Since 2002, European merchants have made change in cents clad in copper-plated steel or an alloy called Nordic gold, as well as in euros, which are shiny, bimetal coins. But it wasn’t too long ago that travelers visiting the continent would return home with their pockets filled with loose change of seemingly countless sizes and denominations.

One can still experience that with a visit to Great Britain, where pence and pounds still change hands, even though the island nation is a member of the European Union. Historically, British subjects have paid for items with everything from tiny farthings to larger guineas and crowns.

The history of German coinage is no less rich. Collected coins include those minted by the German states prior to and immediately following the unification of the states into an ...

France’s modern-day decimal monetary system dates 1795, shortly after the French Revolution. Some gold francs of the early 1800s featured the bust of Napoleon, who ruled for a decade until 1814.

One of the world’s most storied coins is the Spanish real, which was Spain’s denomination at the height of the nation’s dominance as a world power in the 16th century. In fact, reales were so widespread in the New World that they were one of the most common forms of currency in the U.S colonies, and were traded as legal tender throughout the new nation in the early years of the United States.

The first coin to be called a Swiss franc was a silver, 10-batzen coin minted by the Bern Canton (state) in 1757. By the middle of the 19th century, some 860 varieties of coins were circulating in Switzerland, minted by Swiss Cantons, cities, and religious organizations, although the majority of the coins used for goods and services in the landlocked nation were foreign.

Of course, the history of coinage in the West all but began in Italy, where ancient Roman coins were struck beginning in roughly the year 500 BCE. By the Middle Ages, the florin, named for its origins in the Republic of Florence, became an important trading coin throughout Europe.

Meanwhile, the Papal States circulated the scudo, which was worth 100 baiocchi. In 1871 the states became a part of Italy, but the scudo had been scuttled in 1866, replaced by the Italian lira (equal to 100 centesimi).

About our sources | Got something to add?

▼ Expand to read the full article ▼

Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Ancient Coins: In Praise of the Celators!

Ancient Coins: In Praise of the Celators!

Dr. Tom Buggey’s Ancient Coins: In Praise of the Celators! focuses mainly on coins from Greek and Roman antiquity… [read review or visit site]

Worldwide Bi-Metallic Collectors Club

Worldwide Bi-Metallic Collectors Club

Bi-metallic coins have been around since the 17th century, when a copper wedge was added to the English farthing to… [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: World Coins

Top eBay Auctions

Showing 60. See all 579 by  highest bidmost watchedcompleted
1847 Great Britain Victoria Gothic Proof Crown Pcgs Pr 60Spain/seville 1701 Colonial Beautiful Large 8 Escudos Doubloom Gold Coin Spain/seville 1717 Colonial Beautiful Large 8 Escudos Doubloom Gold Coin Switzerland Coin Collection 3,026 Swiss Francs Face ValueSpain/seville 1712 Colonial Beautiful Large 8 Escudos Doubloom Gold Coin 1995 Platinum Proofs 150 Roubles, 50 Rouble, 25 Rouble Russia With Original BoxGerman East Africa - 1916t Gold 15 Rupien - Pcgs Graded Au 58!! France 1864a Gold 100 Francs-ef Details, Some Cleaning-0.9335oz, 29 Grammes-l@@kGermany, Saxony Striking 1832 S Gold Ducat. Ngc Ms 63 Pl.1795 8 Escudos Gold Doubloon Choice Ef Original Surfaces And Toning1995 Gold Proofs 100, 50, 25, 10 Rouble Russia With Original Box1995 Palladium Proofs 25 Roubles, 10 Rouble, 5 Rouble Russia With Original BoxRare 1876,1893,1895,1896-4 French 20 Franc Gold Angel Coins Russia Platinum 3 Rubles 1843 - Rare!1903 Ap Russia 10 Roubles Ngc Ms 65 Gem Bu Gold RussianGreat Britain 1734 Crown - George Ii - Nice Uncirculated Extra Rare This Nice!!1897 At Russia Ngc Au53 15 Roubles Wide Rim Gold About Uncirculated Coin Y#65.11986 Switzerland William Tell Platinum 1 Oz Coin Pf 68 Ultra Cameo Ngc. Russian 1989(l) Proof Platinum 150 Roubles Ngc Pf69 500 Years Of United Russia1897 Russia 15 Rouble Ngc Au58 Gold 2 Letter Spain/madrid 1792 Beautiful Colonial 4 Escudos Doubloom Gold Coin 1989(l) Russia Palladium 1 Oz Coin 500 Years Of Russian State Ngc Proof Pf 69Gold Russia Coin 10 Rubles 1903 Ms62Norway 24 Skilling Silver Coin 1865 - Good Detail1887 Great Britain Queen Victoria Gold Coin Double-sovereign Two PoundsAustria 2002 Sculpture 100 Euro Gold - Official Case And Certificate / OroGreat Britain 1763 Shilling - S-3742 Northumberland - Pcgs Ms63 France An Xi . A Gold 40 Francs Napoleon Bonaparte As First Consul Km#6521913-a Germany Lippe-detmold 3 Mark Pcgs Ms64+1995 Silver Proof 100 Roubles Russia With Original BoxRussia 1897 15 Roubles Nicholas Ii ~ ~ About Uncirculated - Free ShippingRussia 5 Rouble 1889 Pcgs Ms63+1909-a Germany Reuss-obergriez 3 Mark Ngc Ms64 - Rare In All GradesRussia Gold 1897 15 Rubles - Nicholas Ii 1889-gold Coin- 5 Rouble-russia-russian *alexander Iii*, RareFrance 1808h Gold 40 Francs-low Mintage Of 11,700 Pieces-l@@k Napoleon 12.8grAtocha Phillip Ii 2 Reale Grade 31906 Romania 5 Lei Pcgs Ms641833 Greece Otto 20 Drachmas Gold CoinRussia Gold 1878 5 Rubles - Alexander IiGermany / Schwarzburg - 1605 Fg - Taler - Dav-7675 - Ngc Vf 25France 1810-w (lille Mint) Napoleon Bonaparte Gold 40 FrancsRussia Rouble 1742 Ngc Au551915 Austrian Ducat 4 Gold Coin Unc1279. Transylvania, Sigisimund Bathori, Ducat 1597-nb Condition VfRussia-1897 7 1/2 Roubles-russian-7 Rubles 50 Kopeks-gold Coin 1775 Great Britain Gold Guinea Ngc XfBold 1811-a France (paris Mint) Napoleon Bonaparte Gold 40 Francs1880/1870 Great Britain Sovereign Ngc Au55 - Ex-douro Cargo - Very Rare OverdateRussian Russia Gold 1900 10 Roubles Ruble Coin Imperial Eagle Nikolay Ii 1016-1035 Great Britain S-1157 Cnut Penny Pcgs Ms632008 Russia 1 Kilo Silver Proof Like European Beaver Coin - No Reserve!1986 Coin Of Poland Silver 100 Zlotych Pcgs Ms68 Mintage Only 80 !! Very Rare!!!Atocha 8 Reales Coin, From Capt. Klaudt, Grade 2, Coa, 26.80 Grams, No Reserve!Austria / Tirol Archduke Sigismund The Rich Goldgulden Hall Mint!!Ms62 *very Rare* 1897 Russian Gold 15r Narrow Rim Ngc- Ms621705 Rare Petr I 25 Kopek1696-hb Germany Bruns-lune-calen-hann. Dav-397 Leaping Horse 2/3 Taler Ngc Ms62Russian 1 Rouble Of 19121933-d Germany Martin Luther 2 Mark Pcgs Pr67 Deep Cameo - Finest Known - Pop 1