Throughout the history of mankind, countless coins have been minted in the world, and today we will share with you a list of ten of the most interesting and intriguing among them. Note: Technically, the front side of the coin is called the obverse, and the back side is called the reverse.
Most people have a very vague understanding of leprosy because it was not covered by the media at one time. Today this disease is known as Hansen's disease. In the past, this disease frightened people so much that sufferers were usually forced to live separately in leper colonies. Moreover, panic sometimes reached such a level that separate coins were minted for them, since it was believed that this disease could be contracted through indirect physical contact. Here is a coin that was minted for just such an occasion and was circulated in the leper colonies of Colombia.
9. US Silver Dollar, 1804
According to many, this coin is considered one of the most famous of all mankind. The story goes that the United States Mint struck 20,000 silver dollars in 1804, mistakenly marking them with the year 1803 instead of 1804. Thirty years later, the Mint stopped minting these coins altogether. However, when President Jackson decided to make a gift to the King of Siam in the form of a collection of all the coins in circulation in the United States, the Mint again had to issue a limited supply of these coins, only now they were minted in the correct year (1804). Technically, this approach turned out to be wrong, making the 1803 coins a rarity, which counterfeiters took advantage of. Then the Mint took a number of measures to combat fraudsters, one of which was the complete destruction of all coins. The only surviving coin from 1804, it is considered today one of the most valuable coins in the world, and is currently in the Smithsonian Institution.
8. 5 cents with the image of Liberty V (without the inscription CENTS), 1883
One of the most famous cases of coin-related fraud occurred with. In the United States in 1883, a 5-cent coin was minted with a huge Roman numeral “V” on the obverse, instead of the usual phrase “five cents,” which created some confusion about the denomination of the coin. What is interesting is that these coins were so the same size and had an external resemblance to the gold 5-dollar coin common in those days. Many tried to take advantage of this and gave out 5-cent coins for 5-dollar ones.
7. 30 pieces of silver of Judah, Tyre, Phenicia, 107-106 BC.
Everyone who has come across Christianity in one way or another has heard about the betrayal of Jesus by Judas for those very 30 pieces of silver. If this incident actually happened back then and these coins were found, they would certainly top the list of the most valuable coins of all time. However, today we can only be content with coins that are similar in appearance and date, which could actually take part in the events of those days. At that time, silver shekels of Tire, called tetradrachms of Tire, were in use, which contained approximately 16 grams of silver.
6. Spade coins of the Zhou Dynasty, China, 1122 BC. – 500 AD
Not all coins were issued in the shape of a circle; in China, for example, coins came in a wide variety of shapes, one of which even looked like a shovel. It also had a hole for mounting, so these coins were the height of functionality of those times. They were often engraved with the names of the cities where they were issued. During the reign of the Zhou Dynasty, spade-shaped coins became a kind of monetary standard and remained in this position for several centuries.
5. Coins issued to commemorate the victory in the war, Philippines, 1944
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II, the Japanese confiscated all Philippine coins and melted them down for their war effort. Before the liberation of the Philippines, the US Mint produced millions of coins to replace those lost and to commemorate the victory over Japan. Therefore, all Philippine coins issued in 1944 are engraved with the symbols of the United States of America.
4. Stella ($4), USA, 1879-1880
In 1865, Europe founded the so-called Latin Monetary Union (LMU) and began issuing a new currency modeled after the French franc. The United States did not want to stand aside and decided to issue a $4 coin that would be similar to the new French franc. The coins were minted until 1880, but never entered widespread circulation because the bill was never passed by Congress. As a result, these coins have become a real rarity.
3. Knife coin of the Zhou Dynasty, China, 600-200 BC.
As with the spade coin, the knife coin circulated during the Zhou Dynasty in China from approximately 600 to 200 BC. These coins came in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the places where they were minted. Usually their length was about 18 centimeters, and they were issued in honor of various important events, for example, the coming to power of a new ruler.
2. Bronze Dolphin, Olbia, 500-300 BC.
This is another unusually shaped coin. Dolphin coins were previously common in Olbia (an area on the northern coast of the Black Sea). The coins were minted for approximately two centuries. Most of them were quite small: about 3.6 centimeters in length and weighed only 1-3 grams.
