Coin Encyclopedia
Search and identify coins from around the world — with country, denomination, metal, mint, history, and how to tell them apart.
1921 Peace Dollar (High Relief)
The debut issue of the Peace dollar, struck in dramatic high relief that proved difficult to mint, commemorating peace after World War I.
United States
1913 Barber Half Dollar
A recognized key date of the Barber half dollar series, with a Philadelphia mintage far lower than most other years, making it prized by series collectors.
United States
1870 Victoria Twenty-Five Cents
The first twenty-five-cent coin struck for the newly formed Dominion of Canada, issued in 1870 to replace the earlier, often-confused 1858 twenty-cent piece.
Canadian
Cook Islands Colored Silver Coins
A broad category of colorful commemorative silver coins issued under the sovereignty of the Cook Islands, covering religious, historical, and pop-culture themes aimed at collectors worldwide.
Africa & Oceania
Japanese Bunkyu Eiho (cash coin)
A late Edo-period Japanese cash coin worth 4 mon, larger than the common Kan'ei Tsūhō, issued in the final years of the Tokugawa Shogunate to help ease chronic small-coin shortages.
Asian
Chinese Song Dynasty Cash Coin
A round bronze coin with a square center hole issued during China's Song Dynasty, among the most massively produced and commonly collected pre-modern Chinese coin types.
Asian
Chinese Spade Money (Bu Coin)
An early Chinese bronze currency shaped like a miniature farming spade, used across several competing Zhou-era states before round coinage became standardized.
Asian
Napoleon 20 Franc Gold Coin
A historic French gold coin first struck under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803, later issued under successive French governments and long used as a benchmark gold coin across Europe.
European
1948 Franklin Half Dollar
The debut year of the Franklin half dollar, featuring Benjamin Franklin's portrait and the Liberty Bell, designed by Mint engraver John R. Sinnock.
United States
1921 Walking Liberty Half Dollar
The three 1921 mintmark varieties are the acknowledged key dates of the Walking Liberty half dollar series, each struck in unusually small numbers.
United States
1938-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar
A low-mintage Denver issue widely regarded as the key date of the later Walking Liberty half dollar run, second in scarcity only to the 1921 dates.
United States
Isle of Man Angel Gold Coin
The Isle of Man Angel is a modern gold bullion coin series depicting the archangel Michael slaying a dragon, struck by the Pobjoy Mint under license from the Isle of Man government since the 1980s.
Bullion
2000 Sydney Olympics Coin Series
The Royal Australian Mint issued one of the largest circulating commemorative coin programs ever produced for a single Olympics, featuring numerous $5 designs alongside premium silver and gold proof coins for the Sydney 2000 Games.
Commemorative
Japanese Nishu-kin (gold coin)
Small rectangular gold coin from Tokugawa Japan valued at two shu, or one-eighth of a ryo, part of a fractional gold denomination system unique to Edo-period currency.
Asian
1949-S Franklin Half Dollar
A relatively low-mintage San Francisco Franklin half often cited among the tougher dates of the series, especially with a full, sharp strike.
United States
1965 Kennedy Half Dollar (40% silver)
A transitional Kennedy half dollar struck with reduced 40% silver content after the Coinage Act of 1965 eliminated silver from dimes and quarters, honoring the assassinated president.
United States
1878 Morgan Dollar (8 Tail Feathers)
The first-year Morgan dollar variety showing the eagle with eight tail feathers, quickly replaced mid-year by the standard seven-feather design.
United States
Hong Kong Dollar (1866–1868 Silver Dollar)
A short-lived silver dollar struck at Britain's ill-fated Hong Kong Mint, bearing Queen Victoria's portrait and intended to compete with Mexican and Chinese silver in Asian trade.
Asian
1888/7 Morgan Dollar Overdate
A collector-recognized overdate die variety of the 1888 Morgan silver dollar, cataloged among the VAM series of Morgan dollar die varieties for specialists to pursue.
Errors & Varieties
British India Silver Rupee (Victoria Empress)
Silver rupee of British India struck under Queen Victoria as Empress of India, the workhorse coin of the Raj's monetary system from 1877 to 1901.
Asian
1795 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar
One of the earliest United States silver dollars, sharing the Flowing Hair design introduced in 1794 and struck in two collectible leaf-count varieties.
United States
Hong Kong Silver Dollar (1866–1868, Victoria)
A short-lived silver dollar struck at Britain's ill-fated Hong Kong Mint, bearing a young portrait of Queen Victoria; the mint closed within two years.
Asian
1971-S Eisenhower Silver Dollar (Blue Ike)
A 40% silver uncirculated Eisenhower dollar from San Francisco, nicknamed the Blue Ike for the blue-tinted envelope the U.S. Mint used to package it for collectors.
United States
South African Mandela R5 Coin
South African circulating commemorative five-rand coin honoring Nelson Mandela, first issued for his 90th birthday in 2008 and again for his birth centenary in 2018.
Commemorative