National Numismatic Collection

Brasher Half Doubloon, United States, 1787

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.

Resource Type: Coins (money)

1 Yoshi Mame Ban, Japan, 1570 - 1580

One (1) yoshi mame ban coinJapan, 1570 - 1580
Description (Brief)
One (1) yoshi mame ban coin
Japan, 1570 - 1580
date made
1570 - 1580
ID Number
NU.18528.0015
accession number
18528
catalog number
18528.0015

1 Connecticut Copper, 1788

date made
1788
ID Number
1985.0491.0002
catalog number
1985.0491.0002
accession number
1985.0491

20 Dollars, United States, 1849 (Utah-Mormon)

One (1) 20 dollar coinUnited States, 1849Obverse Image: Emblem of Mormon Priesthood: 3-pointed Phrygian Crown above all-seeing eye.Obverse Text: TO THE LORD HOLINESSReverse Image: Clasped hands.Reverse Text: G. S. L. C. P. G.
Description (Brief)
One (1) 20 dollar coin
United States, 1849
Obverse Image: Emblem of Mormon Priesthood: 3-pointed Phrygian Crown above all-seeing eye.
Obverse Text: TO THE LORD HOLINESS
Reverse Image: Clasped hands.
Reverse Text: G. S. L. C. P. G. / TWENTY DOLLARS / 1849
Description
Not all of the California gold was turned into coins in California. Some of it went north, where it was minted into currency by the Oregon Exchange Company. And some of it went east, to Utah Territory, carried home by Mormon miners who left the cities of Sacramento and San Francisco for Salt Lake City.
On Brigham Young's orders, a mint was set up to turn the California dust into Utah coins. One of the prime movers in the new venture was a British convert named John Mobourn Kay. Kay forged the die blanks, engraved the dies, and, for good measure, helped in the selection of their designs.
The first Mormon coins, eagles, appeared in December 1848-the very first American pioneer coins struck west of the Mississippi. Other denominations were soon added. All of them, including the double eagle on display, have radical design concepts unseen before or since. The coin on display was among the first double eagles ever struck and circulated in the United States. The obverses of these coins bore the emblem of the Mormon Priesthood, a three-pointed crown above an All-Seeing eye. The reverse displayed clasped hands, joined in friendship and solidarity, the badge of a new people stressing unity and welcoming newcomers. Few of these early Utah coins have survived. Most were melted down in the early 1850s. The Smithsonian coin is one of the finest known.
date made
1849
mint
Mormon Mint
ID Number
1985.0441.2218
catalog number
1985.0441.2218
accession number
1985.0441

8 Escudos, Colombia, 1751

date made
1750 - 1751
associated date
1751
head of government
Ferdinand VI King of Spain
ID Number
NU.68.159.1313
catalog number
68.159.1313
accession number
283645

1 Dollar, United States, 1801-2

date made
1802
maker
U.S. Mint
ID Number
1985.0441.0074
catalog number
1985.0441.0074
accession number
1985.0441

1 Cent, United States, 1857

One (1) cent coinUnited States, 1857Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty with braided hair wearing a coronet. 13 stars along coin edge.Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1857Reverse Image: Wreath.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE CENT
Description (Brief)
One (1) cent coin
United States, 1857
Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty with braided hair wearing a coronet. 13 stars along coin edge.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1857
Reverse Image: Wreath.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE CENT
date made
1857
mint
United States Mint
designer
Gobrecht, Christian
ID Number
1985.0441.0548
catalog number
1985.0441.0548
accession number
1985.0441

1 Solidus, Byzantine Empire, 797 - 802

One (1) solidus coin, IreneByzantine Empire, 797 - 802Obverse Image: Portrait bust of Irene facing front, wearing crown and loros and holding a globus cruciger and cruciform scepter.Obverse Text: EIRINH / bASILISSHReverse Image: Portrait bust of Irene as on obverse.Reverse Text:
Description (Brief)
One (1) solidus coin, Irene
Byzantine Empire, 797 - 802
Obverse Image: Portrait bust of Irene facing front, wearing crown and loros and holding a globus cruciger and cruciform scepter.
Obverse Text: EIRINH / bASILISSH
Reverse Image: Portrait bust of Irene as on obverse.
Reverse Text: EIRINH / bASILISSH
date made
797 - 802
maker
Irene Empress of Byzantium
ID Number
NU.68.159.5823
catalog number
68.159.5823
accession number
283645

80 Drachm, Egypt, 51 - 30 BCE

date made
51 - 30 BCE
ID Number
2008.0108.0037
collector/donor number
CM164
catalog number
1979.1263.CM164
accession number
1979.1263

1 Tetradrachm, Macedon, 306-283 BCE

date made
306 - 283 BCE
head of government
Demetrius Poliorcetes
maker
Demetrius Poliorcetes
ID Number
2001.0009.0198
accession number
2001.0009
catalog number
2001.0009.0198

