How do referees validate requests?
Last update: 17 July 2024
All requests for new items (coins, banknotes, or exonumia) and changes to existing items need to be verified by a referee before they become publicly visible.
Referees have three options to choose from for edit requests:
- accept all edits
- partially accept a selection of edits
- reject all the edits
Referees have three options to choose from for new page requests:
- publish the page
- ask for editing
- delete the page
Validation checklist for edits
- Cross-reference all the available sources, since even the best books and websites may contain errors. When various sources do not agree, add an explanation about the discrepancies in the comments.
- If you cannot verify some pieces of information, ask the contributor for more evidence, such as photographs or scans from catalogues.
- Date-line edits should only be accepted if they add information but not if they alter the existing information. This is because when users own that date-line, the change can result in unwanted changes to their personal collections. For instance, requests to change a date, mintmark, or variety should be rejected. In these cases, new date-lines can be created.
- Check if the submission respects the Numista catalogue guidelines.
Validation checklist for new items
- Check if the submitted item exists already. If it exists already, make sure the existing page contains all the information submitted in the duplicate before rejecting it.
- If the submitted information is not complete or is erroneous, referees have two options:
- modify the submitted form themselves before publishing the page.
- ask the contributor to correct it by selecting the “Ask for editing” option. As long as the submission is not validated, contributors can edit it freely and submit it again. Referees should clearly specify what edits are necessary.
- Follow the steps for validating regular edits above.
When a referee decides to reject or partially accept a request or ask for edits, clear and sufficient reasons should be given for the decision, explaining what the issues were, aiming to educate and encourage contributors.