BNS Fitzwilliam Museum Internship £2000 Bursary

The British Numismatic Society has announced that applications are open for their £2000 bursary to undertake an internship in the Department of Coins and Medals at the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge. You must be an undergrad or postgrad student at a UK university to apply. The application deadline is the 17th of July. 

Twitter Announcement: https://twitter.com/BritNumSoc/status/1544403435289722880?s=20&t=BZnsG3cWQJiQmZXSjo0DTw  

Details: Funds - British Numismatic Society (britnumsoc.org)

It's well worth applying for if you are eligible. I did the BNS's Fitzwilliam Museum internship in 2018 and it was one of the best numismatic experiences of my life. The collection is simply incredible and it was a massive privilege to get to catalogue some of it. The curators are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. While my main focus was on cataloguing coins of the German States, the curators took the time to show and explain any part of the collection that I was interested in. This included the museum's collection of Carolingian, English coins of the Anarchy, Tudor and Scottish coins. Some of my personal highlights were getting to handle a Victoria Cross, a Petition Crown of Charles II, a Ming Dynasty banknote, a 1953 Elizabeth II Sovereign (plus the half-sovereign, £2 & £5 pieces) and a portrait denier of Charlemagne. 

Your experience with the BNS's Fitzwilliam Museum internship sounds fascinating. What a great opportunity for a student studying in the UK!

Do you have any pictures of the coins or links to some of the resources you had the privilege to work with?

It is great that the BNS is funding internships like this.

I lived in Cambridge for several years, and was an occasional visitor to the Fitzwilliam from time to time.

They also have an extensive archive of auction and dealers’ sales lists, which I accessed when doing some research. I also had the privilege of being able to donate some old banknote sales lists that the museum did not have, including a range of David Keable’s old lists from the 1970s (which were as much research discussion documents as lists at times).

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The Fitzwilliam Museum is a fantastic resource, well worth a visit for anyone who is in Cambridge.

[Desperate traffic. Cheap parking up the road from the Fitzwilliam, past the Catholic church on your right, and down a side road! 3 hours on street parking. Park and ride is better for a longer visit].

Serial_Number_8

Your experience with the BNS's Fitzwilliam Museum internship sounds fascinating. What a great opportunity for a student studying in the UK!

 

Do you have any pictures of the coins or links to some of the resources you had the privilege to work with?

I have lots of photos, but I don't know if I'm allowed to share them. 

Alternatively, I have a Twitter account where I post some of the coins I've handled in the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow: Cameron Maclean (@CMaclean96) / Twitter Their collection isn't as large as the Fitzwilliam's coin collection, but it's contents are just as astounding. 

Here's a few posts: 

1651 Commonwealth milled pattern shilling: https://twitter.com/CMaclean96/status/1544356553561706496?s=20&t=hovrSPtLoDJFw2DBlpqWXA 

1714 Anne pattern farthing struck in gold: https://twitter.com/CMaclean96/status/1543310751443685376?s=20&t=hovrSPtLoDJFw2DBlpqWXA 

1696 proof crown of William III: https://twitter.com/CMaclean96/status/1535692388932501505?s=20&t=hovrSPtLoDJFw2DBlpqWXA 

1707 Anne Edinburgh Mint proof shilling: https://twitter.com/CMaclean96/status/1520774568381718531?s=20&t=hovrSPtLoDJFw2DBlpqWXA 

Charles I English farthing strip: https://twitter.com/CMaclean96/status/1511384237521387528?s=20&t=hovrSPtLoDJFw2DBlpqWXA 

Charles II Petition Crown (includes video of the edge): https://twitter.com/CMaclean96/status/1468266160869285889?s=20&t=hovrSPtLoDJFw2DBlpqWXA 

17th Century North American Coinage: https://twitter.com/CMaclean96/status/1487862903432699907?s=20&t=hovrSPtLoDJFw2DBlpqWXA 

£3 struck for the personal use of Charles I: https://twitter.com/CMaclean96/status/1487728938306744320?s=20&t=hovrSPtLoDJFw2DBlpqWXA 

Here's a few posts: 

Amazing resources! Thanks for sharing @cmaclean. This will take some time to delve into.

