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.

date made
19th century
ID Number
1979.1263.01098
catalog number
1979.1263.01098
accession number
1979.1263
collector/donor number
OC3B
One (1) Benjamin Franklin 200th Anniversary of Birth medalUnited States, 1906Obverse Image: Bust of Franklin facing left, surrounded by a wreath.Obverse Text: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN / PRINTER / PHILOSOPHER / SCIENTIST / STATESMAN / DIPLOMATIST / 1706 / 1790Reverse Image: Allegorical s
Description (Brief)
One (1) Benjamin Franklin 200th Anniversary of Birth medal
United States, 1906
Obverse Image: Bust of Franklin facing left, surrounded by a wreath.
Obverse Text: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN / PRINTER / PHILOSOPHER / SCIENTIST / STATESMAN / DIPLOMATIST / 1706 / 1790
Reverse Image: Allegorical scene in a temple with a goddess, representing History, writing on a tablet. Three figures representing Literature, Science, and Philosophy stand at the base of her throne.
Reverse Text: STRVCK BY ACT OF THE CONGRESS OF THE VNITED STATES / TO COMMEMORATE THE TWO HVNDRETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN / M.C.M.V.I. / HISTORY / LITERATVRE / SCIENCE / PHILOSOPHY
date made
1906
designer
Saint-Gaudens, Augustus
issuing authority
Congress of the United States
manufacturer
Tiffany & Co.
ID Number
1993.0205.0080
catalog number
1993.0205.0080
accession number
1993.0205
One (1) 10 dollar coinUnited States, 1907Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty wearing a feather headdress, 13 stars along top edge of coin.Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1907Reverse Image: Eagle with wings folded standing on top of a bundle of arrows and branch.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES
Description (Brief)
One (1) 10 dollar coin
United States, 1907
Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty wearing a feather headdress, 13 stars along top edge of coin.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1907
Reverse Image: Eagle with wings folded standing on top of a bundle of arrows and branch.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUM / TEN DOLLARS
date made
1907
mint
United States Mint
designer
Saint-Gaudens, Augustus
ID Number
1979.1263.00805
catalog number
1979.1263.00805
accession number
1979.1263
collector/donor number
04994
date made
19th century
ID Number
1979.1263.01099
catalog number
1979.1263.01099
accession number
1979.1263
collector/donor number
OC3B
One (1) University of Wisconsin medalUnited States, 1904
Description (Brief)
One (1) University of Wisconsin medal
United States, 1904
date made
1904
maker
Brenner, Victor David
ID Number
2015.0023.001
accession number
2015.0023
catalog number
2015.0023.001
One (1) 20 dollar coinUnited States, 1907Obverse Image: Full-length Liberty holding a torch in her right hand and olive branch in left.
Description (Brief)
One (1) 20 dollar coin
United States, 1907
Obverse Image: Full-length Liberty holding a torch in her right hand and olive branch in left. Capitol Dome in lower left; rays of sun in background; stars around rim.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / MCMVII
Reverse Image: Eagle flying through rays of sun.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / TWENTY DOLLARS
Edge: E PLURIBUS UNUM divided by stars.
date made
1907
mint
United States Mint
designer
Saint-Gaudens, Augustus
ID Number
NU.NU85829
accession number
255927
catalog number
NU85829
Manillas were regularly used in exchange in West Africa, especially along the coast of modern-day Nigeria, from at least the fifteenth century to the mid-twentieth century.
Description
Manillas were regularly used in exchange in West Africa, especially along the coast of modern-day Nigeria, from at least the fifteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Cast from various metals, including copper, brass, and iron, they are crescent-shaped and resemble an open bracelet. They were produced by Portuguese, British, Dutch, and French merchants specifically for trade in West Africa. Manillas were used in everyday purchases at markets. They were also a central currency of the transatlantic slave trade.
date made
19th century
ID Number
NU.79.112.OC19
accession number
1979.1263
catalog number
79.112.OC19
collector/donor number
OC19
One (1) 10 dollar coinUnited States, 1907Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty wearing a feather headdress, 13 stars along top edge of coin.Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1907Reverse Image: Eagle with wings folded standing on top of a bundle of arrows and branch.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES
Description (Brief)
One (1) 10 dollar coin
United States, 1907
Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty wearing a feather headdress, 13 stars along top edge of coin.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1907
Reverse Image: Eagle with wings folded standing on top of a bundle of arrows and branch.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUM / TEN DOLLARS
date made
1907
mint
United States Mint
designer
Saint-Gaudens, Augustus
ID Number
NU.68.159.0924
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.0924
One (1) scaleUnited States, 19th century
Description (Brief)
One (1) scale
United States, 19th century
date made
19th century
ID Number
2001.0009.0354
accession number
2001.0009
catalog number
2001.0009.0354
These brass weights were used by the Akan people of modern day Ghana and the Ivory Coast for measuring gold dust between the late thirteenth and early twentieth centuries. They were cast into geometric shapes and figures of animals and people.
