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.

One (1) I Take the Responsibility hard times tokenUnited States, 1830sObverse Image: Military bust of Andrew Jackson in treasure chest, holding sword and money bag.Obverse Text: I TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITYReverse Image: Donkey with the letters "LLD" on its side.Reverse Text: THE CO
Description (Brief)
One (1) I Take the Responsibility hard times token
United States, 1830s
Obverse Image: Military bust of Andrew Jackson in treasure chest, holding sword and money bag.
Obverse Text: I TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY
Reverse Image: Donkey with the letters "LLD" on its side.
Reverse Text: THE CONSTITUTION AS I UNDERSTAND IT / ROMAN FIRMNESS / VETO
date made
1830s
ID Number
NU.86.0492.27
accession number
1986.0492
catalog number
86.0492.27
One (1) Illustrious Predecessor hard times tokenUnited States, 1837Obverse Image: Running donkey.Obverse Text: I FOLLOW IN THE / STEPS / OF MY / ILLUSTRIOUS PREDECESSORReverse Image: Turtle carrying a safe on its back.Reverse Text: EXECUTIVE / EXPERIMENT / SUB TREASURY / 1837 / F
Description (Brief)
One (1) Illustrious Predecessor hard times token
United States, 1837
Obverse Image: Running donkey.
Obverse Text: I FOLLOW IN THE / STEPS / OF MY / ILLUSTRIOUS PREDECESSOR
Reverse Image: Turtle carrying a safe on its back.
Reverse Text: EXECUTIVE / EXPERIMENT / SUB TREASURY / 1837 / FISCAL AGENT
date made
1837
associated date
1837
ID Number
2001.0009.0640
catalog number
2001.0009.0640
accession number
2001.0009
One (1) goryoban coin, TempoJapan, 1837Obverse Image: A fan-shaped Kiri crest, a square panel with the value, a square panel with the signature of the Mint Official, and another fan-shaped Kiri crest.Obverse Text: Romanization: GO / RYO / MITSU / TSUGU (Translation: One ryo, Mits
Description (Brief)
One (1) goryoban coin, Tempo
Japan, 1837
Obverse Image: A fan-shaped Kiri crest, a square panel with the value, a square panel with the signature of the Mint Official, and another fan-shaped Kiri crest.
Obverse Text: Romanization: GO / RYO / MITSU / TSUGU (Translation: One ryo, MitsuTsugu)
Reverse Image: Butter-fly-like signature, and various other characters, the stamps of mint officials.
Reverse Text: [NEEDS TRANSLATION]
date made
1837
ID Number
NU.18528.0028.1
accession number
18528
catalog number
18528.0028.1
collector/donor number
3067
One (1) Illustrious Predecessor hard times tokenUnited States, 1837Obverse Image: Running donkey.Obverse Text: I FOLLOW IN THE / STEPS / OF MY / ILLUSTRIOUS PREDECESSORReverse Image: Turtle carrying a safe on its back.Reverse Text: EXECUTIVE / FINANCIERING / SUB TREASURY / 1837 /
Description (Brief)
One (1) Illustrious Predecessor hard times token
United States, 1837
Obverse Image: Running donkey.
Obverse Text: I FOLLOW IN THE / STEPS / OF MY / ILLUSTRIOUS PREDECESSOR
Reverse Image: Turtle carrying a safe on its back.
Reverse Text: EXECUTIVE / FINANCIERING / SUB TREASURY / 1837 / FISCAL AGENT
Description
During the 1830s and the early 1840s, the U.S. faced economic decline and a shortage of coins. Copper tokens, called hard-times tokens, were issued privately and used as money. Some contain satirical images, such as a tortoise carrying a safe with the word “Treasury” on it.
date made
1837
associated date
1837
ID Number
NU.71.321.1
catalog number
71.321.1
accession number
297935
date made
1839
head of government
Victoria Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India
ID Number
NU.68.159.5426
catalog number
68.159.5426
accession number
283645
One (1) 1 1/2 ruble coin, "family ruble"Russia, 1835Obverse Image: Right facing portrait of Emperor Nicholas I.Obverse Text: 10 ZLOТ. 1835. / 1 ½ РЧБЛЯ / Р. П.
Description (Brief)
One (1) 1 1/2 ruble coin, "family ruble"
Russia, 1835
Obverse Image: Right facing portrait of Emperor Nicholas I.
Obverse Text: 10 ZLOТ. 1835. / 1 ½ РЧБЛЯ / Р. П. УТКИНЪ.
Reverse Image: Portrait of Nicholas I's wife, Charlotte of Prussia (center) surrounded by portraits of their seven children (Alexander, Maria, Olga, Constantine, Nikolas, Michael, Alexandra).
Reverse Text: Р. П. УТКИНЪ
Description
This coin, referred to as the "family ruble," features a portrait of Emperor Nicholas I on the obverse and smaller portraits of his wife, Charlotte of Prussia, and their seven children on the reverse.
date made
1835
associated date
1835
head of government
Nicholas I Emperor of Russia
ID Number
NU.66.29200
accession number
270424
catalog number
66.29200

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