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.

Katanga Cross, Baluba, Belgian Congo, n.d.

date made
n.d.
ID Number
NU.77.38.044
catalog number
77.38.044
accession number
1977.1211

Brick of Tea, Siberia, 18th-19th century

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

Katanga Cross, Baluba, Belgian Congo, n.d

date made
n.d
ID Number
NU.77.38.043
catalog number
77.38.043
accession number
1977.1211

Katanga Cross, Baluba, Belgian Congo, n.d.

date made
n.d.
ID Number
NU.77.38.045
catalog number
77.38.045
accession number
1977.1211

1 Continental Dollar, United States, 1776

date made
1776
ID Number
1991.0009.0105
catalog number
1991.0009.0105
accession number
1991.0009

100 Francs, Switzerland, 1925

date made
1925
associated date
1925
ID Number
NU.68.159.5729
catalog number
68.159.5729
accession number
283645

Theodore Roosevelt Plaque, United States, early 20th century

One (1) Theodore Roosevelt plaqueUnited States, early 20th centuryObverse Image: Left-facing image of Theodore Roosevelt.Obverse Text: THEODORE ROOSEVELT / PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATESReverse Image: N/AReverse Text: N/A
Description (Brief)
One (1) Theodore Roosevelt plaque
United States, early 20th century
Obverse Image: Left-facing image of Theodore Roosevelt.
Obverse Text: THEODORE ROOSEVELT / PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Reverse Image: N/A
Reverse Text: N/A
date made
early 20th century
designer
Morgan, George T.
ID Number
2014.0016.025
accession number
2014.0016
catalog number
2014.0016.025

1 Dollar, Pattern, United States, 1878

One (1) dollar coin, patternUnited States, 1878Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty wearing a headband, crown of cotton and wheat, and cap.
Description (Brief)
One (1) dollar coin, pattern
United States, 1878
Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty wearing a headband, crown of cotton and wheat, and cap. 13 stars around edge.
Obverse Text: E PLURIBUS UNUM / LIBERTY / 1878
Reverse Image: Eagle with outstretched wings, clutching branch and arrows in talons. Half wreath below eagle.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / IN GOD WE TRUST / ONE DOLLAR
Date made
1878
mint
United States Mint
ID Number
1985.0441.2020
catalog number
1985.0441.2020
accession number
1985.0441

1 Tetradrachm, Macedon, 306-283 BCE

date made
306 - 283 BCE
head of government
Demetrius Poliorcetes
maker
Demetrius Poliorcetes
ID Number
2001.0009.0197
accession number
2001.0009
catalog number
2001.0009.0197

12 Zecchino, Venice, Italy, 1763 - 1778

date made
1763 - 1778
ID Number
NU.68.159.5563
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.5563

1/25th Dollar, Malay Peninsula, 1864

date made
1864
alternate calendar date
1281
period of administration
1863 - 1884
ID Number
NU.NU80916
catalog number
NU80916
accession number
169282

1 Drachm, Bactria, 2nd century BCE

The languages used on money convey a message about the community for which the currency is intended. One of the earliest bilingual coins is this Indo-Greek drachm from around 160 BCE, which features both Greek and an ancient South Asian script.
Description
The languages used on money convey a message about the community for which the currency is intended. One of the earliest bilingual coins is this Indo-Greek drachm from around 160 BCE, which features both Greek and an ancient South Asian script.
date made
2nd century BCE
ID Number
1987.0935.14
accession number
1987.0934
catalog number
1987.0934.14

10 Dollars, United States, 1797

One (1) 10 dollar coinUnited States, 1797Obverse Image: Liberty wearing a cap, facing right.
Description (Brief)
One (1) 10 dollar coin
United States, 1797
Obverse Image: Liberty wearing a cap, facing right. 16 stars around.
Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1797
Reverse Image: Heraldic eagle holding arrows and branch in its talons, shield over chest.
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUM
date made
1797
mint
United States Mint
designer
Scot, Robert
ID Number
NU.68.159.0265
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.0265

