Coin Encyclopedia
Search and identify coins from around the world — with country, denomination, metal, mint, history, and how to tell them apart.
Library of Congress Bicentennial Silver Dollar
A 2000 U.S. silver dollar honoring the 200th anniversary of the Library of Congress, with a 'We the People' quill-and-scroll obverse and the Library facade on the reverse.
Modern Commemorative
Columbian Exposition Half Dollar
The first U.S. commemorative half dollar, issued for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition with Christopher Columbus on the obverse and his three ships on the reverse.
Classic Commemorative
Draped Bust Quarter
The first United States quarter dollar, struck in silver with a draped Liberty and border stars on the obverse and an eagle reverse; the type began in 1796.
Quarter
Westward Journey Nickel
A 2004 Jefferson nickel from the Westward Journey series, showing the Lewis & Clark keelboat under sail on the reverse to mark the expedition's bicentennial.
Nickel Five Cent
Capped Head Quarter Eagle
A rare early U.S. $2.50 gold coin struck 1821–1834, showing a left-facing capped Liberty head amid stars and a heraldic eagle with shield and E PLURIBUS UNUM.
United States
Clark & Co Territorial Gold Half Eagle
An 1860 privately struck $5 gold piece from Clark, Gruber & Co. of Denver, coined from Pikes Peak gold during the Colorado gold rush.
Half Eagle
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
Denarius of the Pompeia Family
Silver Roman Republican denarius of the Pompeia family, with a male portrait head and a Victory driving a chariot on the reverse.
Ancient
Siliqua of Gratian
A small late Roman silver siliqua of the emperor Gratian (AD 367-383), with his diademed bust on the obverse and a standing figure or personification on the reverse.
Ancient
Antoninianus of Otacilia Severa
Roman double-denarius of the empress Otacilia Severa, wife of Philip I (246-248 AD), with her draped bust and a standing personification on the reverse.
Ancient
Sestertius of Hadrian
Large Roman bronze sestertius of Emperor Hadrian, showing his bearded curly-haired profile and a standing draped figure with a Latin legend on the reverse.
Ancient Coins
Denarius of Cordius
Roman Republican silver denarius struck by the moneyer Manius Cordius Rufus, with a right-facing head on the obverse and a standing figure and CORDIVS legend on the reverse.
Ancient
English 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 Coin
Sixpence of James I
A hammered silver sixpence of James I of England: crowned profile bust with VI value mark, and a dated garnished shield over a cross on the reverse.
Hammered
New Zealand Waitangi Crown
New Zealand's first and rarest crown, a 1935 silver five-shilling piece with a crowned George V obverse and the Treaty of Waitangi handshake reverse.
New Zealand
British Brass Threepence
Chunky twelve-sided nickel-brass threepence of George VI, showing his head and a thrift plant reverse; the example shown is dated 1942.
British Isles
Bank of Upper Canada One Penny Token
Copper penny token of the Bank of Upper Canada showing St. George slaying the dragon, with a crowned royal-arms reverse; this example dated 1854.
Canadian & Provincial
Spade 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.
Milled
Half Crown of William IV
A milled British silver half crown of King William IV, with the king's bare head facing right and a crowned royal shield of arms on the reverse.
Milled
Crown of George IV
A milled silver crown of George IV, with a laureate head facing left and Pistrucci's St George and the dragon on the reverse; the photographed piece is dated 1822.
Milled
Crown of George III (Incorrupta)
A milled crown of George III dated 1817, named for its INCORRUPTA reverse legend, showing a laureate draped bust and crowned royal arms.
Milled
Gold 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 / Iran
Westward Journey Nickel - Lewis and Clark Keelboat
A 2004 Jefferson five-cent piece from the Westward Journey series, its reverse showing the keelboat that carried the Lewis and Clark expedition upriver.
Nickel
Flowing Hair Large Cent
An early U.S. copper cent showing Liberty with flowing hair and a liberty cap, ONE CENT in a wreath on the reverse; the photographed piece is dated 1794.
Large Cent