18111863

18111863 is an eight-digit decimal numeral that can function as a date, a reference code, or a catalog/identifier in different information systems. Its exact meaning is determined by the surrounding context, conventions, or metadata.

As a date, it is ambiguous without a specified format. If read in the ddmmyyyy convention, 18111863 represents 18 November 1863. If read in the mmddyyyy convention, it represents November 18, 1863. In neither case does the string directly conform to a standard ISO date without reformatting or clarifying delimiters. Because of such ambiguity, many systems prefer explicit date formats like 1863-11-18 or 18/11/1863 to avoid misinterpretation.

As a reference code or catalog number, 18111863 may appear in archives, libraries, museums, or databases as an accession, inventory, or item identifier. In such uses, the digits may be assigned sequentially or may encode metadata (for example, a date segment plus an item number). When used in this way, the exact meaning is defined by the issuing institution’s cataloging rules rather than by the digits alone.

Practical handling of 18111863 involves treating it as data that requires contextual metadata for correct interpretation. In databases, it is typically stored as a string to prevent accidental misreading as a numeric value, with separate fields for year, month, and day if a date is intended.

See also: date formats, ISO 8601, cataloging practices, accession numbers.