I am in a very similar situation.  I ran across one of these duplicate
number situations last week, but have not acted on it yet.  My idea was to
leave the number to the better documented item, and select the next
available accession number for that particular year.  Or would it be better
to use an accession number from the current year?  The objects I have
encountered with this particular problem are not marked, making the solution
a bit easier.   

Either way, I would document your final decision on the catalog card.

I would be interested in any replies on this topic, thank you.

Joshua K. Blay

-------------------------------------------------

"Those who would sacrifice a little Liberty for more Safety, deserve neither
Liberty nor Safety."  Benjamin Franklin


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Mary Agnes Beach
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 12:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] re-numbering

Hello Listers!  In sorting through records made over decades by a
combination of volunteers and one professional staff person, our current
staff is finding an assortment of problems we want to solve by current
standards.  The one we have on our plate now is that a number was assigned
twice.  I am able to determine that one item has better documentation and
thereby could perhaps lay claim more affirmatively to the number.  That
leaves the second item.  Do we treat the item as a new accession and give
it a number that reflects the current year? In addition, what would people
suggest we do in terms of documenting the change?  Feel free to contact me
off list if you prefer.

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