US Coins

National Numismatic Collection treasures viewable on website

The National Numismatic Collection, housed in the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History, boasts more than 1.6 million objects. It is the largest numismatic collection in North America and one of the largest numismatic collections in the world.

The collection comprises more than 450,000 coins, medals and decorations, as well as more than 1.1 million examples of paper money. The collection spans monetary history from the first coins more than 2,700 years ago to today's electronic currency.

The core of the U.S. collection, representing more than 18,000 coins, was transferred from the Mint Cabinet (established in 1858), to the Smithsonian in 1923.

To take a virtual tour of the collection, visit americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/national-numismatic-collection.


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