How to find out which country a coin is from. CHR Mobile Review: Coin Definition. Definition of European coins

European coins

Asian coins

African coins

American coins

If the inscriptions on coins are in Latin script, then the names of countries and denominations can be determined relatively easily. But if the coins contain only hieroglyphs, Arabic inscriptions or some other types of non-European writing, then identifying such coins becomes difficult or even almost impossible. Some novice collectors cannot even determine where such a coin is top and bottom. And yet, even without knowing oriental languages ​​at all, you can quite accurately identify coins, since the coins of each country have their own characteristic design features. Knowledge of these features will help you identify coins almost accurately and understand them more or less freely.

Below we will talk about the characteristic features of coins from different countries, with the help of which you can identify foreign coins even if images of these coins are not shown in illustrated tables. This is not a list of world coins, but tells how to identify coins, what to look for the key to identifying coins of certain countries.

It should be noted that we will only talk about coins minted over the last 100-150 years. To identify ancient coins - oriental, ancient, medieval, it is better to use specialized catalogs, the help of specialists, museum workers or experienced numismatists.

Definition of European coins

Let's start looking at the signs that help us understand coins with the coins of European countries. We will list the countries in alphabetical order. Moreover, in some cases, not only currently existing states will be mentioned, but also some of those that are not currently on the world map, since coins of these countries are still often found in collections. Such states include, for example, Austria-Hungary, which broke up after the First World War into a number of independent states.

Many small Austro-Hungarian coins do not have inscriptions by which one could determine what kind of country it is. But they do have coats of arms that are characteristic only of Austria-Hungary (Table I, 1-2). Silver Austro-Hungarian coins can be unmistakably identified by the name of the monarch depicted on them - Franz Joseph I (vol. I, 3).

The current Austrian Republican coins have a very varied design, but all of them, without exception, bear the inscription “Republik Osterreich”, and many depict an eagle (Vol. I, 4-6).

Hungarian coins are quite varied in their design, but they are also very easy to identify, since they all contain the name of the country. From 1918 to 1945 there was the inscription “Magyar Kiralysag” (vol. I, 7), from 1946 - “Magyar Allami” (vol. I, 8) and “Magyar Koztarsasag”, and in 1953 - “Magyar Nepkoztarsasag” (vol. . I, 9), which means the Hungarian People's Republic.

In identifying Albanian coins, which are very diverse in their design, the words “Shqipni” or “Shqiperi” (as Albanians call their country) will be decisive. On later issues, which, by the way, were no longer so diverse, in addition to the word “Shqipni”, you can also read the word “Albania” (vol. I, 10-12).

On the coins of England you cannot find inscriptions identifying the name of the country (only some old coins had the inscription “Brittania”), but it is not difficult to identify them if you know the features of their design. On all English coins, without exception, there is an image of a king or queen with an inscription around this image, made not in English, but in Latin (vol. I, 13-20). This inscription gives the name of the king (or queen) and his long title. Coins of the English colonies and dominions also have images of English kings, but on such coins, as a rule, the inscriptions are made in English. In addition, they have (with rare exceptions) clear indications of where, in what territory these coins were circulated: on Canadian coins it is written “Canada”, on Australian coins - “Australia”, on coins of Southern Rhodesia - “Southern Rhodesia” and etc. Thus, if we have coins with the image of an English king (or queen), and without indicating the country, it is almost certainly an English coin.

The reverse sides of English coins are varied. Birds, sailing ships, flowers are depicted here, but most often you can find a coat of arms or a symbolic female figure - Britannia, “Mistress of the Seas”. She is depicted in ancient clothing, wearing the helmet of Athena, with a shield and the trident of Neptune, the ancient Roman god of the seas.

In England, it is not the decimal monetary system that is adopted, but a much more complex one. One shilling is made up of twelve pence, each of which is made up of four farthings. Two shillings make a florin, 5 shillings a crown, 20 shillings a pound. Currently in England the largest metal coin is the crown.

When identifying old English coins, do not be confused by the lack of denomination on them. Since the system was not decimal, coins of different denominations were quite easily distinguished in size - a penny could hardly be confused with a halfpenny coin or a farthing.

All Belgian coins have clear and distinct inscriptions, by which they can be unmistakably identified. They either say “Kingdom of Belgium” or, for example, “Leopold I, King of Belgium” (the king’s name, of course, can be different). On Belgian coins, all inscriptions are either French or Flemish. Sometimes on one coin there are inscriptions in both languages ​​(vol. I, 21-24).

Bulgarian coins are easily identified by the Slavic font. The word “Bulgaria” is easily read on them (vol. I, 25-27).

Until 1945, all German coins bore the inscription "Deutsches Reich".

The Kaiser's silver coins in denominations of 2, 3 and 5 marks were distinguished by great variety. On the front side they depicted various princes, dukes and other monarchs of those lands and principalities that were part of the German Empire. There were many dozens of varieties of these coins, but all their reverse sides were exactly the same: they depicted the state emblem of the empire - a single-headed eagle (vol. II, 1, 2). Small coins had the image of a characteristic eagle on one side, and the name of the country, denomination and year of issue on the other.

During the First World War, in individual cities and states of Germany, numerous “Kriegsgeld”, “Notgeld” and “Ersatgeld” (that is, “war money”, “temporary money”, “money substitutes”) circulated. They were distinguished by a wide variety of design and were made of iron, zinc, aluminum or dark, cheap alloys, Saxony even issued coins made of porcelain.

On all German coins from the time of the Republic (1918-1933) you can read the name “Deutsches Reich” (vol. II, 3).

On West German coins until 1950 there was the inscription “BANK DEUTSCHER LANDER”; since 1950 on German coins it has been written “BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND” (vol. II, 4).

