Image-Based Retrieval and Identification of Ancient Coins

Reliable object identification is an essential task in the process of recognizing and tracing stolen cultural heritage. We investigate the feasibility of using computer-aided identification of ancient coins to search for a given coin on the Internet or in a digital repository. Because a coin´s shape is a unique feature, we first apply a shape descriptor to capture its characteristics. Then, we use local features to describe the die information. The approach presented here shows promise for reliably identifying objects in the area of cultural heritage.