Founded in 1858, The American Numismatic Society is dedicated to the study and appreciation of numismatics and has assembled a permanent collection of more than 800,000 coins, monetary objects, medals, and other related items dating back to 2000 BCE. The specialized library contains approximately 100,000 books, documents, and artifacts that are among the finest of such resources. Together, they comprise one of the most extensive numismatic holdings in the world. The Society is also a global leader and innovator in the development of digital numismatic resources and is one of the largest publishers of scholarly numismatic research, enjoyed by its members, fellows, and the public at large. The Numismatic Studies series, established in 1938, is generally for longer books, especially those that require larger plates for illustration.