Coin Encyclopedia
Search and identify coins from around the world — with country, denomination, metal, mint, history, and how to tell them apart.
French Semeuse 50 Centimes
A small French silver coin showing the striding Semeuse (Sower) with a liberty cap; the reverse frames the value 50 CENTIMES in an oak-and-olive wreath.
CirculationMaundy 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.
MaundyShilling of George II
A milled silver shilling of George II, with a left-facing bust reading GEORGIVS II DEI GRATIA and a crowned cruciform-shields reverse; this one is a 1736 roses and plumes issue.
MilledPenny of Offa
Thin silver penny of King Offa of Mercia, showing a portrait or name inscription and a cross with geometric ornament on the reverse.
Medieval CoinsFlowing Hair Dollar
The first U.S. silver dollar, struck 1794–1795, with a right-facing Liberty whose hair flows loose amid stars and a small spread-wing eagle reverse.
DollarShah Jahan Half Rupee
Silver half rupee of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, dated AH 1055, carrying Persian-script inscriptions and ornamental borders instead of any portrait.
Mughal IndiaTrade Dollar
U.S. 90% silver dollar struck 1873–1885 for trade with Asia, showing a seated Liberty facing the sea and an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch.
DollarDirham of Caliph al-Mansur
An Abbasid silver dirham dated AH 150 (767 CE), from the reign of Caliph al-Mansur, bearing purely Arabic religious inscriptions and a named mint.
Islamic (Medieval)Vespasian Judaea Capta Denarius
Silver denarius of Emperor Vespasian (71–79 AD) with his laureate bust and a Judaea Capta reverse showing a mourning seated captive.
AncientAncient Hellenistic Tetradrachm
A large Hellenistic silver tetradrachm with a bearded, curly-haired head on the obverse and an eagle standing on a thunderbolt on the reverse.
AncientAlexander the Great Tetradrachm
Silver tetradrachm of Alexander III of Macedon with the head of Heracles in a lion skin and an enthroned deity holding an eagle on the reverse.
AncientSixpence 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.
HammeredBermuda Crown
Bermuda's 1959 silver Crown: Queen Elizabeth II in profile on the obverse, two sailing ships above the island group on the reverse.
CommemorativeShilling of Victoria
A milled sterling-silver British shilling of Queen Victoria, worth twelvepence, with the queen's head on the obverse and a crowned 'ONE SHILLING' reverse.
MilledPhilippines One Peso
A silver peso struck for the U.S.-administered Philippine Islands, with a standing Liberty and torch and an eagle-over-shield reverse naming the United States.
Southeast AsiaEdward III Groat
Hammered silver fourpence of King Edward III, showing a crowned bust of the king and a long cross with pellets in the quarters.
Medieval CoinsPhilippines 10 Centavos
A small silver 10 centavos of the American-era Philippines: a standing Liberty figure and Mayon volcano on one side, the U.S. eagle and shield on the other.
Southeast AsiaDraped Bust Half Dime
An early U.S. silver five-cent piece showing a draped bust of Liberty ringed by stars; the tiny half dime was struck 1796–1805.
Half DimeAntiochos the Child Tetradrachm
Silver Seleucid tetradrachm, c. 175 BC, with a young diademed head and a martial reverse figure with spear and shield.
AncientDenarius of Vespasian
Silver denarius struck under the emperor Vespasian (AD 69-79), founder of the Flavian dynasty, with his laureate portrait on the obverse.
AncientDenarius of Nerva
Roman Imperial silver denarius of Emperor Nerva (96-98 AD), with his laureate portrait and the legend IMP NERVA CAES AVG, and a seated Concordia reverse.
AncientDenarius of Octavian and Caesar
A Roman Imperatorial silver denarius pairing the young Octavian with his adoptive father Julius Caesar, struck around 43–42 BC.
AncientFrench Semeuse 1 Franc
France's classic silver 1 franc showing the Semeuse (Sower) with a liberty cap, backed by an oak-and-olive wreath around the value; this example is dated 1916.
CirculationEcu of Louis XIV
A large silver crown of Louis XIV, the Sun King, showing his laureate or wigged bust facing left and a crowned French shield of fleur-de-lis, dated 1693.
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