hidden information in labels

Label question:

AA 469 xx- Backside of an aragonite specimen from Spania Dolina (?).
It is collected before 1870 (pre-previous owner died that year)- but my question is WHAT do the numbers stand for. (137/ 40484/ 280 )?
One could be a price, one “size/weight” and the third…..
I would especially appreciate if anyone has any knowledge of this kind of label. Slovakian/ Czech experts!!
469 show of course the 2 crystals (left is damaged)- roughly 30 mm tall


rgrds

Aksel

Some nineteenth century labels included a species number. A. E. Foote used numbers from Dana. I suggest that you check in some standard mineralogy books from that time, to see if aragonite was assigned a number. Species numbers were also marked on specimens. I know that this was done, for example, with the Amherst College collection.

I am don't think, that specimen price present on the label. Even the lesser number 137 can't be price for such aragonite specimen. 137 silver Austria-Hungarian krones is equal to ~1200 $ today. It is good price for 3-4 cm topaz xl on matrix from Mokrusha mine, but too much for aragonite.

Yesterday, I was looking at an apophyllite on amethyst from A. E. Foote that had three-digit numbers (both in the 230-250 range) next to each mineral name. I think Howard may have your answer.

I think the numbering refers to systematics of different collections the specimen used to belong to. It was first recorded as "137. Aragonite" and the last numbering, the glued on label, belongs to the latest collection. The two other numbers in different hands are probably from intermediate collections. This is of course "occams razor" applied to specimen numbering.

cheers