Coin Encyclopedia
Search and identify coins from around the world — with country, denomination, metal, mint, history, and how to tell them apart.
Keicho Koban
A thin oval Japanese gold coin worth one ryo, its surface covered in fine parallel striations with stamped cartouches and Goto mint marks.
HistoricEritrea 1 Lira
Silver 1 lira struck for Italy's colony of Eritrea, dated 1918, with a crowned heraldic emblem and the legend COLONIA ERITREA L.1.
WorldTealby Penny
Silver penny of Henry II, the Tealby or Cross-and-Crosslets type, with a crowned royal bust and a voided cross bearing small crosslets in its angles.
Medieval CoinsAncient Roman Coin
An unattributed ancient bronze coin of the Roman Empire, showing a right-facing portrait head on the obverse and a figure or heraldic design on the reverse.
AncientGold Guinea
English gold coin of the Guinea denomination; the example shown bears the right-facing bust of Charles II with a crowned cruciform shield reverse dated 1668.
World CoinsEisenhower Dollar
Large U.S. dollar coin struck 1971–1978 with Eisenhower's profile and an eagle landing on the Moon, most circulation issues in copper-nickel clad.
DollarSomalia 1 Rupia
Silver 1 Rupia of Italian Somaliland, showing King Victor Emmanuel III facing right and a crowned heraldic reverse within a wreath.
WorldDenarius of Trajan
Silver denarius of the emperor Trajan (98–117 AD), showing his laureate bust and, on this piece, Libertas standing with patera and rod.
AncientDenarius of Otho
Silver denarius of the emperor Otho, struck at Rome during his brief AD 69 reign, showing his bare head right with the legend IMP OTHO CAESAR.
AncientCanadian Ten Cents
Small silver Canadian dime with the Bluenose schooner reverse and an early Queen Elizabeth II portrait; the pictured coin is dated 1955.
Canadian & ProvincialGold Dinar of Abu'l-Qasim Unujur
An Ikhshidid gold dinar of Abu'l-Qasim Unujur, dated AH 337, with purely calligraphic Arabic legends inside ornamental borders on both faces.
Islamic (Medieval)Abbasid Copper Fals
A hand-struck Abbasid copper fals dated AH 219 (834–835 CE), covered entirely in linear Arabic inscriptions with no portrait or figural imagery.
Islamic (Medieval)Abbasid Silver Dirham
A thin, broad Islamic silver coin of the Abbasid Caliphate, covered edge to edge with concentric Kufic Arabic inscriptions and dated AH 132 (AD 749–750).
IslamicEnglish Shilling
English silver shilling of William III, showing his right-facing laureate bust and a crowned cruciform-shield reverse; this example is dated 1692.
World CoinSpade Guinea
A late George III gold guinea named for the distinctive spade-shaped shield on its reverse, struck in England from 1787 into the early 1800s.
Milled1 Pahlavi Gold Coin
A gold coin of Pahlavi-era Iran, with Persian text and a crowned royal emblem on one side and the Lion and Sun within laurel wreaths on the other.
Persia / IranCeltic Gold Quarter Stater
A small Iron Age gold coin struck by the Celtic peoples of ancient Britain, valued at one-quarter of a full stater and marked by abstract, geometric designs.
AncientSestertius of Caligula
Large Roman imperial bronze sestertius bearing the head of Gaius, better known as Caligula, struck during his short reign from 37 to 41 AD.
Ancient Coins2 Kroner
A Danish silver 2 Kroner dated 1875, the first year of the krone, showing the crowned Danish coat of arms and the denomination 2 KRONER.
ModernMaundy Money Threepence
A tiny sterling-silver British threepence; the 1687 James II example shows a crowned bust and a crowned Roman numeral III on the reverse.
MaundyBrutus Aureus
The gold aureus of Marcus Junius Brutus, struck 42 BC, whose reverse celebrates Caesar's assassination with EID MAR, a cap of liberty, and two daggers.
AncientGold Toman of Ahmad Shah Qajar
A Qajar-era gold toman bearing the portrait bust and tall headdress of Ahmad Shah, with Persian legends, date and mint, and a wreathed calligraphic reverse.
Persia / IranSestertius of Nero (Port of Ostia)
A large brass sestertius of the emperor Nero (54–68 AD) showing his portrait on one side and a bird's-eye view of the harbour at Ostia on the other.
AncientMaundy Money Twopence
A tiny sterling-silver British twopence with a crowned Roman numeral II reverse; this example bears the profile of King James II, dated 1687.
Maundy