diff --git a/lib/helpers/helpers.js b/lib/helpers/helpers.js
index fc40f654..3884337e 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/helpers.js
+++ b/lib/helpers/helpers.js
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 const toDateObject = require('./wikidata_time_to_date_object')
 
 const helpers = {}
+helpers.isNumericId = (id) => /^[0-9]+$/.test(id)
 helpers.isEntityId = (id) => /^(Q|P)[0-9]+$/.test(id)
 helpers.isItemId = (id) => /^Q[0-9]+$/.test(id)
 helpers.isPropertyId = (id) => /^P[0-9]+$/.test(id)
 
+helpers.getNumericId = function (id) {
+  if (!(helpers.isEntityId(id))) throw new Error(`invalid wikidata id: ${id}`)
+  return id.replace(/Q|P/, '')
+}
+
 helpers.wikidataTimeToDateObject = toDateObject
 
 // Try to parse the date or return the input
diff --git a/test/general.js b/test/general.js
index 043d25a9..698f7f69 100644
--- a/test/general.js
+++ b/test/general.js
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ describe('general', function () {
     wdk.isEntityId.should.be.a.Function()
     wdk.isItemId.should.be.a.Function()
     wdk.isPropertyId.should.be.a.Function()
+    wdk.isNumericId.should.be.a.Function()
+    wdk.getNumericId.should.be.a.Function()
     wdk.wikidataTimeToDateObject.should.be.a.Function()
     wdk.wikidataTimeToEpochTime.should.be.a.Function()
     wdk.wikidataTimeToISOString.should.be.a.Function()