National Numismatic Collection

The National Numismatic Collection is comprised of approximately 1.6 million objects and is thought to be the largest collection of money and transactional objects in the world. Its diverse holdings represent every inhabited continent and span more than three millennia.

The collection has grown from a few thousand objects in the mid-19th century to its present size through donations from public institutions and private collections.

The National Numismatic Collection is unrivaled in its holdings of American material. It is the U.S. monetary system's collection of record and includes the extraordinary collections of the U.S. Mint, Treasury, and Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

A small portion of the National Numismatic Collection is available here. The National Numismatic Collection is currently working to develop digitization initiatives in order to make the national collection more accessible to the public.

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Capped head of Liberty facing right; stars around and date below. Reverse: Heraldic eagle, stars and clouds above, denomination below. This is one of a series of pattern half dollars by Charles E. Barber.
Description
United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Capped head of Liberty facing right; stars around and date below. Reverse: Heraldic eagle, stars and clouds above, denomination below. This is one of a series of pattern half dollars by Charles E. Barber. The obverse design is essentially identical with the format adopted for coinage in 1892. The reverse is different, and the clouds above the eagle never appeared on circulating coinage. This pattern is unique.
date made
1891
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
ID Number
1985.0441.2080
catalog number
1985.0441.2080
accession number
1985.0441
This pattern came from the same impetus that led to the creation of the four-dollar gold coin, or Stella--a desire to give American coinage a greater competitiveness and convertibility in international markets. [reference no. Judd 1643]
Description
This pattern came from the same impetus that led to the creation of the four-dollar gold coin, or Stella--a desire to give American coinage a greater competitiveness and convertibility in international markets. [reference no. Judd 1643]
date made
1879
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
ID Number
1985.0441.2059
catalog number
1985.0441.2059
accession number
1985.0441
For this reverse, Barber portrayed a second eagle within a wreath, a design that was extremely cluttered. These two coins are the only known.
Description
For this reverse, Barber portrayed a second eagle within a wreath, a design that was extremely cluttered. These two coins are the only known.
date made
1891
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
ID Number
1985.0441.2086
catalog number
1985.0441.2086
accession number
1985.0441
One (1) 20 dollar coin, patternUnited States, 1860Obverse Image: Liberty wearing a coronet and facing left. 13 stars around.Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1860Reverse Image: Heraldic eagle with wings outstretched clutching arrows and branch in talons, shield over chest.
Description (Brief)
One (1) 20 dollar coin, pattern
United States, 1860
Obverse Image: Liberty wearing a coronet and facing left. 13 stars around.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1860
Reverse Image: Heraldic eagle with wings outstretched clutching arrows and branch in talons, shield over chest. Scrolls on either side of eagle, ring of 13 stars above eagle's head, rays above stars.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / TWENTY D. / E PLURIBUS UNUM
Description
Designs as used on earlier double eagles, but with tall letters for legends on reverse. This unique pattern combined the normal obverse by James B. Longacre with an experimental reverse by Anthony C. Paquet. Paquet's innovation was to recast the letters in the reverse legend. Those letters had been block capitals on all earlier double eagles. Paquet introduced a new, more vertical format for the letters.
A few thousand coins with the Paquet reverse were minted in San Francisco at the beginning of 1861 (and a handful more at Philadelphia that same year). However, Paquet's innovation did not find favor at that time. [reference no. Judd 272a]
date made
1860
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
designer
Longacre, James Barton
Paquet, Anthony C.
ID Number
1985.0441.1927
catalog number
1985.0441.1927
accession number
1985.0441
One (1) 5 dollar coinUnited States, 1822Obverse Image: A Capped Head Liberty facing left.Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1822Reverse Image: Eagle with outstretched wings with 3 arrows and an olive branch in its talons.
Description (Brief)
One (1) 5 dollar coin
United States, 1822
Obverse Image: A Capped Head Liberty facing left.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1822
Reverse Image: Eagle with outstretched wings with 3 arrows and an olive branch in its talons. Scroll above the eagle's head.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUM / 5 D.
General Information: Although nearly 18,000 half eagles were struck in 1822, virtually all were melted down. As far as is known, only three specimens survive, two of them in the Smithsonian Institution.
date made
1822
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
designer
Reich, John
ID Number
NU.68.159.0190
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.0190
One (1) 4 dollar coin, patternUnited States, 1879Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty with coiled hair.Obverse Text: 6 / G. / .3 / S / .7 / C / 7 / GRAMS / 1879 / LIBERTYReverse Image: Star.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUM / DEO EST GLORIA / FOUR DOL.
