Coins, Currency, and Medals - Overview
The Museum possesses one of the largest numismatic collections in the world. The collections include over 1 million objects, comprising coins, medals, decorations, and pieces of paper money. Among the many great rarities here are some of the world’s oldest coins, created 2,700 years ago. But the collection also includes the latest innovations in electronic monetary exchange, as well as beads, wampum, and other commodities once used as money. A special strength lies in artifacts that illustrate the development of money and medals in the United States. The American section includes many rare and significant coins, such as two of three known examples of the world's most valuable coin, the 1933 double eagle $20 gold piece.
"Coins, Currency, and Medals - Overview" showing 21 items.
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Missouri Five Mill Sales Tax Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this sales tax token around 1935. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and tokens. This token was used when Missouri’s sales tax was less than a cent.
- Obverse: Image of the state of Missouri. Legend reads: MISSOURI SALES TAX RECEIPT/ 5/ 5.
- Reverse: Image of the state of Missouri. Legend reads: MISSOURI SALES TAX RECEIPT/ 5/ 5.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1542
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1542
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Missouri Single Mill Sales Tax Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this sales tax token around 1935. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and tokens. This token was used when the sales tax was less than a cent. There is a hole in the center of the token.
- Obverse: Image of the state of Missouri, with “1” in the center. The legend reads: MISSOURI SALES TAX RECEIPT/ 1.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1549
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1549
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Missouri Single Mill Sales Tax Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this sales tax token around 1935. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and tokens. This token was used when the sales tax was less than a cent. There is a hole in the center of the token.
- Obverse: Image of the state of Missouri, with “1” in the center. The legend reads: MISSOURI SALES TAX RECEIPT/ 1.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1550
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1550
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Missouri Five Mill Sales Tax Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this sales tax token around 1935. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and tokens. This token was used when the sales tax was less than a cent. There is a hole in the center of the token.
- Obverse: Image of the state of Missouri. The legend reads: MISSOURI SALES TAX RECEIPT/ 5/ 5.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1551
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1551
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Nicaraguan Coin
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this Nicaraguan five centavos coin around the 1898. Scovill was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, and coins.
- Obverse: Image of the Nicaragua coat of arms, consisting of a triangle, a Phrygian cap and five volcanoes. The legend reads: ESTADO DE NICARAGUA.
- Reverse: Floral wreath around the rim. Legend reads: 5/CENTAVOS/1898
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1582
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1582
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Puerto Rican Hardware Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this token during the early 20th century. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and transportation tokens. The number 3 is penned on the obverse.
- Obverse: The legend reads: QUINCALLA Y FERRETERIA
- Reverse: The legend reads: TRUJILLO Y SUBINA/ 10/ EL COMETA
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1587
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1587
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Scovill Centennial Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1902. Scovill was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods.
- Obverse: Bust of James Mitchell Lamson Scovill and William Henry Scovill. The legend reads: SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY/ J.M.L. SCOVILL-Wm. H. SCOVILL/1802-1902 WATERBURY, CONN.
- Reverse: The legend reads: CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF THE SCOVILL MANUFACTURING CO./PRESENTED BY THE COMPANY TO (blank) 1802/ABEL PORTER & CO./1811/LEAVENWORTH HAYDEN & SCOVILL/1827/J.M.L. & W.H. SCOVILL/1850/SCOVILL MFG. CO.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1589
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1589
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Scovill Centennial Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1902. Scovill was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods.
- Obverse: Bust of James Mitchell Lamson Scovill and William Henry Scovill. The legend reads: SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY/ J.M.L. SCOVILL-Wm. H. SCOVILL/1802-1902 WATERBURY, CONN.
- Reverse: CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF THE SCOVILL MANUFACTURING CO./PRESENTED BY THE COMPANY TO C.M. DE MOTT JR./1802/ABEL PORTER & CO./1811/LEAVENWORTH HAYDEN & SCOVILL/1827/J.M.L. & W.H. SCOVILL/1850/SCOVILL MFG. CO.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1590
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1590
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Christopher Columbus Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal, designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Charles F. Barber, was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1892. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign medals.
- Obverse: Image of Christopher Columbus landing in America. Legend: CHRISTOPHER COLVMBVS/ OCT XII MCCCCXCI/I AVGVSTVS SAINT GAVDENS FECIT.
- Reverse: Two angels flank a globe, below are two lit torches around a plaque, and a ship on waves at the bottom. The plaque has a legend that reads: WORLDS COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION IN COMMEMORATION OF THE FOUR HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LANDING OF COLUMBUS/MDCCCXCII-MDCCCXCIII TO BINGHAMTON STATE HOSPITAL/ C. E. BARBER FECIT
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1591
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1591
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Scovill Centennial Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1902. Scovill was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods.
- Obverse: Bust of James Mitchell Lamson Scovill and William Henry Scovill. The legend reads: SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY/ J.M.L. SCOVILL-Wm. H. SCOVILL/1802-1902 WATERBURY, CONN.
- Reverse: The legend reads: CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF THE SCOVILL MANUFACTURING CO./PRESENTED BY THE COMPANY TO GEO.E.HART/1802/ABEL PORTER & CO./1811/LEAVENWORTH HAYDEN & SCOVILL/1827/J.M.L. & W.H. SCOVILL/1850/SCOVILL MFG. CO.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1596
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1596
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center