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The Numismatics Portal

Electrum coin from Ephesus, 520-500 BCE. Obverse: Forepart of stag. Reverse: Square incuse punch

Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals and related objects.

Specialists, known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other means of payment used to resolve debts and exchange goods.

The earliest forms of money used by people is referred to as "Odd and Curious", but the use of other goods in barter exchange is excluded, even where used as a circulating currency (e.g., cigarettes in prison). As an example, the Kyrgyz people used horses as the principal currency unit, and gave small change in lambskins; the lambskins may be suitable for numismatic study, but the horses are not. Many objects have been used for centuries, such as cowry shells, precious metals, cocoa beans, large stones, and gems. (Full article...)

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The obverse of a Class I 1804 dollar
The obverse of a Susan B. Anthony dollar
Image 10
The Gadsden Purchase half dollar was a proposed commemorative coin to be issued by the United States Bureau of the Mint. Legislation for the half dollar passed both houses of Congress in 1930 but was vetoed by President Herbert Hoover. The House of Representatives sustained his action, 96 votes in favor of overriding it to 243 opposed, well short of the necessary two-thirds majority. This was the first veto of Hoover's presidency and the first ever for a commemorative coin bill.

The proposal to commemorate the 1854 congressional ratification of the Gadsden Purchase was the brainchild of El Paso coin dealer Lyman W. Hoffecker, who wanted a commemorative coin he could control and distribute. He gained the support of several members of Congress from Texas and the Southwest, and a bill was introduced in Congress in April 1929, receiving a hearing 11 months later. Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon sent a letter and two officials in opposition to the bill, but it passed both houses of Congress without dissent. On April 21, 1930, Hoover vetoed the bill, deeming commemorative coins abusive. Although only one congressman spoke in favor of Hoover's action during the override debate in the House, the veto was easily sustained. (Full article...)
$Image 15The British farthing (derived from the Old English feorthing, a fourth part) was a British coin worth a quarter of an old penny (.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}1⁄960 of a pound sterling). It ceased to be struck after 1956 and was demonetised from 1 January 1961.The British farthing is a continuation of the English farthing, struck by English monarchs prior to the Act of Union 1707 which unified the crowns of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. Only pattern farthings were struck under Queen Anne as there was a glut of farthings from previous reigns. The coin was struck intermittently under George I and George II, but by the reign of George III, counterfeits were so prevalent the Royal Mint ceased striking copper coinage after 1775. The next farthings were the first struck by steam power, in 1799 by Matthew Boulton at his Soho Mint under licence. Boulton coined more in 1806, and the Royal Mint resumed production in 1821. The farthing was struck fairly regularly under George IV and William IV. By then it carried a scaled-down version of the penny's design, and would continue to mirror the penny and halfpenny until after 1936. (Full article...)$

Image 15
The British farthing (derived from the Old English feorthing, a fourth part) was a British coin worth a quarter of an old penny (1⁄960 of a pound sterling). It ceased to be struck after 1956 and was demonetised from 1 January 1961.

The British farthing is a continuation of the English farthing, struck by English monarchs prior to the Act of Union 1707 which unified the crowns of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. Only pattern farthings were struck under Queen Anne as there was a glut of farthings from previous reigns. The coin was struck intermittently under George I and George II, but by the reign of George III, counterfeits were so prevalent the Royal Mint ceased striking copper coinage after 1775. The next farthings were the first struck by steam power, in 1799 by Matthew Boulton at his Soho Mint under licence. Boulton coined more in 1806, and the Royal Mint resumed production in 1821. The farthing was struck fairly regularly under George IV and William IV. By then it carried a scaled-down version of the penny's design, and would continue to mirror the penny and halfpenny until after 1936. (Full article...)

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The American Numismatic Association (ANA) is an organization founded in 1891 by George Francis Heath. Located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, it was formed to advance the knowledge of numismatics (the study of coins) along educational, historical, and scientific lines, as well as to enhance interest in the hobby.

The ANA has more than 24,000 individual members who receive many benefits, such as discounts, access to website features, and the monthly journal The Numismatist. The ANA's Colorado Springs headquarters houses its administrative offices, library, and money museum. The ANA received a federal charter from the United States Congress in 1912. (Full article...)

