FAQs—Frequently Asked Questions The following list of topics each include a list of basic references on coins, paper money, medals, and tokens.  Each heading also includes a list of links to sites which have answers to commonly asked questions and has answers to some of the most common questions received by the NNC.  Please note that the National Numismatic Collection cannot authenticate or valuate objects;  we are not an authentication service.  We can, however, assist in identifying objects and, where such listings occur, cite catalog listings for values of items.  Never send unsolicited objects to the NNC, it is much easier and safer to send good photographs or photocopies of objects.  Please note that the lists of references included here under the section headings are not comprehensive; they are meant only as a starting point to finding more about the specific topic area.   (Note:  Click again on section headings to return to this list.) United States Coins United States Paper Money World Coins World Paper Money The Medieval World The Ancient World Medals and Tokens Alternative Exchange Media Electronic Media   United States Coins The inquiries most frequently received by the NNC have to do with U.S. coins.  The United States has been in the business of producing coins since the establishment of the U.S. Mint in 1792 with its first mint facility in Philadelphia.  However, this was not the first time that coins were produced in what became the United States.  That honor belongs to the coins of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and its New England shillings of 1652.   Some of the most common questions we have to deal with are "How much is my coin worth?" and "Can you tell me if my coin is real?".  Our answer to the first question is check it in Yeoman's "A Guide Book of United States Coins."  It is what we use when we need a quick check on a coin's value.  The answer to the second question is a little more difficult, but there are signs that a non-expert can search for to determine if a coin is copy.  To begin with, the huge majority of coins are struck ,(ie. their design has been impressed upon them by means of a hammer or other form of compression.) therefore if a coin has a mold line along its edge (showing that it was cast), it is a copy.  Most of the famous US coins coins have been copied- including the 1804 dollar, the Brasher doubloon, the Continental dollar of 1776, and on and on.  In most cases, a copy of one of these coins can be identified easily because it is a casting and shows evidence of a mold line.  Other signs include evidence of a different color metal in worn spots- many copies of gold coins are made of cheap "pot metal" which is a white metal.  These coins are coated with a yellow color so that they look like gold- this coating tends to wear off of the high points in the coins leaving the actual color of the metal showing through.  Another relatively easy way to check a coins authenticity is to weigh it- coins are struck to very close weight tolerances, which can be found in the basic reference books.  If the coin is not within a gram or so of what it should weigh, it is probably a copy. Breen, Walter H.  Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. New York: Doubleday, 1988. Extraordinarily detailed work covering all of U.S. coinage, including information on the great rarities. Yeoman, R. S.  A Guide Book of United States Coins. 51st Edition, Racine, Wisconsin, 1998. This is a great basic reference for U.S. coins, starting with earliest up to the most recent and covering patterns, territorial gold, commemoratives, and even some tokens. Includes guides to determine the condition and retail value of specific coins. 1804 Dollar 50 States Commemorative Circulating Coin Program The US Mint The History of US Pennies The Robert H. Gore, Jr. Collection United States Paper Money The United States was the first country to adopt paper money on a large scale, largely through necessity since the U.S. did not possess any large domestic sources of gold and silver until the great western gold and silver rushes.  Some of the most frequently asked questions received at NNC have to do with U.S. paper money.  The most common questions deal with the authenticity of notes and their value.  The first things to check for to determine whether or not early American banknotes (pre 1865) are genuine are; A)  What kind of paper is it printed on?  Early American banknotes have been duplicated in huge numbers for the tourist trade and for educational purposes .  These replica notes are generally printed on crisp parchment-like paper and have been nicely browned or yellowed to appear aged.  The genuine notes were printed on cheap paper, which is generally very thin and pliable, and in many cases has frayed or uneven edges. B)  What color is the ink?  Early American notes had hand-written portions (generally the signatures, serial numbers, and sometimes the date).  These hand-written portions on the genuine notes are a different color than the printed portions of the notes since the ink tended to fade over time to a dark gray or reddish brown color;  occasionally the ink will also eat through the paper, leaving small holes particularly in the signatures.  In the replica notes the ink for all the lettering is the same color (generally black). The largest producer of replica notes is the Historical Documents Company located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  They may be contacted at 8 N. Preston St. or (215) 533-4500 for copies of their extensive catalog of replica documents. Friedberg, Robert.  Paper Money of the United States.  Clifton, New Jersey, 1992. Overview of American paper money from the colonial period through to modern issues with a value guide.  Includes a section on encased postage stamps. Haxby, James A.  Standard Catalog of United States Obsolete Bank Notes 1782-1866.  Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc., 1988. This is the basic reference for this difficult series.  This 4 volume work covers a period during which there were over 8,000 different banks issuing their own paper money. Hessler, Gene.  The Comprehensive Catalog of U.S. Paper Money.  Fifth Edition, Port Clinton, Ohio, 1992. Overview of American paper money, especially useful for Federal issues since 1861.  Includes a section on military payment certificates as well as a value guide. Newman, Eric P.  The Early Paper Money of America.  3rd Edition, Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications, Inc., 1990. Excellent reference covering colonial U.S. paper money, organized by colony, and including information on engravers, contemporary exchange rates and a guide to current valuations. Anatomy of a Banknote Anatomy of a US series of 1996 Banknote Bank Note Reporter A monthly publication for US and World Paper Money collectors. Colonial Currency Paper Money Collecting FAQs Ron's Currency, Stocks and Bonds Includes high quality images from Ron's currency collection, especially U.S. paper money. Excellent information on paper money, especially U.S. US Bureau of Engraving and Printing Great informational site with an excellent FAQ section. World Coins World coins is a category that is generally understood to include coins produced outside of the U.S. after 1500 A.D..  Luckily there are some excellent general references for this rather large area of numismatics.  The following bibliography and links should help you begin to answer any questions you may have. Krause, Chester, and Mishler, Clifford. Standard Catalog of World Coins.  26th Edition, Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc., 1998. An extensive work which covers world coinage from 1601 through to the present by country.  Recent editions are divided into volumes by century (ie. 1901 to present).  Includes basic information about each country and its issues, and has a price guide. Krause, Chester, and Mishler, Clifford. Standard Catalog of World Crowns and Talers.   Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc., 1994. Covers the issue of larger denomination silver coins of the world from 1601 to the present, including a price guide. ANS Searchable Database Coin World Magazine European Coinage from 1400-1800 From Rune Rysstad's excellent site. The History of Money From Ancient Times to the Present Day An interesting and informative history of money and things monetary by Glyn Davies posted in Web format by his son Roy Davies. World Coinage Reference Links From Rune Rysstad's excellent site. World Paper Money Paper money was first produced in China, probably during the Tang dynasty around the 7th century A.D., and examples exist of Chinese notes from the 13th century.  Paper money made its debut in Europe with promissory notes in Florence, with the first actual banknotes appearing in Sweden during the 1660's.  Since that time paper money has slowly become the dominant medium of exchange for everyday transactions. Pick, Albert.  Standard Catalog of World Paper Money.  7th Edition, Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc., 1995. A two volume work which covers world paper money from 14th century through to the present by country.   Doty, Richard.  Paper Money of the World. Bantam: New York, 1977. Good introduction to world paper money Anatomy of a Banknote Bank Note Reporter A monthly publication for US and World Paper Money collectors. German Inflationary Money History of Money An interesting and informative Web site based on The History of Money From Ancient Times to the Present by Glyn Davies. International Bank Note Society Journal The official online journal of the IBNS. This site is still under development. The Medieval World This area covers coins produced from the 6th A.D. through to the end of the the 15th century anywhere in the world.  Coinages covered include those of medieval Europe, Byzantium, India, Islam, China, and Japan.  This is not an area in which we receive many questions, but covers a huge and complicated area of numismatic history.  The following books and links can only begin to scratch the surface of this area. Grierson, Philip.  Coins of Medieval Europe.  London, 1991. An excellent survey and introduction to medieval European coins from the fall of the Roman empire to the start of the 16th century. Mitchiner, Michael.  Oriental Coins and Their Values. Vol. II. The World Of Islam.  London, 1977. Monumental work covering all of the coinages of Islamic countries and empires up to the 20th century. Mitchiner, Michael.  Oriental Coins and Their Values. Vol. III. Non-Islamic States and Western Colonies.  London, 1979. Essentially covers South Asia from Afghanistan through India to Nepal. Schjoth, Fredrik.  Chinese Currency.  2nd Edition. Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc., 1965. Easiest to use and most accessible of the English sources for Chinese coinage.  Covers China from the beginnings of coinage to the end of the empire. Age of Faith A useful listing of links to sites on Medieval coins, including Islamic.  From Rune Rysstad's excellent site. History of Money An interesting and informative Web site based on The History of Money From Ancient Times to the Present by Glyn Davies. European Coinage from 1400-1800 From Rune Rysstad's excellent site. The Ancient World This section covers coinage from its' first appearance in Asia Minor and China to the end of the 5th century A.D..  This is a huge topic and there are hundreds of reference works on specialized field within this group.  Luckily there are a number of good general references, particularly for the Greek and Roman coinages. Mitchiner, Michael.  Oriental Coins and Their Values. Vol. I. The Ancient and Classical World 600 B.C. - A.D. 600.  London, 1978. An excellent reference for the coins of India, Bactria (Afghanistan and central asia), and the various empires and nomadic tribes which occupied these areas over the time period covered. Sear, David R.  