Definition

• Discovery Piece.  A numismatic item whose variety was heretofore unknown to numismatists and is correctly identified and reported by the discoverer. To be credited with the discovery, the numismatist-discoverer must do the following:  (1) know exactly what he has discovered, (2) he must correctly identify and describe the variety; and (3) he must report it in the numismatic press. Further, but out of his control, the identification must stand the test of time to be accepted into numismatic literature.
  Often it is a cataloger, an employee of an auction house, or a dealer, who discovers the variety. The owner may have been unaware of its existence while it was in his possession and becomes aware of the new variety only when he goes to sell it. It is, of course, the duty of the cataloger, the dealer or appraiser to correctly identify every piece and variety in a collection. Thus the importance of dealing with knowledgeable professional numismatists cannot be overstated.

  excerpted with permission from

  An Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology

  For Artists, Makers, Collectors and Curators

  COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY D. WAYNE JOHNSON

  Roger W. Burdette, Editor

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