On the coins of the GDR it is written “DEUTSCHLAND” or “DEUTSCHE DEMOKRATISCHE REPUBLIK” (vol. II, 5,6).

Among the inscriptions on the coins of Greece you can find the word “ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ”, that is, Greece, or “ΕΛΛΗΝΣΝ” (this word is in the inscription meaning “King of the Hellenes,” that is, the Greeks) (vol. II, 7, 8). Although Greek coins use a rather distinctive script, it is not, however, an exclusive feature. The same font is found on the coins of the Ionian Islands and on the coins of Crete, but they respectively have the inscriptions: “IONIKON KPATOΣ” or “KPHTIKH POLITEIA”.

“GUERNESEY” and “JERSEY” are inscriptions on the coins of the islands of Guernsey (vol. II, 9) and Jersey (vol. II, 10), belonging to England.

The word "DANMARK" stands for "Denmark" (Vol. II, 11, 12), and can be found on any Danish coin. The word "DANZIG" was written on the coins of Danzig.

When identifying the coins of Iceland, one should focus on the type of coin as a whole (Vol. II, 13), remembering that the word “ISLAND”, denoting the name of this country, is found not only on Icelandic coins. In English, “ISLAND” means “island”, and you can find this word, for example, on coins of the island of Sumatra (ISLAND OF SUMATRA), Prince Edward Island (PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND). The coins of Spain (vol. II, 14, 15), Italy (vol. II, 16-18), Luxembourg (vol. II, 19, 20), Monaco (vol. II, 21), the Netherlands (vol. II, 22, 23), Norway (vol. II, 24, 25), Poland (vol. II, 26, 27), Portugal (vol. II, 28, 29), Romania (vol. II, 30, 31 ), San Marino (vol. II, 32), France (vol. II, 37, 38 and vol. III, 1-3). On all these coins, the names of the countries are written in Latin script.

Some Finnish coins bear the inscription "SUOMEN TASAVALTA", but most coins do not have this inscription. A characteristic feature therefore will be either an image of a lion, such as in the figure (vol. II, 33-36), or the name of monetary units in Finnish (“PENNIA” or “MARKKA A”). The coins of Czechoslovakia are also easily identified (vol. III, 4-7). In addition to the fact that each coin must indicate the name of the country, they also must depict a lion.

During the Nazi occupation, the territory of Czechoslovakia was divided into two parts - the “protectorate” of the Czech Republic and Moravia and the puppet state of Slovakia. The inscriptions on the coins of these times: “CECHY AMORAVA”, “SLOVENSKA REPUBLIKA”.

On Swiss coins it is written "HELVETIA" or "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA" (Vol. III, 8, 9). Helvetia is the ancient name for Switzerland.

All Swedish coins bear the name of the country “SVERIGE” (vol. III, 10, 11), therefore, despite the wide variety of types, it is not difficult to identify them.

The reverse sides of Eire coins depict various animals (woodcock, pig, horse, etc.). The obverse sides are all the same: they show a harp - the coat of arms of that country - and indicate the name of the country (“SAORSTAT EIREANN” or “EIRE”) (Vol. III, 13-14). Old Irish coins had the English kings on the obverse and the country's coat of arms on the reverse (Vol. III, 12).

Before the First World War, part of the territory of present-day Yugoslavia was part of Austria-Hungary, but in most of it there were two independent states - Serbia and Montenegro. Each of these states had its own coin (vol. III, 15, 16). After 1918, a kingdom was formed that lasted until 1945. At first it was called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (on the coins after the name of the king there was the inscription “Kralj Srba, Hrvata and Slovenac” (vol. III, 17). Since 1929, the name Yugoslavia has been adopted (vol. III, 18). Since 1945 Yugoslavia is a people's republic. The font on Yugoslav coins can be Slavic or Latin, these fonts alternate on coins of different denominations. One dinar, for example, is decorated in Latin script, 2 in Slavic, and 5 in Latin again (Vol. III, 19).

Definition of Asian coins

When identifying coins from many Asian countries, characteristic external features acquire special significance, since on most of these coins the inscriptions turn out to be completely inaccessible to the average collector.

A characteristic feature of the vast majority of Afghan coins is the image of a throne - the central part of the Afghan coat of arms. Since there were quite a few different issues of Afghan coins, the design of the throne is not the same everywhere, but whatever it is, it unmistakably indicates that this coin is Afghan (vol. III, 20-23).

All Burmese coins depict fabulous creatures - Chintya. On old coins there are also images of a peacock with a spreading tail (vol. III, 24-26).

The two most common types of Yemeni coins are shown in Figures 27 and 28 (Vol. III). Indian coins before 1947 also had images of English kings on the obverse. Republican Indian coins differ from the previous ones quite significantly (vol. III, 33-36). Now 1 Indian rupee contains 100 paisa, but earlier it consisted of 16 ani, and 1 anna consisted of 12 paisa. On all Indian coins, without exception, the name of the country is written in English, that is, in Latin script, so identifying Indian coins is no more difficult than identifying European coins.

Until 1947, individual Indian states minted their own coins. However, they represent such a vast field of collecting that there is no way to even touch on it now. As an example, only a few of the most characteristic coins are given.

Based on the inscriptions in Latin script, the coins of French Indochina until 1946, and then Vietnam (vol. IV, 3), Cambodia (vol. IV, 4) and Laos (vol. IV, 5) are easily identified.

On the coins of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam there is an image of President Ho Chi Minh. South Vietnamese coins feature three female heads. The obverse of Iraqi republican coins features the national coat of arms. Until 1958, Iraqi coins bore images of kings. The pictures show the reverse sides of the royal coins. All of them were of the same type (vol. IV, 6, 7). New Iraqi coins, from the smallest to the largest, are designed exactly the same. Only 1 fils is polygonal, while 5 and 10 fils have wavy edges (vol. IV, 8, 9).