1. Silver thaler of Leopold I, Holy Roman Empire
The obverse of the coin depicts the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. Due to frequent consanguineous marriages, Leopold inherited the Habsburg hereditary disease of mandibular prognathism, also known as Habsburg jaw, which can be seen in his portrait depicted on the coin. According to collectors, this coin is considered one of the ugliest, however, this does not prevent it from remaining a valuable collector's item.
The heaviest coin currently available is the $1 million gold coin produced by the Perth Mint (). The 1000 kg coin is made from 999.9 fine gold, has a diameter of 800 mm and a thickness of 120 mm. Before it, the heaviest were the Canadian coin with a face value of 1 million dollars weighing 100 kg and the Austrian coin with a face value of 100 thousand euros, which weighed 31.1 kg.
The most beautiful coin
The 2005 Mexican coin, made of silver, with images of the coat of arms and the Aztec calendar, was recognized as the most beautiful in the world. The decision was made by members of the World Mint Conference in May 2008.
The largest coin in terms of purchasing power in Russia
Commemorative coin with a face value of 50,000 rubles weighing 5 kg of pure gold - the 150th anniversary of the Bank of Russia, released into circulation by the Bank of Russia on February 1, 2010 with a circulation of only 50 copies. This coin is legal tender throughout the country and must be accepted for payment at its face value. The real value of this coin is several times higher than the nominal value.
The smallest coin in the country
Polpolushka is a rare copper coin that was issued at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, equal to one-eighth of a penny (half a polushka or quarter money). Minted in 1700.
In Moscow, Novgorod, and also Pskov, small copper pula coins were issued, minted from the 15th century to the beginning of the 16th century. The denomination on the coins was not indicated, but the purchasing power was 1/60-1/70 money (1/120-1/140 kopecks).
The heaviest coins in the Russian Empire
The heaviest coin was a square copper plate worth 1 ruble of Catherine I with round seals - the coats of arms of Russia on four edges and with the denomination in the center. The inscription in the center in a circle: Price ruble. Ekaterinburkh. 1725. The weight of the coin exceeded 1.6 kg. Ten of these coins weighed exactly a pound.
The largest regularly minted five kopeck coin by weight is the 5 kopecks of Catherine I of 1726, weighing 81.9 grams, made at the Yekaterinburg Plat Yard in the form of a copper square plate measuring 4.5x4.5 cm.
The most unusual coin in terms of production material
In 2005, the first wooden coin was produced, which is an official means of payment. The denomination of the coin is 5 francs. The coin features an image of a gorilla and the inscription in French “let's protect the animal world.” The coin is made from . And the estimated cost of the coin according to the Krause catalog is 20 US dollars.
Today, each country has its own currency, all banknotes and coins have their own individual design, their own secret degrees of protection and their own denomination. But at the same time, there are means of payment that cannot be called standard and familiar. What unusual things were used to pay for purchases, and what banknotes and coins arouse interest with their unique design?
Wine bottle labels
Labels from wine bottles played the role of a means of payment. After the revolution (1917), Yakutia experienced a crisis of paper money. Their acute shortage led to an unexpected solution to the problem. Alexey Semenov, who headed the People's Commissariat of Finance at that time, introduced paper labels for wine drinks into circulation.
The most common labels were from Cahors, Port, Madeira, Sherry, and Oporto. Each of them had its own denomination - “Madera” replaced the ruble, “Cahors” was equivalent to a ten. The authenticity of such banknotes was confirmed by Semenov’s seal and handwritten signature. “Wine money” disappeared from circulation with the advent of Soviet power.
Talking coin
If we talk about the unusual characteristics of coins, then, perhaps, the speaker will be a very unusual specimen. This coin is very rare and can be found in Mongolia. It has a denomination of 50 tugriks. On one side there is an image of John Kennedy, and when you press a special button, the coin pronounces an English phrase in the president’s voice, translated as follows: “I am proud to be a Berliner.”
Illusion Coins
Coins with optical illusions began to appear en masse in 2001, when the idea of such an unusual design of funds appeared in several countries at once. The unusual thing is that several images are encrypted on them, each of which becomes visible from a certain angle of view. Thus, the Republic of Palau can boast of a $5 coin with an image of Don Quixote. But if you look closely, you can see the image of Sancho Panza.
In Zambia, there is a coin that reflects an episode from the painting “The Cat in the Window”, created by the Swiss artist Sandro del Pre. In order to see it, you need to be extremely careful, because at first glance, only a seductive female silhouette is visible on the coin.
