| Royal Numismatic Society | |
| Formation: | 1836 |
| Type: | Learned Society |
| Status: | Charity |
| Purpose: | Historical Study and Research |
| Headquarters: | London, United Kingdom |
| Leader Title: | Activities |
| Leader Name: | Research & Publications, Lectures & Events |
| Leader Title2: | Collections |
| Leader Name2: | Library, Archives |
| Leader Name3: | H.M. The Queen |
| Leader Title3: | Patron |
| Leader Title4: | 35th President |
| Leader Name4: | Martin Allen |
| Registration Id: | 221850 |
The Royal Numismatic Society (RNS) is a learned society and charity based in London, United Kingdom which promotes research into all branches of numismatics. Its patron was Queen Elizabeth II.
Foremost collectors and researchers, both professional and amateur, in the field of numismatics are amongst the fellows of the Society. They must be elected to the Society by the Council. The Numismatic Chronicle is the annual publication of the Royal Numismatic Society.
The society was founded in 1836 as the Numismatic Society of London and received the title "Royal Numismatic Society" from Edward VII by Royal Charter in 1904. The history of the Society was presented as a series of annual Presidential addresses by R.A. Carson – these were published in the Numismatic Chronicle between 1975 and 1978. The fifth and latest instalment was written to mark the 150th anniversary of the Society in 1986, and the full text was published in 1986 as A History of the Royal Numismatic Society, 1936-1986 (London, 1986).[1]
The society has an annual journal, The Numismatic Chronicle,[2] and publishes a book series known as the Special Publications.