Iranian coins usually depict the sun or a lion holding a saber, from behind whose back the sun rises (vol. IV, 10, 11).

On the coins of Jordan, in addition to Arabic inscriptions, there are also English ones, so identifying these coins is no more difficult than European ones (vol. IV, 12). In addition, all Jordanian coins from 1 to 100 fillets are completely the same type and differ from each other, in addition to different numbers that determine the denomination, only in diameter and metal (1, 5 and 10 fillets are bronze, 20, 50 and 100 are nickel).

The obverse sides of Israeli coins are designed differently, but all the reverse sides (that is, the sides where the denomination is indicated) have only two design options, so they can be the characteristic feature that will help to accurately recognize the coins of this country. A characteristic feature of Israeli coins can also be a font that is not found on any other coins (vol. III, 29-31).

On former Palestinian coins (English Protectorate) the name of the country was given in Arabic, English and Hebrew (Vol. III, 32).

On all Indonesian coins the name of the country is written in Latin letters (vol. IV, 1, 2). Before the liberation of this country, its name, given by the colonialists, was written in the same letters - Netherlands Indies.

Special consideration should be given to the coins of China. Very characteristic of old Chinese coins are bronze coins with square holes in the center. Such a coin is called qian, choh or cash. Coins of this type have been minted for many centuries not only in China, but also in Korea and Japan. It is, of course, possible to determine when such a coin was issued and where it circulated only by analyzing the meaning of the hieroglyphs on it. An external feature of Chinese coins of this type may be the presence of Manchu inscriptions on the reverse side (vol. IV, 13). There are no such inscriptions on Korean or Japanese coins. Other Chinese coins from imperial times are distinguished by a very large variety, caused by the fact that coins were minted not only at the Central Mint, but also in the provinces. Each province indicated its name on the coins. However, the general composition of the design of old Chinese coins is approximately the same - one side is covered with hieroglyphs arranged in a special way, characteristic only of Chinese coins, the other side has an image of a dragon, and around it there are inscriptions in English: at the top is the name of the province, at the bottom is the denomination (Vol. IV , 14).

Since 1906, all provinces began to issue copper coins of the same type, and only in the center in a small circle they placed a hieroglyph, which indicated for which province a given coin was issued (vol. IV, 15).

After the establishment of a bourgeois republic in China in 1911, coins continued to be minted not only in the center, but also in the provinces. But during this period, new designs appeared on Chinese coins. Especially often you can see the image of multi-pointed stars or crossed flags. On some, in addition, the name of the country or province was given not only in Chinese, but also in English (“THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA”). Nickel coins from 1911 to 1948 typically depicted Sun Yat-sen. On the silver ones there is also Sun Yat-sen (several different versions), Yuan Shikai and other statesmen (vol. IV, 16-19).

In the 30s, in the Soviet regions of China, coins were minted with five-pointed stars and with the image of a hammer and sickle against the background of the globe (vol. IV, 20). Since 1955, aluminum coins have been minted in the People's Republic of China in denominations of 1, 2 and 5 fen (Vol. IV, 21).

Old Korean coins are very similar in design to Japanese ones. This is explained by the fact that Korea was essentially a colony of Japan for a long time. Externally, Korean coins differ from Japanese ones in that instead of a chrysanthemum, they depict a five-petal flower and the name of the monetary units is not the same as in Japan. There - yen and sen, and in Korea - mun, chon, fun, yang and won (MUN, CHON, FUN, YANG, WON). In addition, on Korean coins among the Japanese characters you can find Korean ones (vol. IV, 22).

There was no metal money in Korea for a very long time, and it was only in 1959 that aluminum coins in denominations of 1 were issued in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; 5 and 10 chon (vol. IV, 23).

South Korea also issued metal money. The name of the country is written on them in English (KOREA).

The definition of Far Eastern coins can be confused by the occasional occurrence of coins from puppet states created by Japan before the Second World War on the territory of what is now China. These "states" were called Manchukuo, Hebei and Inner Mongolia. If you do not know the characteristic features of the coins of these territories, then they can easily be confused with coins of China, Korea or Japan. It is not difficult to remember these signs, since there were relatively few types of coins from these “states”.

All Lebanese coins have inscriptions in both Arabic and French. A characteristic distinctive feature of these coins is the image of a Lebanese cedar (vol. IV, 24, 25).

The obverse sides of all coins of the Mongolian People's Republic dated 1926 and 1938 are the same. They depicted the state emblem of the MPR (vol. IV, 26). The series of identically designed coins issued in 1926 and 1938 differed from each other only in the material from which the coins were made, in size and in the most minor design details (compare vol. IV, 26 and vol. IV, 27). Thus, a series of coins in 1926 consisted of copper coins in denominations of 1, 2 and 5 mong and silver coins in denominations of 10, 15, 20 and 50 mong and 1 tugrik. 1, 2 and 5 mong from the 1938 series were made from yellow bronze, and the sizes of these coins were correspondingly reduced, and 10, 15 and 20 mong were made from nickel. 50 mong and 1 tugrik were no longer issued. Since 1946, the type of Mongolian coins has changed. The entire series from 1 to 20 mongs was designed in the same way (vol. IV, 28). Since 1959, all coins of the MPR have been minted from aluminum. 1, 2 and 5 mongs have a hole in the center, and 10, 15 and 20 are designed almost the same as the nickel coins of the previous issue (Vol. V, 1).

The coins of Moscata and Oman are different in shape, but they all have the same image (Vol. V, 2).

The coins of Nepal are very diverse in appearance. They are easily confused with Indian coins, since the Nepalese coins have the same script as the coins of many Indian states (Vol. V, 3-7). The design elements of Nepalese coins are, for example, tridents, specially shaped knives, feet, and hands. However, there are no permanent characteristic features of design; you may come across coins of Nepal that do not have any of the listed details. The latest issues of nickel rupees and 1/2 rupee have on the obverse a portrait of the king in a fez against the background of a five-pointed star.