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Gold standard Fiat money Federal Reserve Note Civil War token Hobo nickel Roman currency Octopus card Demand Note 2 euro commemorative coins Royal Canadian Mint Dime (United States coin) Ancient Greek coinage Dollar Polymer banknote New Orleans Mint Aksumite currency Ten Dollar Bill (Lichtenstein) Coin collecting Coins of the pound sterling Banknotes of the pound sterling Euro Gold coin Coins of the Swiss franc Banknote Bullion coin Ban Liang Cash (Chinese coin) Mint (facility) Coin Renminbi Japanese yen Early American currency Charon's obol Fractional currency Russian ruble Rupee Indian rupee Egyptian pound Achaemenid coinage Ptolemaic coinage Seigniorage Reserve Bank of Australia Coinage of India Greek drachma Banknotes of Scotland Banknotes of Zimbabwe Banknotes of the Canadian dollar Banknotes of the Ta-Ching Government Bank Paper money of the Qing dynasty 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation Royal Mint Penny Spanish dollar Thirty pieces of silver Celtic currency of Britain The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual Anthony de Francisci Humphrey Paget Constance Ortmayer William Wood (ironmaster) Venezuelan bolívar Brazilian real West Point Mint Curmsun Disc Korean mun Pound sterling Philippine peso G. Kenneth Jenkins Joe Cribb Medal of the Royal Numismatic Society Joaquín Rubio y Muñoz Martin Price Oluf Gerhard Tychsen

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Credit: commons:User:Roger McLassus.
A 1 Hungarian pengő coin, made of aluminium, floating on water, demonstrating its surface tension.

Did you know...

...that with its two-dollar coin (reverse pictured), Newfoundland was the only British colony to issue circulating gold coinage?
...that Mount Burgess is nicknamed the Ten Dollar Mountain because it was featured on Canadian currency?
...that the American Buffalo gold bullion coin was the first .9999 fine 24-carat gold coin released by the United States Mint?
...that the Alabama centennial half dollar was the first commemorative coin minted with the image of a living individual?
...that Aksumite currency was the only native coinage to be issued in Africa without direct influence by an outside culture like Roman, Greek, etc...?

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Farnese coat of arms inside rococo frame surmounted by decussate keys and tiara. Around PAVLVS•III• •PONT•MAX•

The Paolo or Paulo was a pontifical coin; this name was given to the giulio by 2 grossi when in 1540 Pope Paul III (hence its name) made it increase its silver content to 3.85 g. The first minting of Paul III bore the papal arms on the obverse and St. Paul on the reverse. At the time of the arrival of the French revolutionaries, a paolo was valued on the Milanese market with the value of 14 soldi. In Rome in the nineteenth century it was the popular name of the 10 baiocchi coin. The names of paolo and giulio remained in use in Rome until the pontificate of Pius IX, even when these coins were no longer in circulation, to indicate the 10 baiocchi coin. The same name took coins from other Italian states. In the Grand Duchy of Tuscany circulated the paolo of 8 crazie. (Full article...)

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Krugerrand Fifty pence (British coin) Chinese Silver Panda Two pence (British decimal coin) Penny (United States coin) Canadian Silver Maple Leaf American Platinum Eagle American Silver Eagle Mercury dime One-satang coin The Queen's Beasts (coin) Aachen penny of Charlemagne Shekel American Buffalo (coin) Persian daric Kijang Emas Groat (coin) Florin Hong Kong five-dollar coin

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Credit: commons:User:Schutz.
A 1000 Swiss franc note, the fourth highest non-commemorative banknote in the world.

