Among the many different typologies of antiquities shipped to New York by Columbia University professor George N. Olcott (1869–1912), the collection of over 3,500 Roman and provincial coins has been especially treasured for its value in the classroom. Archival sources and editorials from the time reveal this explicitly didactic function, as well as Olcott’s contributions to both numismatic scholarship and commerce in North America. Following a brief history of the collection, a description of the coins and records kept in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Columbia summarizes their scope and potential.