The coins of Pakistan are easily identified by their inscriptions in English (Vol. V, 8-10).

Coins of Saudi Arabia are characterized by the image of crossed sabers and palm trees, but these images may not exist (vol. V, 11 - 13).

Syrian coins used to have the inscription in French “Etat de SYRIE”. The new coins of the Syrian Republic have only Arabic inscriptions. Their distinctive feature is the characteristic shape of an eagle (vol. V, 20-21).

The obverse of the Straits Settlements coins featured images of English kings. Since 1943, the territory's coins have been labeled "Malaya". Since 1954, Malaya and British Borneo began to have common coins. Inscriptions made in English make it easy to identify coins of this English possession.

The most typical images for Thai coins are shown in Figures 14-19 (vol. V). These images, of course, do not exhaust all types of Thai coins, but they can still be identified quite confidently by their unique font.

Tibetan coins are very diverse. One of the characteristic design elements of these coins is a stylized image of a lion. The ornaments are also unique. A characteristic feature of Tibetan coins can be a special font (vol. V, 22-23).

The old coins of Turkey, not only the Sultan’s, but also the early Republican ones, had only Arabic inscriptions, but there were not so many types of Turkish coins, so if you remember them, you can accurately identify these coins (Vol. V, 24-27) . It should be remembered that the tughra (a sign in which the name of the Sultan is inscribed) was placed not only on Turkish coins, but also on coins of a number of other Muslim countries, for example, on coins of Afghanistan, Pakistan, some Indian states, and Egypt. So, when identifying Turkish coins, one should focus on the type of coin as a whole, and not on individual details that are not something characteristic.

Since 1930, Turkish coins have acquired a completely “Europeanized” appearance, so identifying new Turkish coins has become relatively easy - on all coins you can now read “TORKIYE CUMHURIYETI” - “Republic of Turkey” and find the image of a crescent and a star (vol. V, 28, 29). The inscription will play a decisive role in identifying new Turkish coins, because the crescent with a star, as well as the tughra, can be found not only on Turkish coins.

Philippine coins on the obverse have images of a seated man or a standing woman with a hammer in her hand, an anvil and a volcano. Until 1946, that is, until the Philippines remained a colony of the United States, on these coins, in addition to the word “FILIPINAS”, there was also the inscription “UNITED STATES OF AMERIKA”. New Philippine coins do not have this inscription (Vol. V, 30, 31).

English kings used to be depicted on the coins of Ceylon. On the reverse sides was the name of the country (vol. V, 32). New Ceylon coins have a completely different design (Vol. V, 33).

A characteristic detail of the design of Japanese coins is a stylized image of a chrysanthemum flower or an image of the sun (vol. V, 34-36). These images can be found on the vast majority of Japanese coins, and only a few recent coins may not have them. But still, some signs can be found - they will be those three hieroglyphs that are depicted at the top of the coin (vol. V, 37).

Coins of the type familiar to us have been minted in Japan relatively recently - only since the 70s of the 19th century. Until this time, bronze coins with square holes in the center and silver coins in the form of rectangular bars were in circulation.

Definition of African coins

Until relatively recently, there were only two sovereign states in Africa - Abyssinia and Liberia. Now there are many of them. The number of independent countries is increasing, more and more countries are freeing themselves from the shackles of colonialism. Colonies such as British West Africa, French West and Equatorial Africa, Cameroon, Togo, Cyrenaica, Tripolitania, Madagascar, Italian Somalia and many others no longer exist. In their place new, now independent states arose.

Naturally, this phenomenon was reflected in the design of many coins of African countries - new symbols, images of elements more consistent with national traditions, portraits of local political figures rather than rulers of colonial powers appeared.

The coins of colonial countries, at least their obverse sides, usually differed little from the coins of the mother countries. They depicted either coats of arms, or portraits of kings, or other symbols representing the colonial powers. And only on the reverse side were the names of the territories for which certain coins were intended indicated, and some characteristic images (of course, from the point of view of the colonialists) for a given area were given, giving the coins an “exotic” look. All the inscriptions on such coins are, of course, European, that is, they are made in the language of the colonial state, and only in order to give the coins the same “exoticism” can you occasionally come across non-European inscriptions. Figure 9 shows the most typical coins of colonial countries.

Coins of new independent countries are born, naturally, not simultaneously with the creation of independent states. In the early days after gaining independence, young, not yet strong states have to make a lot of efforts to eliminate the consequences of the colonialists’ rule, that is, to solve much more important issues than replacing old banknotes with new ones. Therefore, very often in newly independent African countries, old-style coins that existed during the colonial regime circulate. Of course, this phenomenon is temporary.

In many of these countries, new coins have already appeared and are circulating. New money was issued in Libya (vol. VI, 15, 16), Somalia (vol. VI, 27), Sudan (vol. VI, 28), in the United Arab Republic (vol. VI, 10, 11), in the Republic of Guinea (vol. VI, 5, 6), Ghana (vol. VI, 3, 4), Mali and some other states. New coins also circulate in the states formed on the site of most of the former French colonies. However, all these countries are divided into three groups, each of which has its own type of coins. One sample of coins was adopted for the group of West African countries (vol. VI, 36), another for the group of Central countries (vol. VI, 37) and the third for the group of East African countries. The inscriptions on the new coins are also made in French, so identifying them is not difficult.

