Coin Encyclopedia
Search and identify coins from around the world — with country, denomination, metal, mint, history, and how to tell them apart.
Gold Sovereign
The British gold sovereign: a one-pound gold coin. This 1817 George III example shows a laureate bust and a crowned heraldic shield of the royal arms.
World
Roman Sestertius (Uncertain Emperor)
A large Roman imperial sestertius in bronze or orichalcum, heavily patinated with a bearded emperor's portrait and a reverse too worn to identify.
Ancient
Roman As/Dupondius (Uncertain)
An uncertain Roman bronze As or Dupondius: a double-faced Janus head on one side and a ship (galley/prow) with ROMA below on the other.
Ancient
Vienna Philharmonic (Gold)
Austria's flagship gold bullion coin, struck in 99.99% fine gold by the Austrian Mint and themed around the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra.
Bullion
Miliarensis of Constantius II
A late Roman silver miliarensis of Emperor Constantius II (AD 327–361), showing his diademed portrait and a standing reverse figure.
Ancient
2 Koruny
A circulating Czech Republic coin introduced in 1993, known by its eleven-sided shape, the Czech heraldic lion, and a Great Moravian jewel motif beside 2 Kč.
Modern
Tanzania 100 Shillings
A golden brass Tanzanian coin worth 100 shillings, showing a lively scene of running antelope with the Swahili legend SHILINGI MIA MOJA.
World
Kai Yuan Tong Bao
A Tang-dynasty Chinese bronze cash coin with the four seal-script characters Kai Yuan Tong Bao around a central square hole.
Cash Coin
Indonesia 100 Rupiah
A modern lightweight aluminium 100 Rupiah of Indonesia, carrying the Garuda Pancasila national emblem, the BANK INDONESIA legend and the 100 denomination.
Southeast Asia
Trinidad and Tobago 10 Cents
A copper-nickel 10-cent coin of Trinidad and Tobago: the national coat of arms on the obverse and the denomination on the reverse.
Circulation
Aureus of Nero
Roman imperial gold aureus of Emperor Nero (54-68 AD), showing his curly-haired portrait facing right with a Latin imperial legend.
Ancient Coins
Nigeria 1 Naira
Nigeria's copper-nickel 1 Naira showing the nationalist Herbert Macaulay on the obverse and the national coat of arms on the reverse.
World
Gambia 1 Dalasi
A distinctive octagonal copper-nickel coin of The Gambia, showing the national coat of arms and the bold value 1 Dalasi dated 1998.
World
Keicho Oban
A large, thin oval Japanese gold oban of the Keicho era, hammer-marked with horizontal striations and bearing brush-inked ink signatures and paulownia crests.
Historic
Capped Head Half Eagle
A U.S. five-dollar gold coin struck 1813–1834, showing a left-facing capped Liberty with stars and a heraldic eagle bearing a shield and E PLURIBUS UNUM.
United States
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.
Ancient
Brutus 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.
Ancient
25 Pesetas (Franco)
Spain's common Franco-era 25 pesetas, a silvery copper-nickel coin bearing the national coat of arms and the value 25; dated 1957 but struck into the 1970s.
Modern
Kenya 1 Shilling
A circulating one-shilling coin of the Republic of Kenya bearing President Jomo Kenyatta on the obverse and the Kenyan coat of arms on the reverse.
World
Solidus of Justinian I
Byzantine gold solidus of Emperor Justinian I (527-565 AD), showing his crowned imperial bust with a seated figure on the reverse.
Ancient Coins
Tanzania 500 Shillings
A modern base-metal circulating coin of Tanzania carrying a right-facing portrait long associated with the nation's founding president and a Kiswahili legend.
World
Indonesia 5 Rupiah
A lightweight aluminum 5-rupiah coin of the Republic of Indonesia dated 2003, carrying the Garuda eagle emblem and the legend Bank Indonesia.
Southeast Asia
Denarius of Commodus
A silver denarius of the Roman emperor Commodus (180–192 AD), with his laureate bearded portrait and a standing deity or personification on the reverse.
Ancient
British Half Sovereign
A small 22-carat British gold coin worth ten shillings; the pictured example shows Queen Victoria's left-facing Young Head portrait, dated 1863.
British