IA STUDIO Research Record – Statement No. 001
Issued: 20 November 2025 | Revised: 12 January 2026
This study presents rare physical evidence consistent with a mechanical irregularity during nineteenth-century coin production at the Royal Mint.
IA STUDIO’s first published research examines a severely deformed 1834 William IV sixpence, documenting a mint-stage striking anomaly associated with steam-powered mechanised coining.
The investigation integrates detailed documentation, independent scientific analysis, and archival study to produce a transparent, evidence-based interpretation of a previously disputed specimen.
Computational and AI-assisted tools were used to support structured comparison and interpretive modelling; all evidential findings are grounded in independent laboratory measurement.
Independent, non-destructive laboratory work incorporated:
• Brunel University London — SEM–EDX (materials characterisation)
• University of Oxford — Optical profilometry (surface measurement)
The combined findings support classification of the coin as a severe multi-strike mint-stage error.
The study was conducted under the IA STUDIO Hybrid Reasoning Framework, a structured, human-supervised analytical method designed to ensure transparency between computational interpretation and independent laboratory verification.
All laboratory analysis was performed independently; IA STUDIO’s role was limited to documentation, interpretation, and coordination of data correlation.
The research was subsequently published through the British Numismatic Society Research Blog (2025) and forms the foundation of the IA STUDIO research framework, including its hybrid reasoning methodology.
Research Context
This study contributes to understanding manufacturing variability and failure modes during Britain’s mechanised minting era.
It demonstrates how interdisciplinary work – combining physical measurement, documentation, and historical contextualisation – can clarify complex or disputed objects.
This case illustrates how AI-assisted exploratory reasoning can be integrated with independent laboratory testing to support reproducible, evidence-based interpretation in cultural-heritage research.
This statement serves as the official record of IA STUDIO’s first verified case study, establishing the evidential foundation for its ongoing research framework.
Institutional Record
A courtesy reference copy was provided to The Royal Mint Museum and is now held within its institutional records (confirmation received November 2025).
Future Work
IA STUDIO will continue to develop its research framework through further object-based investigations integrating laboratory analysis, imaging, and archival research.
Selected Project 001 outputs are planned for release in 2026.
Press & Reference
Primary publication
Ikraam, A. (2025).
An 1834 William IV Sixpence with a Laboratory-Confirmed Multi-Strike Mint Error from the Steam-Press Era.
British Numismatic Society — Research Blog (2025).
Read on the BNS Research Blog →
Editorial Reference
The E-Sylum – Notes from E-Sylum Readers (Numismatic Bibliomania Society, Vol. 28 No. 52, December 2025).
Discussion contribution on distinguishing laboratory evidence from interpretive tools in numismatic research.
This editorial reference preceded the formal release of IA STUDIO Edition 1.1 (2026), which codified the methodology discussed in that publication.
Laboratory Reference
Independent laboratory partners — Brunel University London’s Experimental Techniques Centre (ETC) — publicly referenced this analysis as part of their non-destructive materials research work (November 2025).
For verified press or academic citation enquiries: contact@iastudio.org
This statement remains the definitive public record for Project 001, maintained for institutional reference and research transparency.
IA STUDIO 