In general, on most coins of African countries, the inscriptions are made in Latin script in European languages, so identifying them is no more difficult than identifying European coins. Such easily identifiable coins, in addition to those mentioned above, include coins of Angola, British East Africa (Fig. 9 D), Liberia (vol. VI, 13, 14), Mauritius, Nigeria (vol. VI, 23), Rhodesia and Nyasaland ( vol. VI, 24, 25), Mozambique, Seychelles (vol. VI, 26), French Somalia (vol. VI, 34), Tunisia (vol. VI, 31), South Africa (vol. VI, 35 ), as well as former colonies - Algeria, Belgian Congo, British West Africa, Madagascar, French Equatorial and West Africa, Southern Rhodesia, the Union of South Africa and others.

Perhaps, such inscriptions on coins as “EMPIRE CHERIFIEN” and “SAVO VERDE” will also make it difficult for many. The first inscription - “Empire of Sheriffs” - is sometimes found on coins of Morocco, and the second - on coins of the Portuguese possession - the Cape Verde Islands. Abbreviations such as Z.A.R. can also be problematic. or D.O.A. Z.A.R. is an abbreviation of the words “ZUID AF-RIKAANSCHE REPUBLIK”. This inscription was on the coins of the Transvaal, a once sovereign state, subsequently conquered by the British (vol. VI, 29). Letters "D.O.A." (this is an abbreviation of the words “DEUTSCH OSTAFRIKA”) were placed on some coins of the former German colony. Coins that are difficult to identify, in addition to the coins of the countries already mentioned, also include coins of Abyssinia. A characteristic feature of Abyssinian coins is the image of a lion holding a banner in its paw of a special shape (vol. VI, 1). All of these coins have an image of the emperor on the obverse. In Abyssinia and in a number of other countries in Africa and Asia, the so-called Maria Theresa thalers circulated in large quantities. These thalers were first issued at the end of the 18th century, but they were minted in Austria-Hungary until 1914, and they were all dated to the same year - 1780.

Definition of American coins

Coins of American countries, without exception, have inscriptions made in Latin script in English, Spanish or Portuguese. (Rare exceptions are other languages, such as French on the coins of Haiti, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and some other territories, Dutch on the coins of Curacao, or Danish on the coins of the Danish West Indies and Greenland.)

On coins of the USA, Canada, Caribbean Federation, British Honduras, British Guiana, etc. etc. all inscriptions are made in English. In many countries located in a vast area that occupies part of North America, Central America and almost all of South America, as well as a number of islands in the Caribbean, the Spanish language dominates. The inscriptions on Brazilian coins are in Portuguese.

It is interesting to note that during the time of Spanish rule in the American countries subject to Spain, coins of exactly the same type were minted and circulated as in Spain. They differed from the Spanish ones only in small icons standing next to the denomination, to the left of it, and determining at which mint the given coin was minted. They were international currency and were called Spanish piastres (Fig. 10 A). Subsequently, countermarks were placed on many of these coins, thus converting Spanish piastres into coins of other countries - Chinese, Australian, English, Brazilian and others. One of these “re-coins” is shown in Figure B. This is a Spanish piastre (more precisely 8 reals, minted in Bolivia), with the help of a re-coin converted into Brazilian 960 flights.

The design of coins of American countries is generally very diverse. Very often there are images of women symbolizing “freedom”, or images of Phrygian caps - the so-called freedom caps. Eagles and five-pointed stars are also often depicted. Some coins of Latin American countries depict Bolivar, one of the leaders of the struggle for independence. There are also images of other famous people - Columbus, Balboa, Lincoln, Marti, Cuauhtemoc, Juarez, Morelos, Hidalgo and others. On the coins of the territories dependent on England (Canada, Newfoundland, the Caribbean Federation, Jamaica and others) English kings are depicted.

The names of countries, as a rule, appear on all American coins, so identifying them is a relatively simple matter. And it is the inscription, and not the type, that one should focus on when identifying these coins, since with their great diversity, the design features of the coins of a particular country are not clearly expressed. The following are the names of the countries of America, as they are usually written on coins, and the numbers of the images of the coins of the corresponding countries are indicated:

Argentina - Republica Argentina (vol. VII, 1,2).
Bolivia - Republica de Bolivia (vol. VII, 3). Brazil - Brasil (Fig. 2 and vol. VII, 4). British Guiana - British Guiana.
British Honduras - British Honduras. Venezuela - Estados unidos de Venezuela or Republica Venezuela (vol. VII, 5).
Haiti - Republique d "Haiti (vol. VII, 6). Guadeloupe - Guadeloupe.
Guatemala - Republica de Guatemala (vol. VII, 7).
Honduras - Republica de Honduras (vol. VII, 8).
Greenland - Gronlands Styrelse.
Dominican Republic - Republica Dominicana (vol. VII, 9).
Canada - Canada (vol. VII, 10, 11).
Caribbean Federation - British Caribbean Territories (vol. VII, 12).
Colombia - Republica de Colombia (vol. VII, 13).
Costa Rica - Republica de Costa-Rica (vol. VII, 14).
Cuba - Republica de Cuba (vol. VII, 15-17).
Curacao - Curacao.
Martinique - Martinique.
Mexico - Republica Mexicana or Esta-dos Unidos Mexicanos (vol. VII, 18-20).
Nicaragua - Republica de Nicaragua (vol. VII, 21).
Newfoundland - Newfoundland.
Panama - Republica de Panama.
Paraguay - Republica del Paraguay (vol. VII, 22).
Peru - Republica Peruana (vol. VII, 23). El Salvador - Republica del Salvador (vol. VII, 24).
Saint Pierre and Miquelon - Saint Pierre et Miquelon.
United States of America (vol. VII, 25-28).
Uruguay - Republica oriental del Uruguay (vol. VII, 29).
Chile - Republica de Chile (vol. VII, 30). Ecuador - Republica del Ecuador (vol. VII, 31).
Jamaica - Jamaica.

Due to the increasing interest in numismatics in the world, the number of counterfeit coins is also increasing exponentially. This is especially true for rare, ancient, expensive coins made of precious metals, but rare coin defects are also counterfeited.

