A second life for ancient coins

The Franco-Egyptian team of the Centre for Alexandrian Studies under the direction of Jean-Yves Empereur has been undertaking a series of salvage excavations both on land and undersea over the past ten years and more. If one is interested in the coins discovered during these digs, one will also be surprised by the number of different stages that are involved in the process of identification and study. From the moment of discovery on the site, a coin will pass through innumerable pairs of hands and be scrutinised by a multitude of eyes from initial registration to its ultimate storing place. The archaeologist, the restorer and the numismatist all have their role and all are searching for answers.