. Bulletin - United States National Museum. Science. Fig. 59.—Onza Struck in 1836 at the La Rioja Mint in .Argentina. The continuous, it should be repeated, reappraisal of the scope of numismatics and the recognition of its ever developing duties should not be swayed by tra- ditional concepts like the prevailing mctallistic ap- proach. Also, in our quest for history there is little if any place for the curious, the unusual as such. Emphasis must be placed instead on the historically significant aspects. We expect that the growth rate of the collections will remain high, at least for some years
. Bulletin - United States National Museum. Science. Fig. 59.—Onza Struck in 1836 at the La Rioja Mint in .Argentina. The continuous, it should be repeated, reappraisal of the scope of numismatics and the recognition of its ever developing duties should not be swayed by tra- ditional concepts like the prevailing mctallistic ap- proach. Also, in our quest for history there is little if any place for the curious, the unusual as such. Emphasis must be placed instead on the historically significant aspects. We expect that the growth rate of the collections will remain high, at least for some years, in contrast with the slow rate of growth of up to ten years ago. For comparative purposes we will mention the United States Mint collection which increased in 85 years— from 1838 to 1923—to around 18,000 specimens, or by a yearly average of 212 items. The United States National Museum collection showed an increase of 595 pieces each year during the period from 1881 to 1923. The national numismatic collections continued to grow from 1924 through 1956 at a yearly average of 531 items. In fact, during the latter period 17,000 items were added to the collections. In the past ten years instead the average yearly rate of growth in- creased to approximately 20,000 objects, the number of items added varying, of course, greatly from year to year. It will be necessary to assemble and preserve the [)ertinent documentation that will enable us to study and better comprehend the development of money and of media of payment in their broad historic and economic context. True comprehension of these phenomena is possible only based on primary "numismatic" source material. Modern instances of regression to more "primitive" forms of monetary exchanges in times of need or economical stress pro\ide case studies of enormous practical meaning. Thus it will be necessary to assemble documentary material to foster the study of monetary history in all its complexities. This dif
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