Description (Brief)
One (1) 4 dollar coin, pattern
United States, 1879
Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty with coiled hair.
Obverse Text: 6 / G. / .3 / S / .7 / C / 7 / GRAMS / 1879 / LIBERTY
Reverse Image: Star.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUM / DEO EST GLORIA / FOUR DOL. / ONE STELLA / 400 CENTS
Description
Apparently Lady Liberty’s name is Stella, and she likes to wear her hair two different ways. At least, that is according to two prominent coin engravers of the U.S. Mint during the late 19th century Philadelphia, Charles E. Barber and George T. Morgan.
This four dollar gold coin was minted in 1879 as part of a commission from the U.S. Mint to create a coin with a value comparable to European markets. The coin got its name “Stella,” the Latin word for “Star,” due to the star design on its reverse. Charles E. Barber, chief engraver of the U.S. Mint at the time, designed one version of the Stella coin depicting Lady Liberty with flowing hair on the obverse and a single star on the reverse, which is referred to today as “The Flowing Hair Type.” George T. Morgan, another U.S. Mint employee under Barber designed his own version of Stella, which is the one displayed here. Lady Liberty’s hair is worn coiled, a more reserved depiction of the American symbol of Liberty. Morgan’s version is referred to as “The Coiled Hair Type.”
However, the idea of an American international currency was never implemented. Congress rejected the concept, and therefore the coins were only minted for two years. The Stella remains the only four dollar U.S. coin ever minted. Newspapers of the era printed rumors that some Congressmen fashioned the Stellas into necklaces to give to their mistresses and Madams. Some surviving coins do show evidence of having been made into jewelry. Regardless of what happened to the Stellas after minting ceased, many numismatists consider the gold Stellas one of the most famous and popular American denominations. They are also quite rare, as there were only roughly 425 Flowing Hair Type Stellas and 20 Coiled Hair Types ever minted.
date made
1879
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
designer
Morgan, George T.
ID Number
NU.68.159.0149
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.0149
One (1) 5 dollar coinUnited States, 1797Obverse Image: Capped bust of Liberty facing right.Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1797Reverse Image: Heraldic eagle, clouds and stars above.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUMAlthough dated 1797, this coin was probably minted
Description (Brief)
One (1) 5 dollar coin
United States, 1797
Obverse Image: Capped bust of Liberty facing right.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1797
Reverse Image: Heraldic eagle, clouds and stars above.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUM
Description
Although dated 1797, this coin was probably minted in the following year. Early United States coins do not always bear the year in which they were struck. The annual visit of yellow fever to Philadelphia, and to the U.S. Mint there, imparted a disjointed quality to our early numismatics.
What is definitely known is that Robert Scot was responsible for the designs. His new, bellicose eagle is a direct reflection of increased national tensions with the British and French. This particular coin is unique.
date made
1797
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
obverse designer
Scot, Robert
obverse engraver
Scot, Robert
ID Number
NU.68.159.0158
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.0158
United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing right, hair bound, date below. Reverse: Eagle standing on globe, head turned back.
Description
United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing right, hair bound, date below. Reverse: Eagle standing on globe, head turned back. It is very likely that this was a pattern intended for consideration as a quarter dollar, although some have seen it as an idea for a half eagle. The latter is unlikely, but the size is about right for the ten-dollar piece, or eagle. Joseph Wright designed this pattern. Two specimens are known in copper including this one and two more in white metal.
[reference no. Judd 12]
date made
1792
obverse designer
Wright, Joseph
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
reverse designer
Wright, Joseph
ID Number
1991.0357.0121
accession number
1991.0357
catalog number
1991.0357.0121
United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Liberty head left, with unbound hair; date below. Reverse: Small eagle, DISME below. The term "disme" was the original choice of the name for a tenth of a dollar. It was probably pronounced "deem."Adam Eckfeldt created the obverse die.
Description
United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Liberty head left, with unbound hair; date below. Reverse: Small eagle, DISME below. The term "disme" was the original choice of the name for a tenth of a dollar. It was probably pronounced "deem."
Adam Eckfeldt created the obverse die. William Birch was likely responsible for the reverse die. Henry Voigt did the actual coining. This activity was taking place in a completed section of the new United States Mint. The workers were constructing the rest of the building!
This piece is one of a dozen of these patterns known.
[reference no. Judd 1792]
date made
1792
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
ID Number
1991.0357.0122
catalog number
1991.0357.0122
accession number
1991.0357

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