Coins created by craftsmen from Liberia and Uganda (issued in 2001) can also play an optical joke on people.
Unusual shapes - guitars, motorcycles, cars, hemp-shaped coins, pyramids
Coins made in the form of multi-colored guitars performed on par with other money in Somalia. The reason for issuing so many unusual coins was the half-century anniversary of rock and roll, and their denomination was 1 dollar. Somali history has also seen coins shaped like brightly colored motorcycles and cars.
Coins in the shape of hemp leaves were launched into circulation in 2011 in Benin. Not only their shape is interesting, they also have another original property. If you rub the back side, you can smell the smell of cannabis. True, manufacturers claim that the aroma is completely synthetic and has no psychotropic effects.
The self-governing state entity of Niue, part of New Zealand, issued 1 dollar, which has a rectangular shape and is decorated with color images.
The calendar coin, issued in Zambia in 2003, has a heptagon shape. 15 dollars, created specifically for the Year of the Tiger (2010) in Canada, are made in the shape of a circle with wavy edges. In the same year, a double coin was issued on the Fiji Islands, visually reminiscent of the well-known combination of “yin and yang”. And in the Mariana Islands, the five dollar coin is shaped like a heart.
The pyramid-shaped coin, created from silver, was issued by the city of Tadworth (England). It depicts writings from the walls of Tutankhamun's tomb and a solar disk with particles of sand taken directly from the tomb.
Disney dollar and coins with your favorite characters
Disney dollars are the key to a good mood. They depict your favorite cartoon characters, and you can pay with them at Disneyland or similar vacation spots.
In 2009, the Polynesian state of Tuvalu issued a coin designed in pink shades. It had a picture of Barbie on it. It was released to mark the 50th anniversary of the existence of the beloved doll. Colored coins were also created here, illustrated with scenes from Transformers.
But in Belarus there are coins issued based on famous fairy tales. Among them are “The Snow Queen”, “The Little Prince”, “12 Months” and others.
Coin with holy water or piece of meteorite
In 2007, Palau was surprised with another exclusive coin - it was made of silver. There was an image of the Virgin Mary on it, and a microscopic bottle of holy water was placed inside.
And in the Cook Islands in 2010 they came up with the idea of creating an original coin with pieces of a real meteorite. Complete with a stylized color image, it has an original appearance.
Wooden money and cardboard coins
The city of Moose Jaw (Canada) experienced a shortage of metal. This led to the appearance of wooden means of payment in everyday use. They were small tablets, each of which had its own denomination.
Due to the same shortage of metal, the means of payment in Manchuria were once fen. These cardboard money had denominations of 1 and 5 fen.
Coins with individual flavors and 3D designs
Craftsmen from the island of Palau came up with and brought to life coins from the “Paradise Fragrances” series. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that each had its own unique smell. The coin with the image and aroma of coconut became the first copy of the collection.
Also interesting is the coin with the image of a surfer conquering a wave and the smell of sea freshness.
Many numismatists in the world recognized the coin from Cameroon as the most beautiful. There, in 2011, they issued 1000 francs, the decoration of which was a three-dimensional image of a butterfly sitting on a flower. Its wings protrude noticeably beyond the edges of the coin. 2,500 of these coins quickly found their way into the collections of connoisseurs.
Space money
Officially, this money is not used anywhere. But it is planned that one day they will become the sole means of payment in the galaxy. They are made of durable plastic and are a stylized image of all the planets of the solar system.
Another interesting coin is . Historians have debated for a long time what message the Russian craftsman encrypted in “hobo nickel” based on the short story by Edgar Poe.
Interest in collecting coins is driven by a wide variety of anniversary and commemorative items, some of which are very rare.
But in this article we will look at money, the appearance of which delights numismatists around the world.
The largest coin in the world
The coin of the American sculptor Stanley Whitten is considered the heaviest and largest specimen in the world. Its face value is $1 million, and this is another of its records. The obverse features the profile of Queen Elizabeth II. On the reverse is a maple leaf, a typical emblem for Canada. Gold was used as the material, and the mass of the specimen is 100 kilograms. A total of 15 copies were made, which are added to private collections.
Coin with the smallest weight
Silver coins of Nepal produced in 1740 belong to this category. The weight of such a specimen is 0.002 grams. For comparison, a 1 ruble coin from the Bank of Russia weighs 3 grams (minted in 2016).
