The Friedenstein Gotha Castle Foundation wants to digitize, tap into content and archive the numismatic collection. For the period up to December 31, 2023, the high-quality digitization of approximately 114,000 coins, medals and paper money in 2D and about 1,000 other selected coins is intended as colorfast 3D scans. Due to the outstanding funding commitment for the period from 2024 onwards, the digitization of around 31,000 other objects is optional.

As a cultural institution of national importance, the Friedenstein Gotha Castle Foundation (SSFG), together with other facilities in Gotha and the surrounding area, is a unique building, garden and collection ensemble of European residence culture. It consists of a total of four museums: the castle museum, the historical museum, the museum of nature and the ducal museum. Over 1 million objects are owned by the foundation, spread over 80 historically grown collection areas. As part of a project “Gothatransdigital2027" funded by the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Thuringia, SSFG intends to make its collection available digitally and furthermore to transform all work and placement processes under the premise of digitality. As a first step, SSFG would like to digitize the numismatic collection, tap into content and make it accessible for research, education and communication purposes. In the future, high-quality digital images of coins, medals and paper money will serve as reference and document material for research and science regardless of location and time. The images to be produced are to be enriched with scientific information and displayed in an online collection of the foundation.

As part of this procurement process, the following services are now awarded:

— Creation and preparation of digital copies of the numismatic collection in 2D (photo images) including weighing, measuring and recording core data (inventory number, weight, diameter, stamping) in a browser-based database. The digitization of around 114,000 objects (228,000 digital copies) is planned for the period up to December 31, 2023. From 2024, approximately 31,000 additional objects (62,000 digital copies) have to be digitized, which are to be offered optionally for the period from 2024 due to the pending funding approval

— Creation and elaboration of approximately 1,000 selected coins as colorfast 3D scans.

Scientific development through specialist information on the collection inventory is not part of the order. For security reasons, the digitization of the numismatic collection must take place in the premises of the castle in 99867 Gotha. The implementation of digitization is expected to begin immediately after the award has been awarded (planned from the beginning of November 2021). The first 4 weeks are planned as a trial phase and for setting up the premises as well as initial test recordings with different coins and medals. The goal is to fine-tune the digitization concept as well as workflows and the development of a style sheet. The actual digitalization will then take place from around the beginning of December 2021.

Further digitization services within the framework of the digitization project “Gotha Transdigital 2027” are to be awarded in separate procurement procedures within a considerable period of time, for which separate publications will be carried out — if required by public procurement law.

For further details — also regarding the workflow and the requirements for digital images and color management — refer to the procurement documents — in particular the award document “SOW” along with systems.