# The Numismatist vs Sotheby's

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Numismatist at 71% against Sotheby's's 24%. The Numismatist also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.4) and ads (none vs shown). Sotheby's's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (97 vs 9). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Numismatist holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sotheby's has 97 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of The Numismatist's written reviews are positive against 24% of Sotheby's's.

The Numismatist ships an update every 14 months, Sotheby's every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Numismatist | Sotheby's |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-numismatist/id421841846/reviews)** | [3.4 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sothebys/id1061156465/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **97** |
| Positive reviews | **71.4% of reviews** | 24.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 137 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 17.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [American Numismatic Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/1353662030) | [Sotheby's](https://appshunter.io/developer/393122746) |

## What reviewers say

### The Numismatist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-numismatist/id421841846)

This app offers a rich collection of illustrated articles on coins, tokens, medals, and paper money. It covers historical aspects, hobby events, and new coinage issues, making it a valuable resource for collectors.

**Highlights:** Illustrated articles on numismatics, Historical and entertaining content, Reports on hobby events, Information on new coinage issues, Advertising by coin dealers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sotheby's

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sothebys/id1061156465)

Access extraordinary art, precious objects, wine, and jewelry from auctions worldwide. Track bids, register for auctions, and explore past and upcoming sales with expert insights.

**Highlights:** Bid in live and online auctions, Track bids and registrations, Browse open, upcoming, and past auctions, Search past and present lots, Manage profile and view purchases, Access favorite auctions and lots

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful photography and content
- 👍 Easy to navigate (for some)
- ✅ Great for browsing and viewing auctions
- 🤩 Interactive and engaging
- 🖼️ Elegant design

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Core functionality missing
- 📉 Poor user experience
- 🚫 App is useless for many
- 😵 Confusing new format
- 📱 Not compatible with older phones

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot sort auction lots
- Cannot follow, view, or bid
- App crashes on launch
- ID verification camera not focusing
- Photo upload issues

**Requested features**

- Allow sorting of auction lots
- Improve search functionality
- Enable calendar integration
- Make app landscape compatible
- Simplify personalization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Numismatist free?

The Numismatist is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sotheby's free?

Sotheby's is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Numismatist or Sotheby's?

The Numismatist is rated higher. The Numismatist averages 4.8 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Sotheby's averages 3.4 from 97 ratings.

### Do The Numismatist or Sotheby's have ads?

Sotheby's shows ads; The Numismatist does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Numismatist or Sotheby's?

The Numismatist ships an update every 14 months, and Sotheby's every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Numismatist was updated on November 1, 2026 and Sotheby's on November 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*