Experienced numismatists say that after 2 years of active interest in numismatics, a collector, willy-nilly, begins to distinguish original coins from fakes. What might a novice numismatist need to determine the authenticity of coins and, in general, how to determine for himself whether it is a real rarity or a fake?

Authenticity Tools

It is very advisable for a beginning numismatist to have the following tools in his arsenal:

• Detailed catalog of coins with a full description of the specimens of interest to the collector and their high-quality color photographs. The catalog contains not only a description of the obverse and reverse, but also physical and chemical characteristics, such as the alloy of the coin, its weight, etc.
• Electronic balance necessary to determine the exact weight of the specimen under study and compare it with the weight indicated in the catalogue. There are known cases when coins made of gold and platinum were sawed in half and part of the precious metal was taken out from the middle. Then the cavity was filled with another metal or alloy and the two parts were connected so that it was simply impossible to notice the manipulations with the naked eye. But electronic scales always showed the difference between the catalog weight and the actual weight.
• Magnifying glass will help you study all the small details of the specimen being studied with its description and photograph in the catalog.
• Spectrometer. Such a device is extremely necessary when working with rare and expensive coins - the most counterfeited ones, by the way. It helps to determine the presence of impurities in the metal, thereby identifying the fake.

Initial assessment of coin authenticity

If you do not have the necessary tools at the time of purchase, and the coin seems very interesting from a collecting point of view, try to determine its authenticity in the following ways:

Sound

If you throw a coin on a flat, hard surface, the original copy will make a ringing, clear sound, while a counterfeit made from counterfeit metal will hit with a dull sound, unusual for coin alloys. By the way, the hydrostatic weighing method allows you to determine the composition of coins made of two-component alloys.

edge

Its edge can tell a lot about a coin, and it’s worth taking a closer look. The presence of suspicious grooves, horizontal seams, often carefully disguised, as well as a smooth, blunt edge indicate the dubious quality of the coin. Numismatists are often interested in such coin defects as “stamp rotation,” which counterfeiters readily counterfeit. And if the seller refuses to take a copy out of the capsule so that you can carefully examine the edge, it is worth considering whether this money is really genuine.

Reverse and obverse

Examine the details of the images on the reverse and obverse - fake copies often have small details missing or blurred, and there may also be small bubbles that are invisible without a magnifying glass.

Color and shine

The shine and color of the metal can also tell a lot about the money. Too bright a shine for a fairly old coin is a sign of excessive polishing. An artificial patina may be present, but only experts can determine its authenticity.

Visible damage

Chips, abrasions, and damage to the edge can tell about the composition of the metal from which the coin is made. Sometimes it is clearly visible that the coin is only coated with noble metal, and there is some inexpensive alloy inside. Of course, there are such coin defects as “metal mix-ups”, when copper coins, for example, were minted from brass by mistake, but this happened very rarely, possible defects are also recorded and described in catalogs, so always keep reference books at hand.

Bead condition

Pay attention to the condition of the collar. If it is not clearly defined, seems erased or too streamlined, this may be a sign that the coin was not minted, but simply cast.

Finalization of details

Counterfeiters also commit mechanical modifications to parts of the obverse or reverse. This is especially true for coins with many varieties, some of which are rarities. The process usually involves under-engraving, sawing off signs, soldering letters, etc.

Among the coins of modern Russia issued in 1997–2013, numismatists most highly value specimens from small batches, for example, minted during testing of equipment. Usually they are not officially put into circulation, but somehow they still seep into the wallets of citizens. In addition, coin collectors, like philatelists, value defective specimens. If you are lucky and, using our mini-directory, you discover a rarity, either look for buyers of rare coins using an Internet search engine, or put your find up for a numismatic auction. There are also plenty of links to such resources on the Internet.

50 kopecks 2001

Moscow Mint
Price: about 200 thousand rubles.
Only 2 copies are known. Numismatists are confident that no other coins from this batch exist. If you find the third one, consider yourself to have won the jackpot.

1 ruble 2001

Moscow Mint
Price: about 200 thousand rubles.
As in the case of 50 kopecks from 2001, only 2 copies are known, and experts believe that no others exist.

5 kopecks 2002 and 2003

Mint mark missing
Price: up to 300–500 rub.
These defective coins were released into circulation in small quantities due to an oversight. They are missing the mint mark on the obverse. There are few of them, and numismatists love rare series of coins.

5 rubles 1999

Price: about 250 thousand rubles.
The most expensive coin in Russia. There is only 1 authentic copy known. There are rumors that after its minting the form was destroyed, but perhaps this is a lie, and after some time other similar coins will appear on the market.

1 ruble, 2 rubles and 5 rubles 2003

St. Petersburg Mint
Price: up to 15 thousand rubles.
According to one version, these coins were minted for collection sets in 2003 in a limited edition of 15 thousand copies, and then for some reason the sets did not go on sale, and these coins ended up in circulation.

2 rubles 2001

Moscow Mint
Price: about 150 thousand rubles.
Our experts know of one such coin, found in a 2002 collection set. However, there are persistent rumors among Russian numismatists that other two-ruble coins from this batch also came into circulation.

Please note that the value of a coin greatly depends on its condition. The most expensive are the new and shiny ones, the cheapest are the ones that are worn out and run over by a tram. Pay attention to the mint mark on the back (obverse) of the coin - these are letters either under the front leg of the horse of St. George the Victorious, or under the left paw of a double-headed eagle.

I bet that you had no idea that there were SUCH unusual coins in the world))

Central Bank of the Russian Federation. A three-kilogram silver coin and a kilogram gold coin.