1 Dollar, United States, 2000

date made
2000
designer
Goodacre, Glenna
ID Number
2008.0108.0034
accession number
2008.0108
catalog number
2008.0108.0034

1/3 Stater, Lydia, 610 - 561 BCE

date made
610 - 561 BCE
associated date
-0610 - -0561
ID Number
NU.68.159.5801
catalog number
68.159.5801
accession number
283645

20 Dollars, United States, 1907

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

1 Taiko Fukju Ban, Japan, 1580-1590

One (1) taiko fukju ban coinJapan, 1580-1590
Description (Brief)
One (1) taiko fukju ban coin
Japan, 1580-1590
date made
1580 - 1590
ID Number
NU.18528.0018
accession number
18528
catalog number
18528.0018
collector/donor number
3056

1 Dollar, James Monroe, United States, 2008

One (1) dollar coin, James MonroeUnited States, 2008Obverse Image: Front facing portrait of James Monroe.Obverse Text: JAMES MONROE / 5TH PRESIDENT / 1817-1825Reverse Image: Statue of Liberty.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / $1 / E PLURIBUS UNUM / IN GOD WE TRUST / 2008 /
Description (Brief)
One (1) dollar coin, James Monroe
United States, 2008
Obverse Image: Front facing portrait of James Monroe.
Obverse Text: JAMES MONROE / 5TH PRESIDENT / 1817-1825
Reverse Image: Statue of Liberty.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / $1 / E PLURIBUS UNUM / IN GOD WE TRUST / 2008 / D
date made
2008
maker
U.S. Mint, Denver
ID Number
2013.0157.032
accession number
2013.0157
catalog number
2013.0157.032

1 Goryoban, Japan, 1837

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

7 Ducats, Hohenlohe - Oehringen, 1701

date made
1701
associated date
1701
ID Number
NU.68.159.5278
catalog number
68.159.5278
accession number
283645

1 1/2 Ducats, Zierikzee (Netherlands), 1576

date made
1576
ID Number
NU.68.159.5608
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.5608

1 Dirhem, Damascus (Syria), 698–699

date made
698 - 699
associated date
0698 - 0699
alternate calendar date
0079
ID Number
NU.69.196.28
catalog number
69.196.28
accession number
286486

1 Dollar, Martin Van Buren, United States, 2008

One (1) dollar coin, Martin Van BurenUnited States, 2008Obverse Image: Front facing portrait of Martin Van Buren.Obverse Text: MARTIN VAN BUREN / 8TH PRESIDENT / 1837-1841Reverse Image: Statue of Liberty.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / $1 / E PLURIBUS UNUM / IN GOD WE TR
Description (Brief)
One (1) dollar coin, Martin Van Buren
United States, 2008
Obverse Image: Front facing portrait of Martin Van Buren.
Obverse Text: MARTIN VAN BUREN / 8TH PRESIDENT / 1837-1841
Reverse Image: Statue of Liberty.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / $1 / E PLURIBUS UNUM / IN GOD WE TRUST / 2008 / D
date made
2008
maker
U.S. Mint, Denver
ID Number
2013.0157.035
catalog number
2013.0157.035
accession number
2013.0157

1 Dollar, Andrew Jackson, United States, 2008

One (1) dollar coin, Andrew JacksonUnited States, 2008Obverse Image: Front facing portrait of Andrew Jackson.Obverse Text: ANDREW JACKSON / 7TH PRESIDENT / 1829 -1837Reverse Image: Statue of Liberty.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / $1 / E PLURIBUS UNUM / IN GOD WE TRUST /
Description (Brief)
One (1) dollar coin, Andrew Jackson
United States, 2008
Obverse Image: Front facing portrait of Andrew Jackson.
Obverse Text: ANDREW JACKSON / 7TH PRESIDENT / 1829 -1837
Reverse Image: Statue of Liberty.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / $1 / E PLURIBUS UNUM / IN GOD WE TRUST / 2008 / D
date made
2008
maker
U.S. Mint, Denver
ID Number
2013.0157.034
catalog number
2013.0157.034
accession number
2013.0157

60 Pesos, Oaxaca, Mexico, 1916

date made
1916
associated date
1916
ID Number
NU.68.159.1473
catalog number
68.159.1473
accession number
283645

8 Escudos, Bolivia, 1796

date made
1796
ID Number
NU.68.159.1555
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.1555

10 Dollars, United States, 1907

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

1 Cent, United States, 1857

One (1) cent coinUnited States, 1857Obverse Image: Flying eagle.Obverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 1857Reverse Image: Wreath of wheat, corn, cotton, and tobacco.Reverse Text: ONE CENT
Description (Brief)
One (1) cent coin
United States, 1857
Obverse Image: Flying eagle.
Obverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 1857
Reverse Image: Wreath of wheat, corn, cotton, and tobacco.
Reverse Text: ONE CENT
date made
1857
mint
United States Mint
designer
Longacre, James Barton
ID Number
1979.1263.00138
catalog number
1979.1263.00138
accession number
1979.1263

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