Cowrie Shell, Uganda, Africa

Small seashells have many characteristics that make them ideal monetary objects. They are durable, portable, and difficult to imitate. One species of cowrie shell is known as the money shell because it was used so widely for this purpose.
Description
Small seashells have many characteristics that make them ideal monetary objects. They are durable, portable, and difficult to imitate. One species of cowrie shell is known as the money shell because it was used so widely for this purpose. Shells circulated as a medium of exchange in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and North America.
date made
n.d.
ID Number
1979.1263.00542
catalog number
1979.1263.00542
accession number
1979.1263
collector/donor number
OC150A

VeriFone Credit Card Reader, Australia, late 1990s

date made
late 1990s
maker
VeriFone
ID Number
1997.0108.001
accession number
1997.0108
catalog number
1997.0108.001

Double Stater, Macedon, 336 - 323 BCE

date made
336 - 323 BCE
ID Number
NU.68.159.5434
catalog number
68.159.5434
accession number
283645

Sample American Express Credit Card, United States, 1963

American Express was founded in 1850 in order to transport goods the U.S. Postal Service would not deliver. By the end of the Civil War, there were over nine hundred American Express offices in ten states.
Description
American Express was founded in 1850 in order to transport goods the U.S. Postal Service would not deliver. By the end of the Civil War, there were over nine hundred American Express offices in ten states. In the 1880s the company expanded into financial services with money orders, and in the 1890s they began offering Traveler’s Cheques. The financial services offered by the company eventually became its mainstay, and American Express offered its first charge card in 1958 in order to compete with Diners’ Club.
date made
1963
Associated Date
1963
maker
American Express Company
ID Number
NU.NU81082.1
catalog number
NU81082.1
accession number
252886
serial number
78 9

1 Dollar, John Quincy Adams, United States, 2008

One (1) dollar coin, John Quincy AdamsUnited States, 2008Obverse Image: Front facing portrait of John Quincy Adams.Obverse Text: JOHN QUINCY ADAMS / 6TH PRESIDENT / 1825-1829Reverse Image: Statue of Liberty.Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / $1 / E PLURIBUS UNUM / IN GOD WE
Description (Brief)
One (1) dollar coin, John Quincy Adams
United States, 2008
Obverse Image: Front facing portrait of John Quincy Adams.
Obverse Text: JOHN QUINCY ADAMS / 6TH PRESIDENT / 1825-1829
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
2013.0157.033
catalog number
2013.0157.033
accession number
2013.0157

Louis XIV medal, France, 1674

One (1) Louis XIV medalFrance, 1674Obverse Image: Right-facing bust of Louis XIV wearing a helmet.Obverse Text: LVD MAGNVS FRAN ET NAV REX P PReverse Image: The symbol of the "Sun King" above the earth and clouds.Reverse Text: NEC / PLVRIBVS / IMPAR / 1674
Description (Brief)
One (1) Louis XIV medal
France, 1674
Obverse Image: Right-facing bust of Louis XIV wearing a helmet.
Obverse Text: LVD MAGNVS FRAN ET NAV REX P P
Reverse Image: The symbol of the "Sun King" above the earth and clouds.
Reverse Text: NEC / PLVRIBVS / IMPAR / 1674
date made
1674
associated date
1674
associated person
Louis XIV King of France
ID Number
NU.NU43226
accession number
165206
catalog number
NU43226

Sycee, China, 19th Century

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

Motherhood medal, United States, 1909

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

1 Dinar, Umayyad Dynasty, 713-714

date made
713 - 714
ID Number
2002.0007.0290
accession number
2002.0007
catalog number
2002.0007.0290

8 Escudos, Mexico, 1744

date made
1744
ruler
Philip V King of Spain
issuing authority
Philip V King of Spain
ID Number
NU.68.159.2149
accession number
283645
catalog number
68.159.2149

2 Pounds, England, 1823

date made
1823
associated date
1823
head of government
George IV King of the United Kingdom
ID Number
NU.68.159.3744
catalog number
68.159.3744
accession number
283645

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