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The following are images from various numismatics-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1A silver coin made during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II (from Coin)
Image 2The sealing of the Bank of England Charter (1694). The Bank began the first permanent issue of banknotes a year later. (from Banknote)
Image 3Strength of currencies relative to USD as of April 2016 (from Currency)
Image 4An American Silver Eagle minted in 2019 (left), an example of a Bullion coin. Its obverse design is based on the older, formerly circulating silver Walking Liberty half dollar (right). (from Coin)
Image 5Banknotes with a face value of 5000 in different currencies. (United States dollar, CFA franc, Japanese yen, Italian lira, and French franc) (from Banknote)
Image 6Silver stater of Aegina, 550–530 BCE. Obv. Sea turtle with large pellets down centre. Rev. incuse square punch with eight sections. (from Coin)
Image 7A 2000 Romanian lei polymer banknote (from Banknote)
Image 8Fed Shreds as souvenir from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (from Banknote)
Image 9Shredded and briquetted US dollar notes from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (approx. 1000 pieces, 1 kg) (from Banknote)
Image 10Holographic coin from Liberia features the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) (from Coin)
Image 11Currencies exchange logo (from Currency)
Image 12Silver coin of the Maurya Empire, known as rūpyarūpa, with symbols of wheel and elephant. 3rd century BC. (from History of money)
Image 13Coin of Alyattes of Lydia. Circa 620/10-564/53 BCE. (from Coin)
Image 14Gandharan "bent-bar" punch-marked coin minted under Achaemenid administration, of the type found in large quantities in the Chaman Hazouri and the Bhir Mound hoards. (from Coin)
Image 15A 7th century one-third stater coin from Lydia, shown larger (from History of money)
Image 16Marco Polo described the use of early banknotes in China to Medieval Europe in his book, The Travels of Marco Polo. (from Banknote)
Image 17Early punch-marked coins of Gandhara, Taxila-Gandhara region. (from Coin)
Image 18A former Finnish 10 mark banknote from 1980, depicting President J. K. Paasikivi. (from Banknote)
Image 19The Achaemenid Empire Satraps and Dynasts in Asia Minor developed the usage of portraiture from circa 420 BCE. Portrait of the Satrap of Lydia, Tissaphernes (c.445–395 BCE). (from Coin)
Image 20French 1992 twenty Franc Tri-Metallic coin (from Coin)
Image 21The earliest inscribed coinage: electrum coin of Phanes from Ephesus, 625–600 BCE. Obverse: Stag grazing right, ΦΑΝΕΩΣ (retrograde). Reverse: Two incuse punches, each with raised intersecting lines. (from Coin)
Image 22A 5 euro note so badly damaged it has been torn in half. The note has later been repaired with tape. (from Banknote)
Image 23Chinese round coins, Eastern Zhou dynasty – Warring States Period. Circa 300–220 BCE. Four Hua (四化, 30mm, 6.94 g). Legend Yi Si Hua ([City of] Yi Four Hua). (from Coin)
Image 24The first paper money in Europe, issued by the Stockholms Banco in 1666. (from Banknote)
Image 25The taka was widely used across South Asia during the sultanate period (from History of money)
Image 26When Brazil changed currencies in 1989, the 1000, 5000, and 10,000 cruzados banknotes were overstamped and issued as 1, 5, and 10 cruzados novos banknotes for several months before cruzado novo banknotes were printed and issued. Banknotes can be overstamped with new denominations, typically when a country converts to a new currency at an even, fixed exchange rate (in this case, 1000:1). (from Banknote)
Image 27Fifty-five-dollar bill in Continental currency; leaf design by Benjamin Franklin, 1779 (from Banknote)
Image 28Coins can be stacked. (from Coin)
Image 291884 United States trade dollar (from Coin)
Image 30Posthumous Alexander the Great tetradrachm from Temnos, Aeolis. Dated 188–170 BCE. Obverse: Alexander the Great as Herakles facing right wearing the nemean lionskin. Reverse: Zeus seated on throne to the left holding eagle in right hand and scepter in left; in left field PA monogram and angular sigma above grape vine arching over oinochoe; ALEXANDROU vertical in right field. Reference: Price 1678. (from Coin)
$Image 31Five million mark coin (Weimar Republic, 1923). Despite its high denomination, this coin's monetary value dropped to a tiny fraction of a US cent by the end of 1923, substantially less than the value of its metallic content. (from Coin)$