Canada has begun issuing a series of unusual coins.
They feature real dinosaur fossils processed using a special technology patented by the Canadian Mint. On the surface of the first moenta is carved the image of the skeleton of Duckbill Parasaurolophus. Each coin is individual.
Technical parameters of the coin: Canada, 2007, silver 9999, 1 ounce, proof, mintage 20,000 copies

Canadian coins with enamel.

Heroes of children's fairy tales, the Three Little Pigs and Sleeping Beauty became the themes of the Isle of Man coins

There is a new addition to the family of small gold coins with symbolic meaning. This time Palau releases the Shooting Star coin.
One dollar, gold 9999 0.5 grams, Diamond Uncirculated

This small (half gram) 9999 gold coin is sure to captivate. Its shape, in the form of a four-leaf clover, is supposed to attract good luck, just like the previously mentioned coin with a natural four-leaf clover leaf.

An amazing series of coins from Niue, dedicated to great artists. Real works of art! Silver 925, face value 1 dollar, year of issue 2007

Coin - illusion "Cat in the window", 4000 kwacha, Zambia 2001

Coin dedicated to the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. A visit to the USA is quite unusual. Not only is it uniquely shaped like a map of the USA, it is also adorned with Swarovski crystals in the colors of the American flag. Cook Islands, 2008, $5, 999 silver, 25 g, edition of 5000, gold plated, Swarovski crystals in the colors of the flag USA, proof

Coins in the shape of the Australian continent

Among the new products of the coming 2010, the world's first coin with a three-dimensional hologram already stands out.
The coin is called "Tender Love" with the main design theme of three roses with a holographic coating.

The theme of the coins is the 175th anniversary of the publication of the first book of fairy tales by the great Hans Christian Andersen.
Samoa, 2010, 10 dollars, 925 silver, 25 g, diameter 38.61 mm, proof, edition of 2500 copies,

Titanium two-color coins. The British Virgin Islands have issued coins that, in addition to using a high-tech and unusual material - titanium, use its two oxides - gold and blue. The coins have different colors on the reverse and obverse.

Coins with inserts of precious and semi-precious stones

Square coins of Turkey

Oval coins "Flowers of Turkey"

100 Austrian schillings. Silver 900, inlay - titanium

Chinese fan-shaped coins. Series "Chinese calendar", Gold, Silver 999

"Miss You" Coin. Silver, enamel, Swarovski crystal

Australia, 2006, silver coin with capsule containing miniature replicas of six coins that were the means of payment before the introduction of decimalization in Australia

The first coin from a series about the outstanding sculptures of the world with an insert of a miniature sculpture made of real marble

Coin with sound! "I'm proud to be a Berliner!" - when you press the button, the coin reproduces the historical phrase of John Kennedy.

Crystal Silver Coin

Cook Islands, for the 80th anniversary of Benedict XVI, 2007, denomination 5 dollars, silver 925, 25 g, gold plated - gold 999, Swarovski crystals

Coin in memory of John Paul II in the form of a cross with black Swarovski crystals, silver, gold plated and Continuing the relay of commemoration of John Paul II, the government of Liberia has issued a very unusual coin. The coin is completely black except for the gold bas-relief of the Pope.

Transformable coin "Sundial" and coin-compass

Set of four coins. The reverses of the coins together spell out the word "Cook". The circulation is 1779 sets i.e. year in which Cook was killed by natives in Hawaii

Illusion coin. A woman hiding in autumn leaves. Palau, 2008, 5 dollars, 925 silver

Coin with inserts of elements of a real meteorite. 925 silver, palladium plated

Continuation of the series of coins with inserts of elements of real meteorites. Martian meteorite. Cook Islands, 2009, 5 dollars, 925 silver, 25 g, diameter 38.61 mm, antique plating, copper plating, edition of 2500 copies,

A unique set dedicated to the main milestones in space exploration. The set, housed in a metal “astronaut” suitcase made of aluminum, includes five coins and a capsule with a lunar meteorite particle.

The world's first coin in the shape of a pyramid with a capsule containing sand from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Pharaohs by the famous English archaeologist Carter in 1922

A unique coin with a thermal image. In its original state, the coin has a uniform red color. When you heat the coin with your hands, an image of a chicken appears

Cook Islands, Egyptian pyramids. Transformer coin. The insert can be installed vertically on the coin

Sierra Leone, $75. 24 karat gold, purple niobium.

Modern coins of Hungary

Two-color niobium coin

Unique spinning top coin

Marine calendar for 50 years.

Palau, 2009, $5, 999 Silver. Braille, raised dots on the coin spell out "2009".

Coin with a butterfly design

4 triangular coins arranged like a puzzle

The Central Bank of Congo has released three coins dedicated to the biblical story of the Three Wise Men bearing gifts to the newborn Jesus. These coins are unusual in that each of them has inserts corresponding to these gifts: gold, myrrh and frankincense.

A stunningly unusual coin issued in Niue. When you press the coin, the built-in light comes on, repeating the concept of the first incandescent electric lamp invented by Edison.
Coin with a built-in light source "Edison", face value $1, minted 2005, PROOF, mintage 2500, silver.925, weight 38.61

Coin with concave relief

"Commonwealth Games", three-metal coin: gold, silver, copper.

An unusual turquoise titanium coin commemorating the world's first misprint on a Western Australian postage stamp in 1855

Canadian coins with hologram

Coins with horse designs

For the upcoming year of the Tiger according to the eastern calendar, Liberya has released a set of colored rectangular coins. 4 coins, each: 5 dollars, silver 99.9, 20 g, size 56*25 mm, proof, circulation 8000 copies,

This coin is an amazing gift to remember your vacation! She smells like the sea!

A coin with the heavenly smell of the sea!

Palau, 2010, 5 dollars, 925 silver, 25 g, diameter 38.61 mm, proof, 2500 copies

Silver coin with a gold rectangular insert.

