Coinage history of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Early Modern Period on the pages of the Ukrainian Numismatic Annual: a historiographical review
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Abstract. The purpose of the article is, based on textual and comparative analysis of key studies devoted to the numismatics of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Early Modern period, published in the Ukrainian Numismatic Yearbook since its inception, to identify achievements and unresolved issues within this research domain. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that, for the first time in historical scholarship, the publications of domestic and foreign researchers featured across all eight volumes of the Ukrainian Numismatic Yearbook – the only specialized Ukrainian academic journal dedicated to monetary circulation studies – have been comprehensively analyzed. On this basis, the article elucidates the scholarly contributions of researchers in the field of numismatics and outlines the epistemological prospects for advancing the scientific understanding of coinage in Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Early Modern era. Conclusions. As revealed by the review analysis of the Ukrainian Numismatic Yearbook archive, the published materials prioritize research on the numismatics of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Early Modern period. In particular, the Hellenic monetary system – especially the coinage of the city-states of the Northern Black Sea region (most notably, the coins of Olbia) – has been studied in considerable depth. Scholars have also paid attention to Byzantine coinage. Numerous studies focus on coins of Eastern mintage (Sasanian coins, Kufic dirhams, and Crimean issues). The journal’s pages likewise address the circulation of Western European coins within Ukrainian and neighboring territories. Almost all articles are accompanied by tables, diagrams, catalogues, and coin images, which significantly enhance and visualize the presented information. The journal’s authorship is also noteworthy, comprising both experienced researchers from various Ukrainian academic institutions and scholars from distant foreign countries. At the same time, the analysis reveals uneven coverage of different periods: the monetary systems of the Roman Empire, Kyivan Rus, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Cossack era remain largely understudied. Many publications are local or case-based in nature. It appears expedient for researchers to employ comparative and cliometric methods in numismatic studies, as well as to integrate modern technologies – such as 3D coin scanning, spectrometric analysis, digital cataloguing, and machine recognition of coin legends.
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References
Referenses
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