instant identifier".
- François Gurnet,The sasanian coinage of Yazdgird II (438-57),a reappraisal.
- Hans Sanders, the AR drachma coins of Amoghbuti of the Kuninda Dynasty revisited. Data analysis & lessons learned from a collector’s point of view.
- Irakli Paghava, Monetary Economy of the 11th Century Bagratid Georgia.
- Omid Mohammadi, “From ‘Abzūd’ to ‘Baraka’: A Numismatic Study of Blessing Across Sasanian and Islamic Eras.”
- Yigit Altay, A Unique Ilkhanid Dirham of Hülegü Citing Möngke: The Ahmad Washtaq Issue of Natanz, 6(58?) AH.
- Nikolaus Schindel,"Umayyad Copper Coins and Administrative Geography of Early Islamic Bilad al-Sham".
ONS Promotion at the Expo Houten (Utrecht) 19 September 2026
ONS Quarterly Lecture Series online/worldwide Saturday October 17
- Paul Landgraver on Sriwijaya coins; 4 pm London time.
Oriental Numismatic News
The ONS has awarded the 2024 Ashoka Prize to Dilip Rajgor.
The ONS has awarded the 2024 Steve Cribb Memorial Award to Robert S. Wicks.