Series "Dangerous Animals" Tuvalu, 1 dollar, 999 silver

A coin that combines beauty, history, symbolism, and Orthodoxy. Icon of the Kazan Mother of God. Cook Islands, 2009, 5 dollars, silver 999, 25 g, size 30*38 mm, proof, edition 2500 copies,

Another case of using wood in the production of a coin.

Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. Art by Andrey Rublev. A unique coin with a removable wooden icon plate. Cook Islands, 2008, $5, 999 silver, 25 g, size 30/38 mm, edition of 2500 copies, proof

Like the original, the icon of the Holy Trinity, and its embodiment in silver, evoke admiration for its polished beauty.

Cook Islands coin, 2010, 5 dollars, silver 999, 25 g, size 30*38 mm, proof, mintage only 2500. This coin will become a rarity in many ways.

Coin with a capsule containing holy water from the source of Lourdes.

Coin with carbon insert from a real Formula 1 car - Ferrari F2008. Cook Islands, 2009, 5 dollars, 500 silver, 25 g, diameter 38.61 mm, proof,

The Cook Islands have released a set of coins that can be called the smallest in the world. Three 999 silver and gold coins weigh 0.12 grams each

Australia has released a series of coins-amulet "Fortune". "Longevity". "Success". "Wealth".

Series of coins "Mythological Chinese characters". Australia 2009, 1 Australian Dollar, 99.9 Silver, 1 oz, size 47.60 x 27.40, 4mm thick, color image, coin comes in a bright booklet.

Today I present two stunning amber coins, true works of art

Australia gave collectors a stunning gift for the New Year. Two new loose gem coins in a clear capsule now contain Kimberley diamonds. The coin was issued in silver and gold, with proof quality.

And a little humor: the largest wooden monument to the ruble was cut out and installed in Russia. He appeared on June 10, 2008 in the city of Tomsk. A wooden ruble weighing 250 kilograms and measuring more than two meters was installed on one of the squares for a traditional city event - the Tomsk Carnival. The wooden ruble is made in a realistic manner on a scale of 1:100. The festival organizers have already submitted an application to have the wooden ruble included in the Guinness Book of Records.

An elegant and meaningful coin issued by Nauru - Guardian Angel

Canadian designers decided that single-color coins were a relic of the past, and created a series of unusual colored coins with holograms. This is a step into the future.

But the designers who worked on the image of Turkish coins decided that the main thing is not the color, but the shape, so their single-color coins are cut in the shape of squares and ovals with nice embossing on both sides.

Coins made of gold and silver, made in the shape of a fan, so popular in China. They belong to the "Chinese Calendar" series, each packaged in a separate box and then in a case.

And in Belarus, fans of the work of Alexandre Dumas will be able to find something to their liking. Namely, a series of souvenir coins based on The Three Musketeers. Thus, four silver coins depict four inseparable friends, each has a zirconium of a certain color attached to his sword, and behind his back is an enamel painting depicting what was dear to each of them. Interestingly, the set is packaged in a special book-shaped case. Certificate included.

New Zealand has its own favorite books. So, everyone knows that Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was filmed mainly in New Zealand, so the state decided to skim off all the cream that it could from this fact. Therefore, a series of souvenir coins was issued depicting the main characters of this trilogy. Both silver and gold coins were minted.

But Somali souvenir coins can hardly even be called coins. Souvenirs - that's all...

The same applies to coins made in the Congo. Both the wooden ones, issued with a slogan in defense of animals, and the silver ones, with inserts of gold, incense and myrrh, which symbolize the gifts brought to little Jesus by the three wise men.

Islands are small planets, separate worlds with their own laws and regulations, thinking and way of life. This is exactly what you think when looking at the amazingly unusual coins issued on the islands.

From here: 1, 2

Alexander Igorevich

Reading time: ~4 minutes

How to independently determine whether a coin is simple or “gold”? Or, in other words, how to guess the true value of a coin, which in some cases can significantly exceed the nominal value? Let's look into the secrets of numismatists and try to determine which money is just money, and which is a whole treasure.

Initiative is punishable

Suppose you come across an unusual coin. It may be in excellent condition - clean and shiny, or it may be dirty. There is a temptation, and then judge the details of the coinage on it and show it to specialists to determine the value.

But this path is wrong! Even though the coin is made of metal. It also deteriorates, and you can distort some of the nuances of the image. The coin will eventually sparkle, but not in the way it should. No chemicals and especially rough mechanical methods of cleaning metal should not be used. The maximum is washing in a solution of baby soap. If you have the opportunity to contact an expert in this matter, do so.

For selfish sake

Speaking of experts. If the coin has been cleaned or does not require any exercise at all, the most logical next action is a coin that knows in all its intricacies the price on the market of both ancient and modern coins, and from different countries.

You must understand that you can only trust a trusted person - your friend or someone about whom you have heard reliable positive reviews. Otherwise, you may hear a price lower than the true one. And all because many will want to buy a coin from you at a favorable price, and then assign it a “full price”.

Search and don't give up

In general, numismatics does not tolerate spontaneous conclusions and fuss. If you want to unravel the mystery of your coin, the uniqueness of which you suspect, without the help of third parties, it is better to be patient and study existing catalogs of collectible coins. This is a long but exciting process - the same as any serious research.

It may turn out that you will recognize the “portrait” of the treasured money, its description and its price on the market. And if not, then you will still discover a lot of new and useful things about numismatics and expand the boundaries of your knowledge.

You will learn important information that catalog writers pay attention to. And it is this information that is decisive in setting the price of a collectible coin.

The main indicators of expert assessment of coins are as follows:

• type of metal;
• size;
• circulation;
• artistic value;
• time and place of release;
• the presence of deviations from the norm in the minting of most coins of this series;
• factory defect;
• degree of preservation;
• rarity on the market;
• demand from collectors.