Exclusive coins of the world
In 2008, the next international meeting of mints took place. As a result of international disputes, the most beautiful coin was recognized as a copy of the Mexican Bank, minted in 2005. The obverse features the coat of arms of Mexico, and the reverse depicts the ancient Aztec calendar.
Coins made of wood
No matter how strange it may sound, not only money made from non-ferrous metals is valuable. The Congo Mint introduced wooden coins into circulation in 2005. Maple was chosen as the material.
The coins were treated with moisture-resistant varnish. The circulation included copies with the same denomination, but with different images of animals on the obverse and reverse.
The purpose of releasing such unique products was an action calling for the protection of wild animals.
But this was not the first practice of issuing wooden money in the world. Before the outbreak of World War II, a rare batch of original wooden coins was issued in Canada. The material was so unreliable that only a few copies have survived to this day in good condition.
Cardboard coins
Towards the end of World War II, Japan experienced severe shortages of both precious and ferrous metals. As a result, money was issued from a special fiber similar to cardboard. Most of these examples were used in the Manchuria region in 1944-1945.
Diamond coin
Such a unique copy was produced in England. The obverse of the coin depicts Elizabeth II. The diameter of the gemstone is less than 1 millimeter. It is almost impossible to see both sides of a real work of art without a magnifying glass.
Coin with water
In 2007, pure silver copies with a face value of 1 dollar came into circulation on the island of Palau. The copies differ from all other coins in that they have an ampoule of holy water from a French source attached to them. The obverse of this unique piece depicts the Virgin Mary.
The most fantastic type of coin is money made of super-strong material intended for the space market.
Copies were developed for the world at the University of Leicester.
The main material of money is high-pressure plastic, capable of withstanding the highest cosmic overloads.
Who knows, perhaps one day this money will find its use, because it is not used on Earth.
Unique coins of Russia
The Bank of Russia has repeatedly issued unique money in honor of famous events.
Russian gold coins
In 2008, a gold coin with a weight of 3 kilograms and a face value of 25 thousand rubles was issued. The anniversary edition was released in honor of the 190th anniversary of the Goznak enterprise. A total of 50 copies were produced. In 2010, the Bank of Russia turned 150 years old. In honor of this, a gold coin with a face value of 50 thousand rubles was released into circulation. Her weight is 5 kilograms.
In honor of the Olympic Games in Sochi, a gold coin was issued with a face value of 10 thousand rubles and weighing 1 kilogram. A total of 250 copies were minted in Russia. Not only in Russia, but also during the USSR, short series of gold commemorative coins were issued.
Among the unique coins of Russia is the limited anniversary series “Sochi 2014”.
Beautiful coins in honor of the 2014 Olympics
The main symbols of the sporting event were the Leopard, the Polar Bear and the Bunny. Their images are decorated with commemorative coins.
Production began in 2011 and continued until 2014. The series contains 46 different pieces dedicated to different sports.
Coins were made of non-ferrous metal, silver and gold. This move will allow to replenish the collections of numismatists with different income levels.
In addition, each copy is stamped with the memorable year 2014. The anniversary batch consists of both commemorative and investment coins.
Investment Olympic coins of Russia
This money is used to invest funds comparable to buying gold. Their price directly depends on the cost of precious metals and their weight. The collection consists of three types:
- Silver coin with a face value of 3 rubles. Its weight is 31 grams. A total of 1.5 million copies were produced.
- Gold coin with a face value of 50 rubles and weighing 7.7 grams. The circulation was 4 million copies.
- Gold coin with a face value of 100 rubles. The weight of the product is 15.5 grams. 0.5 million copies went into circulation.
The surface of all specimens is matte, without specularity.
Commemorative coins series
Commemorative rubles include items made of precious metals, the purchase of which is subject to an 18% tax. The following money is worth noting from this collection:
- 925 silver coins weigh 1 kilogram and have a denomination of 100 rubles. The circulation was 20 thousand copies;
- three-ruble silver coins, the circulation of which amounted to 1.2 million copies.
Coin as a work of art
“Milestones of Humanity” is the name of a unique and very beautiful coin produced in 2016. It shows the Egyptian labyrinth. A total of 999 $10 copies were produced in .999 sterling silver. In 2015, a series of 15 copies were released worldwide from the same material. If you collect all 15 copies into one single mosaic, you will get an image of the painting “The Kiss”.