Greek Coins and Their Values.  Vol. I and II.  London, 1978. First place to start for identifying Greek coins from the beginnings in the seventh century B.C. to the foundation of the Roman empire by Augustus. Sear, David R.  Greek Imperial Coins and Their Values.  London, 1982. Excellent reference for the autonomous coins struck by Greek cities under the Roman empire and for contemporary Greek-influenced coinages outside of the empire.  Covers the period from 31 B.C. to the end of the Roman empire. Sear, David R.  Roman Coins and Their Values.  London, 1988. A good handbook to start with in learning more about the 500 year history of Roman Imperial coinage. Schjoth, Fredrik.  Chinese Currency.  2nd Edition. Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc., 1965. Easiest to use and most accessible of the English sources for Chinese coinage.  Covers China from the beginnings of coinage to the end of the empire. Asian Coinage Very useful listing of sources for information on Asian coinage from the beginnings up to the modern day.  From Rune Rysstad's excellent site. Asiatic Coins From Rune Rysstad's excellent site. Greek Coins From Rune Rysstad's excellent site. History of Money An interesting and informative Web site based on The History of Money From Ancient Times to the Present by Glyn Davies. History of Money A short but useful history of money presented by NOVA Online. Introduction to Ancient Coins Roman Coins From Rune Rysstad's excellent site. Medals and Tokens This section includes information on military decorations and orders as well.  Medals generally commemorate a person or an event, and may be struck or cast, and can be subdivided into certain classes, such as medallions (large medals, often with a design only on one side) or medallets (small medals).  Tokens are generally considered to be emergency money issued privately to supplement a shortage of government issued coinage.  Most tokens are made of copper, bronze, brass or some other alloy of base metals, though some were produced in gold or silver. Purves, Alec A.  Collecting Medals and Decorations.  3rd Edition.  London, 1978. A very useful beginning guide to collecting medals and decorations. Rulau, Russell.  Early American Tokens: a Catalog of the Merchant and Related Tokens of Colonial and early Republican America from 1700 to 1832.  Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc. 1980. Rulau, Russell.  Hard Times Tokens. 1832 to 1840.  Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc. 1996. Rulau, Russell.  U.S. Merchant Tokens.  1845 to 1860.  Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc. 1982. Rulau, Russell.  U.S. Trade Tokens.  1866 to 1889.  Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc. 1983. The four works above form the nearest thing to a complete guide to U.S. Tokens and do include a price guide. Werlich, Robert.   Orders and Decorations of all Nations:  Ancient and Modern, Civil and Military.  Washington, D.C., 1965. A good guide to world medals and decorations. Exonumia Great listing of links and resources for medals and tokens. International Electronic Phaleristic Encyclopedia Excellent site devoted to the study of medals, orders, and decorations. Military Orders and Decorations List of sites with information on military orders and medals. Token and Medal Society Alternative Exchange Media a.k.a "Traditional money" or "Premonetary" Money is not limited solely to the forms with which we are familiar, metallic coins and printed paper.  From the earliest contact between distinct group of people there has been a need for something which everyone could accept as being valuable (a universal store of value).  Gold was an early example due to its durability, scarcity, and portability, but other items included cowrie shells, cattle, and various agricultural products.  Basically, the item used had to be desirable, relatively durable, available without being too common, and portable.  The invention of coins did not eliminate the use of alternative moneys even in the most economically developed societies, as witnessed by the use of clam shells and other items as money in various parts of the United States after the stock market crash of 1933. Opitz, Charles J.  Odd & Curious Money. 2nd Edition. Ocala, FL, 1991. Good introduction to the field- includes a price guide. Quiggen, A. Hingston.  A Survey of Primitive Money.  London, 1949, reprint 1963.  An extensive work which covers alternative forms of money all over the world.  Includes an extensive bibliography.  History of Money An interesting and informative Web site based on The History of Money From Ancient Times to the Present by Glyn Davies. History of Money A short but useful history of money presented by NOVA Online. Electronic Media This section covers the recent developments in money and media of exchange with the advent of the electronic age.  Credit cards, ATM cards, charge cards, and electronic banking are all changing the way we view money, and may in the not to distant future replace traditional money altogether. Krause, Chester, and Mishler, Clifford.  Standard Catalog of World Coins.  26th Edition, Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc., 1998. An extensive work which covers world coinage from 1601 through to the present by country.  Recent editions are divided into volumes by century (ie. 1901 to present).  Includes basic information about each country and its issues, and has a price guide. Krause, Chester, and Mishler, Clifford.  Standard Catalog of World Crowns and Talers.   Iola, Wisconsin:  Krause Publications, Inc., 1994. Covers the issue of larger denomination silver coins of the world from 1601 to the present, including a price guide. Digital Cash History of Money An interesting and informative history of money and things monetary by Glyn Davies. History of Money A short but useful history of money presented by NOVA Online.