Coins, Currency, and Medals - Overview
The Museum possesses one of the largest numismatic collections in the world. The collections include over 1 million objects, comprising coins, medals, decorations, and pieces of paper money. Among the many great rarities here are some of the world’s oldest coins, created 2,700 years ago. But the collection also includes the latest innovations in electronic monetary exchange, as well as beads, wampum, and other commodities once used as money. A special strength lies in artifacts that illustrate the development of money and medals in the United States. The American section includes many rare and significant coins, such as two of three known examples of the world's most valuable coin, the 1933 double eagle $20 gold piece.
"Coins, Currency, and Medals - Overview" showing 390 items.
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United States, Fifty Cents, Proof, 1838 O
- Description
- United States Mint, New Orleans. Obverse: Capped bust of Liberty facing left, stars surrounding, date and mint mark (O, for New Orleans) below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination (HALF DOL.). In 1835, Congress amended American coining laws. These laws made numismatic history. Three branches of the United States Mint were established. Two were in the southern Piedmont region, at Charlotte, North Carolina, and Dahlonega, Georgia. These facilities were intended for the coinage of gold.
- The third branch was set up at New Orleans, Louisiana, hundreds of miles from any mining activity, but the major port of entry for gold and silver coinage shipped in from Mexico and points south. It is estimated that twenty 1838-dated half dollars were struck in proof, perhaps at the beginning of the following year. Numismatist and U.S. coin encyclopedist Walter Breen believed they were minted to test the coining capabilities of a new large press. But they also could have been intended as presentation pieces. We know of eleven survivors. We don't know what happened to the other nine.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1838
- date made
- 1838 O
- mint
- U.S. Mint, New Orleans
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0295
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0295
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Ten Dollars, Proof, 1840
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination (TEN D.) U.S. Mint engraver Christian Gobrecht altered his Liberty head slightly in mid-1839. Previously, the Liberty's head had been tilted slightly forward. After that, the head was completely vertical: Liberty looks straight ahead rather than slightly down. Thus amended, the Gobrecht designs graced the eagle for the remainder of the 19th century and the first few years of the 20th. This single proof eagle is the only one known for the year 1840.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1840
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0310
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0310
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Five Dollars, Proof, 1840
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination (FIVE D.). Artist Christian Gobrecht redesigned the half eagle in 1839. His concepts were retained all the way down to 1908, with only minor changes. This is one of only two proofs known.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1840
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0311
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0311
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Two and a Half Dollars, Proof, 1840
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination (2 ½ D.). The quarter eagle carried the William Kneass designs a year longer than the half, but in 1840 a new Liberty head made its debut, another of Christian Gobrecht's concepts. It was tidy and serviceable, and it held the stage for nearly seventy years. A few proofs are also known from this first year of coining. This is one of three proofs that have been documented.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1840
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0312
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0312
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Ten Dollars, Proof, 1841
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. This coin is the sole known proof for this year in this denomination.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1841
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0321
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0321
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Five Dollars, Proof, 1841
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. This coin is one of two proof half eagles known for 1841; a third has been reported but its existence remains unconfirmed.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1841
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0322
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0322
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Ten Dollars, Proof, 1842
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. Beyond this specimen, one other is rumored to exist, but that rumor remains unconfirmed.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1842
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0333
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0333
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Five Dollars, Proof, 1842
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. This is one of only two proofs known.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1842
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0334
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0334
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Two and a Half Dollars, Proof, 1842
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. This is one of three proofs known, two of them impaired. This Smithsonian specimen is the only 1842 proof quarter eagle in pristine condition.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1842
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0335
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0335
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
United States, Ten Dollars, Proof, 1843
- Description
- United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, with coronet; stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. This coin is one of six proof eagles known for this year.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1843
- mint
- U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0344
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0344
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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