The International Numismatic Convention in Frankfurt 2027
It’s hot during my visit to the campus of Goethe University in Frankfurt. To make matters worse, I’m standing rather lost on a site that I’d imagined to be much smaller before I arrived. Of course, the Institute of Archaeological Sciences is right on the other side of the university campus. To stop me from getting lost again, Fleur Kemmers and Julia Hanelt rush to my rescue. The two numismatists are in charge of organising the International Numismatic Convention, which will take place in Frankfurt from 12 to 17 September 2027. They have kindly agreed to show me round the key venues for the convention and to bring me up to speed on the latest developments.
Why it’s worth visiting the convention!
The INC – the International Numismatic Council – was founded in 1927 to, as stated in the original French text, “facilitate cooperation between researchers and institutions in all fields of numismatics and related sciences”. Today, it has 160 members from 38 countries. These include not only the world’s most important numismatic collections and research institutions, but also numerous collectors’ societies and dealers’ associations such as the International Association of Professional Numismatists, the Fédération Française des Associations Numismatiques (FFAN), the Association of German Coin Dealers, as well as the German Numismatic Society, the Free Association of Zurich Numismatists, and mints such as the Monnaie de Paris, or mint museums such as the Museo de la Moneda of the Spanish FNMT.
The aim of the convention is to bring together the international numismatic community in a single venue, which is why there are traditionally five official convention languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, although in recent years the ubiquitous lingua franca, English, has dominated.
Hundreds of lectures will be delivered over four and a half days, although the lectures are only part of a much more important concept. The INC is a huge family reunion for all those who are passionate about coins.
It’s a chance to catch up with old acquaintances and make new ones.
The result is the vast, international network that coin enthusiasts weave and build during these days. Every conversation, every discussion, every shared meal becomes a knot in this all-encompassing web, which we so desperately need in order, as a tiny discipline, to be able to meet the challenges of the coming years. I have always found the atmosphere at an INC to be open and friendly. Here, young students gain access to the grand masters and grand mistresses of numismatics; scholars, curators, coin collectors and coin dealers meet on equal terms, united by their interest in numismatic research. No one returns home from the INC without having made at least a few new acquaintances.
So it is quite irrelevant whether you wish to present your own research or are simply keen to find out where research currently stands: a visit to the convention is definitely worthwhile!
The Programme
On Sunday, 12 September 2027, the convention will open in the course of the afternoon. This will be followed by four and a half days packed with numismatic lectures, discussions and events. As always, Wednesday afternoon is free for independent excursions or an organised tour of the surrounding area. There will also be the opportunity to take part in an excursion after the convention. Hardly any other country offers such a wealth of numismatic highlights and coin collections as Germany!
Naturally, an extensive supporting program is also planned. There will certainly be a reception on Sunday evening so that everyone who has not seen each other since the last INC in Warsaw can catch up. A gala dinner is planned for Wednesday evening and a farewell party for Friday.
Goethe University’s Westend Campus: the venue
The venue is Goethe University’s Westend Campus in Frankfurt. It is often described as ‘Germany’s most fine campus’, as it is characterised by a blend of extensive parkland, historic buildings and modern new structures.
Anyone who – unlike me – enters through the correct entrance finds themselves standing before a building steeped in history, which is sure to delight anyone with a passion for architecture. The Poelzig Building, which housed the former headquarters of I.G. Farben until the end of the Second World War, served as the US headquarters in Europe between 1975 and 1996.
The impressive building complex was completely renovated in the late 1990s to accommodate the university. The Institute of Archaeological Sciences has its headquarters on one of the upper floors of this historic site. The magnificent view from the window allows me to forget, at least for a few minutes, the high summer temperatures that prevail in the historic building due to the lack of air conditioning.
But don’t worry: the convention isn’t taking place here, but in one of the campus’s most modern buildings, which only opened in 2008 (and, of course, has air conditioning). It is the impressive lecture theatre centre, with 15 state-of-the-art event rooms and a terrace that is at least as impressive, from which you can see quite a bit of Frankfurt. The range of possible venues extends from the Audimax, with 1,228 seats, through lecture theatres of various sizes, to seminar rooms, each seating 100 people.