Image 31Five million mark coin (Weimar Republic, 1923). Despite its high denomination, this coin's monetary value dropped to a tiny fraction of a US cent by the end of 1923, substantially less than the value of its metallic content. (from Coin)
Image 32A siglos found in the Kabul valley, 5th century BCE. Coins of this type were also found in the Bhir Mound hoard. (from Coin)
Image 33Collage for banknote design with annotations and additions to show proposed changes (figure rather higher so as to allow room for the No.), Bank of Manchester, UK, 1833. On display at the British Museum in London (from Banknote)
Image 34A Yuan dynasty printing plate and banknote with Chinese words. (from Banknote)
Image 35A Swiss ten-cent coin from 1879, similar to the oldest coins still in official use today (from Coin)
Image 363 Rubles proof coin of Russia, minted in 2008 (from Coin)
Image 37Shreds of unfit US dollar notes with a typical size of less than 1.5 mm x 16 mm (from Banknote)
Image 38Earliest banknote from China during the Song Dynasty which is known as "Jiaozi" (from History of money)
Image 39The world's oldest coin, created in the ancient Kingdom of Lydia. (from Currency)
Image 40An oxhide ingot from Crete. Late Bronze Age metal ingots were given standard shapes, such as the shape of an "ox-hide", suggesting that they represented standardized values. (from Coin)
Image 41100 USD banknote (from History of money)
Image 42Alexander the Great Tetradrachm from the Temnos Mint, dated circa 188–170 BCE (from Coin)
Image 43Spade money from the Zhou Dynasty, c. 650–400 BC (from History of money)
Image 44Song dynasty Jiaozi, the world's earliest paper money (from Currency)
Image 45Bielefeld Germany 25 Mark 1921. Silk Banknote. (from Banknote)
Image 46The Piloncitos are tiny engraved gold coins found in the Philippines, along with the barter rings, which are gold ring-like ingots. These barter rings are bigger than doughnuts in size and are made of pure gold from the Archaic period (c. 10th to 16th century). (from Coin)
Image 47Song Dynasty Jiaozi, the world's earliest paper money. (from Banknote)
Image 48A$5 note issued by Citizens Bank of Louisiana in the 1850s. (from Banknote)
Image 49Bimetallic Egyptian one pound coin featuring King Tutankhamen (from Coin)
Image 50The French East India Company issued rupees in the name of Muhammad Shah (1719–1748) for Northern India trade. This was cast in Pondicherry. (from History of money)
Image 51Shredded and briquetted euro banknotes from the Deutsche Bundesbank, Germany (approx. 1 kg) (from Banknote)
Image 52Athens coin (circa 500/490–485 BCE) discovered in the Shaikhan Dehri hoard in Pushkalavati, Ancient India. This coin is the earliest known example of its type to be found so far east. (from Coin)
Image 53Obverse and reverse of an old American $100 note (1928) (from Banknote)
Image 54Greek drachm of Aegina. Obverse: Land turtle. Reverse: ΑΙΓ(INA) and dolphin (from History of money)
Image 55Hoard of mostly Mauryan Empire coins, 3rd century BCE. (from Coin)
Image 56A selection of metal coins. (from Coin)
Image 57Shredded and briquetted US dollar notes from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (approx. 1000 pieces, 1 kg) (from Banknote)
Image 58Name of currency units by country, in Portuguese (from Currency)
Image 59Cowry shells being used as money by an Arab trader. (from Currency)
Image 60Russian American Company-issued Alaskan parchment scrip (c. 1852) (from Banknote)
Image 61Punch-marked coin minted in the Kabul Valley under Achaemenid administration. Circa 500–380 BCE, or c.350 BCE. (from Coin)

Numismatic terminology

Bullion – Precious metals (platinum, gold and silver) in the form of bars, ingots or plate.
Error – Usually a mis-made coin not intended for circulation, but can also refer to an engraving or die-cutting error not discovered until the coins are released to circulation. This may result is two or more varieties of the coin in the same year.
Exonumia – The study of coin-like objects such as token coins and medals, and other items used in place of legal currency or for commemoration.
Fineness – Purity of precious metal content expressed in terms of one thousand parts. 90% is expressed as .900 fine.
Notaphily – The study of paper money or banknotes.
Scripophily – The study and collection of stocks and Bonds.

