Coin Encyclopedia
Search and identify coins from around the world — with country, denomination, metal, mint, history, and how to tell them apart.
British Shilling
Small Victorian silver shilling showing Queen Victoria's crowned, veiled Jubilee portrait and a crowned heraldic shield reverse.
World Coins
Quarter Merk
A small hammered silver coin of Scotland worth a quarter of a merk, showing a crowned heraldic shield with a cross and a Latin legend.
Hammered
Irish Groat of Henry VIII
A hand-hammered silver fourpence struck for Ireland under Henry VIII, famed for introducing the crowned harp to Irish coinage.
Hammered
Egypt 20 Qirsh
The 20 qirsh was Egypt's largest silver coin under the Khedivate, bearing the Ottoman sultan's tughra; this example dates to 1905.
World
Restoration Anniversary Peso
A silver Dominican one-peso commemorative dated 1963, marking the centennial of the Restoration, with a Liberty head obverse and the national arms.
Commemorative
Standing Liberty Quarter
U.S. 90% silver quarter struck 1916–1930, showing a standing Liberty with shield on the obverse and an eagle in flight on the reverse.
Quarter
Corinth Pegasos Stater
Classical silver stater of Corinth showing the winged horse Pegasos on the obverse and a helmeted head of Athena on the reverse.
Ancient
Philip II Tetradrachm
A large silver coin of the Macedonian kingdom showing the laureate head of Zeus and a youthful horseman, struck under and after Philip II.
Ancient
Follis of Diocletian
A large silver-washed bronze coin of the Tetrarchy, introduced by Diocletian's currency reform around AD 294 with a stern laureate portrait.
Ancient
Athens New Style Tetradrachm
Athens' late silver tetradrachm on a broad thin flan: a helmeted Athena obverse and an owl perched on an amphora within an olive wreath.
Ancient
Aigina Turtle Stater
Thick silver stater of the island of Aigina, c. 480-456 BC, with a sea turtle on the obverse and a divided incuse punch on the reverse.
Ancient
Agathokles Commemorative Tetradrachm for Alexander the Great
Silver tetradrachm of Agathokles of Syracuse, c. 310-300 BC, struck in the Alexander tradition with a bearded head and an enthroned deity reverse.
Ancient
Livonian Order Schilling
A small hammered silver schilling of the medieval Livonian Order, showing heraldic shields and a cross, struck in the Baltic around 1410–1415.
Medieval
Bourgondische Rijksdaalder
A large silver rijksdaalder of the Habsburg Netherlands showing Philip II in helmeted armor, with a compartmented heraldic shield and the Golden Fleece collar.
Early Modern
German 5 Reichsmark Garrison Church Commemorative
A 1934 German silver 5 Reichsmark commemorative with a spread-winged Reichsadler and 'Deutsches Reich' on the obverse and the Potsdam Garrison Church reverse.
Commemorative
Australian Florin
Australia's pre-decimal silver two-shilling coin, showing the Commonwealth coat of arms with kangaroo and emu supporters and the reigning monarch.
World Coins
Mary I Groat
Hammered silver fourpence of Mary I (1553-1558), with her crowned bust left and the royal arms over a cross on the reverse.
Hammered
Half Thistle Merk
A hammered Scottish silver half merk of James VI, showing a crowned coat of arms on one side and a crowned thistle on the other.
Hammered
Groat of William IV
A small silver fourpenny piece of William IV (1836–1837), with a seated Britannia reverse; the coin that revived the modern British groat.
Milled
Imitation Abbasid Dirham
A thin, broad silver coin that copies an Abbasid dirham but was struck in northern Europe, with blundered pseudo-Kufic script and a piercing for wear.
Islamic (Medieval)
Spanish Colonial Cob 1 Real
A small, crudely hand-struck silver cob of one real, made in Spain's American colonies with heraldic shield-and-cross designs.
Cob Coinage
Patacao
A Portuguese silver coin known as the patacao, a larger member of the pataca family, carrying the royal coat of arms and a crowned heraldic shield.
Circulation
Pilgrim Tercentenary Half Dollar
A 1920-1921 U.S. silver commemorative half dollar marking 300 years since the Pilgrims' landing, with a Pilgrim figure and the Mayflower.
Classic Commemorative
Charles I Half Crown
A large hammered silver half crown of Charles I, showing the king in portrait facing left and a crowned royal shield on the reverse.
Hammered