Description
These brass weights were used by the Akan people of modern day Ghana and the Ivory Coast for measuring gold dust between the late thirteenth and early twentieth centuries. They were cast into geometric shapes and figures of animals and people. These weights set a standard for measuring gold dust and made it easier to use gold dust as currency. The weights’ varied forms reflect Akan culture as well as cultural interaction between West African, North African, and European traders over five centuries.
date made
19th century
ID Number
1985.0797.1
catalog number
1985.0797.1
accession number
1985.0797
One (1) 20 won coin, Kuang MuKorea, 1906Obverse Image: Curled dragon within circle.Obverse Text: [NEEDS TRANSLATION]Reverse Image: Text within wreath with cherry blossom on top and bow below.Reverse Text: [NEEDS TRANSLATION]
Description (Brief)
One (1) 20 won coin, Kuang Mu
Korea, 1906
Obverse Image: Curled dragon within circle.
Obverse Text: [NEEDS TRANSLATION]
Reverse Image: Text within wreath with cherry blossom on top and bow below.
Reverse Text: [NEEDS TRANSLATION]
date made
1906
associated date
1906
ID Number
NU.68.159.5799
catalog number
68.159.5799
accession number
283645
date made
19th century
ID Number
1979.1263.00700
accession number
1979.1263
collector/donor number
OC043A
catalog number
79.112.OC43A
These brass weights were used by the Akan people of modern day Ghana and the Ivory Coast for measuring gold dust between the late thirteenth and early twentieth centuries. They were cast into geometric shapes and figures of animals and people.
Description
These brass weights were used by the Akan people of modern day Ghana and the Ivory Coast for measuring gold dust between the late thirteenth and early twentieth centuries. They were cast into geometric shapes and figures of animals and people. These weights set a standard for measuring gold dust and made it easier to use gold dust as currency. The weights’ varied forms reflect Akan culture as well as cultural interaction between West African, North African, and European traders over five centuries.
date made
19th century
ID Number
NU.77.38.022
catalog number
77.38.022
accession number
1977.1211
Feathers, bones, seashells, cloth, and important commodities, such as this brick of tea, are just some of the variety of objects that have been used to represent value and to make general or ceremonial payments.
Description
Feathers, bones, seashells, cloth, and important commodities, such as this brick of tea, are just some of the variety of objects that have been used to represent value and to make general or ceremonial payments.
date made
18th - 19th century
ID Number
NU.77.38.105
accession number
1977.1211
catalog number
77.38.105
One (1) silver syceeChina, 19th Century
Description (Brief)
One (1) silver sycee
China, 19th Century
date made
19th century
ID Number
NU.79.112.OC33
accession number
1979.1263
catalog number
79.112.OC33
collector/donor number
OC 33
One (1) Motherhood medalUnited States, 1909Obverse Image: Seated woman facing left, holding a swaddled baby.Obverse Text: MOTHERHOOD / V.D. BRENNERReverse Image: Flying cherub blowing a horn.Reverse Text: N/A
Description (Brief)
One (1) Motherhood medal
United States, 1909
Obverse Image: Seated woman facing left, holding a swaddled baby.
Obverse Text: MOTHERHOOD / V.D. BRENNER
Reverse Image: Flying cherub blowing a horn.
Reverse Text: N/A
date made
1909
1909/1674
maker
Brenner, Victor David
ID Number
NU.NU43312
accession number
165206
catalog number
NU43312
One (1) 20 dollar coinUnited States, 1907Obverse Image: Full-length Liberty holding a torch in her right hand and olive branch in left.
Description (Brief)
One (1) 20 dollar coin
United States, 1907
Obverse Image: Full-length Liberty holding a torch in her right hand and olive branch in left. Capitol Dome in lower left; rays of sun in background; stars around rim.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / MCMVII
Reverse Image: Eagle flying through rays of sun.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / TWENTY DOLLARS
Edge: E PLURIBUS UNUM divided by stars.
Description
In 1905, inspired by the high relief of ancient Greek coins, President Theodore Roosevelt asked eminent sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to redesign American coinage. Saint-Gaudens died in 1907, but not before giving the nation what many consider to be the most artistic American coin ever made – the Saint-Gaudens double eagle.
date made
1907
maker
United States Mint
designer
Saint-Gaudens, Augustus
ID Number
NU.NU76757
accession number
252089
catalog number
NU76757
One (1) Aero Club of America medalUnited States, 1908Obverse Image: Left facing busts of Wilbur and Orville Wright.Obverse Text: AERO CLVB OF AMERICA / W. WRIGHT / SEP 21 1908 / LE MANS / FRANCE / O. WRIGHT / SEP 9 1908 / FORT MYER VA / V.S.A. / V.D.
Description (Brief)
One (1) Aero Club of America medal
United States, 1908
Obverse Image: Left facing busts of Wilbur and Orville Wright.
Obverse Text: AERO CLVB OF AMERICA / W. WRIGHT / SEP 21 1908 / LE MANS / FRANCE / O. WRIGHT / SEP 9 1908 / FORT MYER VA / V.S.A. / V.D. BRENNER SC
Reverse Image: Airplane. Logo of the Aero Club of America.
Reverse Text: 1905
date made
1908
designer
Brenner, Victor David
ID Number
1979.1129.07
catalog number
1979.1129.07
accession number
1979.1129

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