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Numismatic topics

Money - Coins - Banknotes - Electronic money - Exchange rate - Legal tender - Clubs - Terminology

Ancient currency: Asia - Byzantium - Greece - Primitive Money - Roman - Indian coinage

Modern currency: Africa - The Americas - Asia and the Pacific - Europe - Bullion coins - Challenge coin - Commemorative coins - Token coins

Economics: Banking - Bonds - Cheques - Credit Cards - Fiat currency - Gold standard - Mints - Monetary union - Reserve currency - Stocks

Production: Coining (machining) - Designers - Die making - Mint (coin) • Coinage Metals: Aluminum - Bronze - Copper - Gold - Platinum - Silver - Tin

Exonumia - Notaphily - Scripophily

v t e Numismatics related associations
Numismatics	American Numismatic Association American Numismatic Society Armenian Numismatic Society Association of British Philatelic Societies British Numismatic Trade Association British Numismatic Society Royal Canadian Numismatic Association Canadian Paper Money Society International Association of Professional Numismatists Federation of European Numismatic Associations Postal Order Society Rochester Numismatic Association Royal Numismatic Society Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand Young Numismatists of America
Exonumia	American Vecturist Association
See also	Currency lists Journals Museums Numismatists

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Central banks • Currencies • Circulating currencies • Historical currencies • US community currencies • Canadian community currencies • Mints • Motifs on banknotes • Most expensive coins

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Most traded currencies

Most traded currencies by value
Currency distribution of global foreign exchange market turnover^[1]
Rank	Currency	ISO 4217 code	Symbol	Proportion of daily volume, April 2019
1	United States dollar	USD	US$	88.3%
2	Euro	EUR	€	32.3%
3	Japanese yen	JPY	円 / ¥	16.8%
4	Pound sterling	GBP	£	12.8%
5	Australian dollar	AUD	A$	6.8%
6	Canadian dollar	CAD	C$	5.0%
7	Swiss franc	CHF	CHF	5.0%
8	Renminbi	CNY	元 / ¥	4.3%
9	Hong Kong dollar	HKD	HK$	3.5%
10	New Zealand dollar	NZD	NZ$	2.1%
11	Swedish krona	SEK	kr	2.0%
12	South Korean won	KRW	₩	2.0%
13	Singapore dollar	SGD	S$	1.8%
14	Norwegian krone	NOK	kr	1.8%
15	Mexican peso	MXN	$	1.7%
16	Indian rupee	INR	₹	1.7%
17	Russian ruble	RUB	₽	1.1%
18	South African rand	ZAR	R	1.1%
19	Turkish lira	TRY	₺	1.1%
20	Brazilian real	BRL	R$	1.1%
21	New Taiwan dollar	TWD	NT$	0.9%
22	Danish krone	DKK	kr	0.6%
23	Polish złoty	PLN	zł	0.6%
24	Thai baht	THB	฿	0.5%
25	Indonesian rupiah	IDR	Rp	0.4%
26	Hungarian forint	HUF	Ft	0.4%
27	Czech koruna	CZK	Kč	0.4%
28	Israeli new shekel	ILS	₪	0.3%
29	Chilean peso	CLP	CLP$	0.3%
30	Philippine peso	PHP	₱	0.3%
31	UAE dirham	AED	د.إ	0.2%
32	Colombian peso	COP	COL$	0.2%
33	Saudi riyal	SAR	﷼	0.2%
34	Malaysian ringgit	MYR	RM	0.1%
35	Romanian leu	RON	L	0.1%
…	Other			2.2%
Total^{[note 1]}				200.0%

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^ The total sum is 200% because each currency trade always involves a currency pair; one currency is sold (e.g. US$) and another bought (€). Therefore each trade is counted twice, once under the sold currency ($) and once under the bought currency (€). The percentages above are the percent of trades involving that currency regardless of whether it is bought or sold, e.g. the U.S. Dollar is bought or sold in 88% of all trades, whereas the Euro is bought or sold 32% of the time.