In 1516, a law on the purity of beer was issued. According to the decree of the Bavarian Duke, the drink should consist only of water, malt and hops. 500 years later, a rare series of coins in the shape of a beer cap was issued in honor of this law. The denomination of the piece is 1 dollar; 999 silver is also used as material.
Everyone knows that the first to conquer space were not people, but animals. Thanks to them, they were able to study the effects of high overloads on the body. In honor of these heroes, a short series of Russian commemorative coins was issued. Each copy has a denomination of 1 ruble. The reverse depicts the coat of arms of the Russian Federation, and the obverse contains photographs of famous dogs. Each piece contains 3 Swarovski crystals. The collection consists of 5 copies.
In 2015, 2,500 pieces with the Lord's Prayer were minted in 925 silver on Cook Island. Silver coins are made in 3D format.
Alexander Igorevich
Reading time: ~10 minutes
Numismatics is one of the most common hobbies in the modern world. This was largely due to the variety of anniversary and commemorative coins, some of which are truly unique. It is these original specimens from different countries that we will consider further.
For example, in the Republic of Palau there is a five-dollar illusion coin, which depicts a drawing by Swiss artist Sandro del Petre called “Illusion.”
On the coin you can see profile of the "Sad Knight" Don Quixote, but if you look closely, you can also find an image of his faithful squire - Sancho Panza. It is thanks to this visual effect that the coin bears this name. In addition, it has a rather unusual oval shape.
If we continue the conversation about unusual forms, we cannot ignore the coin made in the Republic of Nauru.
The most attentive people have already noted that, after all, it was created in his honor. The denomination of this collectible piece, made of high-grade silver, is $10.
The African country of Somalia also distinguished itself. Despite the fact that constant conflicts have essentially deprived it of its government, the Mint of this country produces some of the most original banknotes.
Their denomination is often as small as one dollar, and the variety of colors and shapes is simply amazing, making these coins more reminiscent of badges than banknotes. However, they usually do not go into circulation; immediately after release they end up in private numismatic collections.
An interesting coin issued in the island state of Palau also resembles a souvenir, or even more like an amulet.
It represents a four-leaf clover, which is known to symbolize good luck. Indeed, to have such a copy, made of gold of the highest standard, is truly a great success, because such a coin was issued in extremely small quantities.
The most interesting series of coins
In addition to simply original ones, very beautiful coins made of various metals and covered with enamel also regularly appear. Typically, such specimens are decorated with images of events or things to which they are dedicated.
Series "Kings of the Road", released in Tuvalu, features realistic images of the iconic trucks.
Series "Insects" released for the smallest numismatists. Each coin features a realistic image of a specific insect. Posters and stickers are included with each collectible item.
Series "Legendary Motorcycles", released again in Tuvalu, is decorated with images of legendary motorcycles. And there are a lot of coins of this type, because new series appear regularly, and old ones are replenished and reissued.
Interesting non-metallic specimens
Besides, who said that collectible banknotes should be made exclusively of metal?
In the images you see quite original coins that were made before World War II in the city of Mousse Jaw in Canada. Quite a few of them have survived, because they were made from such a short-lived material as wood. We also know about no less original coins issued in Yuan Makzhouguo in 1944-45. They were made from a material similar to cardboard, because at that time there was very little metal in occupied Manchuria.
TOP 3 most original coins in the world
In third place- Mongolian talking coin. It depicts American President John Kennedy, who has a small button in the area of his right shoulder. By pressing it, you will hear the famous words of the president: “I am proud to be a Berliner!”
In second place there is a silver coin with holy water, again issued in Palau. As you can see, this example depicts the Virgin Mary, next to whom a small bottle of holy water is placed in a disk.
And first place In terms of originality, the currency called the “quasi-universal intergalactic denomination”, created by scientists from the National Space Center and the University of Leicester, ranks. Naturally, this money has no face value and therefore is not used on Earth. According to the creators, they are made of heavy-duty plastic that can withstand significant loads and will definitely be useful to future space tourists.
Of course, these are not all original coins that are worthy of mention in this article. Perhaps they should also be included here, because they also stand out from the rest. But numismatics exists for this reason, so that everyone can independently find and collect not only expensive, but also the most unusual and beautiful banknotes.