The official website of Goethe University raves about the surrounding green spaces and the pond, which is simply perfect for a leisurely stroll. I can certainly confirm this. Although I was initially a little concerned because the campus is far too far from the city centre to pop out for lunch, I’m delighted by the variety of dining options on site. Whether it’s a quick bite in a café or a hearty meal in the canteen, nobody goes hungry here. The summer garden is particularly inviting for longer discussions, where, in fine weather, affordable grilled delicacies are on offer.
Frankfurt: City of Numismatics
Anyone who hasn’t yet visited Frankfurt should not miss the opportunity to discover this centre of numismatics. There are a number of institutions here that will be keen to show themselves in the best possible light during the convention. For instance, the Historical Museum of the City of Frankfurt boasts an extensive coin collection. Almost as large is the collection of currency, legal tender, at the German Bundesbank’s Money Museum.
In addition, two major numismatic societies are based in Frankfurt: the Frankfurt Numismatic Society and the Society for International Monetary History.
Several research institutes are based here, including the Institute for Archaeological Sciences, which is responsible for the convention. Connoisseurs associate it with names such as Konrad Kraft, Maria R.-Alföldi and Hans-Markus von Kaenel. The Roman-Germanic Commission of the German Archaeological Institute is also based in Frankfurt. It is best known for its long-term project to catalogue Roman coins found in Germany.
If you’re still in any doubt as to whether your stay will be worthwhile, why not buy the numismatic guide to Frankfurt written by Frank Berger? 101 money-related sites will take you right to the heart of the financial history of Frankfurt as a banking centre.
Oh, and the Frankfurt Tourist Board is promoting the sustainability of the convention and is therefore giving every convention participant a Frankfurt Card, which allows you to use public transport free of charge; this gives you a wonderful opportunity to explore as much as possible.
Would you like to give a lecture? Then you’d better be quick!
Anyone wishing to present their research to the academic community can register by 4 December 2026. The topics to be discussed at the convention have now been finalised. A list of these can be found on the INC’s website. The scope has been deliberately broad this time and offers not only the usual topics on ancient numismatics, but also interesting questions relating to the Middle Ages, Islam, the modern era and the present day. There are topics from the fields of cultural history, coinage technology and many other areas besides. We can look forward to it!
If you cannot find a suitable session for your specialist topic, the General Sessions are still open for submissions.
If you opt for a traditional lecture, you will have a 30-minute slot as a speaker – 25 minutes for the presentation and 5 minutes for discussion. Although lectures may be delivered in any of the five official convention languages, the title and abstract must be in English. Incidentally, the convention will be offering new presentation formats. Alongside lectures and posters, there is the ‘Numi-Slam’ category. The slammer has 5 minutes to present their topic in as humorous a way as possible, whilst maintaining academic rigour. The winner of the slam competition will receive eternal fame and a small prize.
If this has piqued your interest, please complete your registration for your lecture. Only one registration per category – lecture, poster, Numi-Slam – is permitted, but you are welcome to name a co-presenter.
Incidentally, the INC website provides regular updates on all travel grants.
CoinsWeekly will be there to report on the event
Anyone who reads CoinsWeekly knows what a big fan of the INC I am. Naturally, we’ll be coming to participate in the convention. I’m already looking forward to lots of great conversations with all the other coin enthusiasts!
It’s simply going to be brilliant!
A word of advice to finish with
Last but not least, allow me to offer a word of advice, especially for conference attendees who aren’t very familiar with Frankfurt: I know Frankfurt is an expensive city. Many people travelling to Frankfurt on a tight budget will need an affordable hotel. If you’re looking for one, please don’t be tempted to book one of the hotels around the railway station just because it seems particularly cheap. I won’t go into any further detail…
In any case, the organisers will provide some hotel recommendations by the time registration for the convention opens at the latest. Fleur Kemmers told me how hard she haggled to secure favourable rates for all participants across all hotel categories. Please choose one of these hotels – or find an affordable one yourself, but not in the immediate vicinity of Frankfurt railway station.
See you in Frankfurt, no later than 12 September 2027.
Text and images: Ursula Kampmann