The Fitzwilliam Museum is a fantastic resource, well worth a visit for anyone who is in Cambridge.

-I visited Cambridge back in 2014 & walked around the university, the city centre & tried not to bump into any poles, trash bins or people. It was not easy as I gaped at the historic churches/buildings. There was so much to take in & all of it just stunning for a small town Canadian bumpkin. And of course, I missed out on the above museum. Now I know what “must not be missed” on my next visit! 😀

@cmaclean
Those are fantastic coins to see!
Indeed, thanks for sharing them. I have a Three Pound note, but not a £3 coin - very nice to see one.

@Serial_Number_8
Funny, we never actually did any of the tourist stuff in Cambridge! There is a seriously good cheese shop in a back street though [about 3 mins' walk from the Fitzwilliam], the centre square market is good too, and a funny cockroach clock that is a must for any self-respecting selfie taker.

Hibernia

They also have an extensive archive of auction and dealers’ sales lists, which I accessed when doing some research. I also had the privilege of being able to donate some old banknote sales lists that the museum did not have, including a range of David Keable’s old lists from the 1970s (which were as much research discussion documents as lists at times).

I remember seeing it when I was there. If I recall correctly, I think I was told it's the most comprehensive sales catalogue archive in the world. 

Serial_Number_8

 

-I visited Cambridge back in 2014 & walked around the university, the city centre & tried not to bump into any poles, trash bins or people. It was not easy as I gaped at the historic churches/buildings. There was so much to take in & all of it just stunning for a small town Canadian bumpkin. And of course, I missed out on the above museum. Now I know what “must not be missed” on my next visit! 😀

The 2018 BNS internship was my first and only time in Cambridge. The atmosphere was incredible and exploring the old university buildings and churches was a lot of fun. I get the impression that you could spend your whole life in that (relatively) small city and still never see it all. I'm hoping to return one day. 

If you end up back in Cambridge in the near future, the Fitzwilliam currently has an exhibit on defaced coinage: The Fitzwilliam Museum - Defaced! Money Conflict Protest (cam.ac.uk) 

EDIT: The exhibit doesn't open until 11 October 2022. 

5 days left until the application deadline. 

I wonder if anyone on this site is going to take the job, also Cambridge is fairly close to where I live so I might pay them a visit in the summer to see their collection of coins.

cmaclean

If you end up back in Cambridge in the near future, the Fitzwilliam currently has an exhibit on defaced coinage: The Fitzwilliam Museum - Defaced! Money Conflict Protest (cam.ac.uk) 

Nice one! I have to go over to Cambridge sometime before the end of the year -  I will be sure to drop into the Fitzwilliam and take a look at this if I can manage to stall my visit until October!

The exhibition doesn't start until 11th October 2022.

Worldwide collection

I wonder if anyone on this site is going to take the job, also Cambridge is fairly close to where I live so I might pay them a visit in the summer to see their collection of coins.

This seems like the perfect place to advertise it. Hopefully some Numista members will apply. 

The museum is well worth a visit if you get the chance.  

Hibernia

 

Nice one! I have to go over to Cambridge sometime before the end of the year -  I will be sure to drop into the Fitzwilliam and take a look at this if I can manage to stall my visit until October!

 

The exhibition doesn't start until 11th October 2022.

I didn't notice that. I'll edit my original comment. 

The exhibit looks really promising. I saw a lecture by Richard Kelleher on some of the items in the upcoming exhibit a few months ago. For me, the most memorable objects were modified coins from the Second Boer War and the Mahdist War. There was also a groat of Edward III in which the portion of the legend reading ‘Lord of Ireland’ had been very deliberately defaced off. 

The application deadline is tomorrow at 23:59.