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Coin museums are always a fun place to visit. There are many coin museums — big and small — located throughout the country.
There is a good chance there may be one not too far from you.
There are also many coin “museums” located online, where you can enjoy looking at some of the rarest and most interesting coins right on your computer screen.
By visiting various coin museums you can see coins you would otherwise never get close to.
Your First Visit To A Coin Museum
Coin museums vary in scope and size. Many focus on ancient coins, while others feature modern coins.
Some are exhibits that have only dozens or hundreds of coins. Other coin exhibits are literally a whole museum unto themselves, where many thousands of coins are on display.
Going to a coin museum can be a spectacular numismatic adventure, and you may walk away feeling inspired to pursue a new avenue of the coin collecting hobby altogether.
You might want to go into a coin museum with a notebook, pencil, and — if allowed — a camera in hand. That way, you can record the coins you see, make note of the ones you especially like, and even take a snapshot of certain coins. This will allow you to remember what it was at the museum you were particularly interested in and make it easier for you to begin looking for specimens of these coins to call your own.
Top 2 Coin Museums
So, what are some of the best coin museums in the country?
I have picked 2 — one from the east side of the United States and the other in the western half — that you must make time to go see.
These 2 are serious coin museums:
#1 The American Numismatic Association Money Museum is a massive, 250,000-piece coin museum that displays some of the best-known coin collections and coin rarities.
Some of the amazing coins you can see at the ANA’s museum are:
- one of the legendary 1804 silver dollars
- a 1913 Liberty nickel
- gold coins
- pattern coins
- paper money
- an 1836 steam coin press from the Philadelphia mint
Admission to the ANA’s coin museum is free, and guided tours are available. The ANA’s Money Museum is located at 818 North Cascades Avenue in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
#2 The largest numismatic museum in North America, the Smithsonian’s National Numismatic Collection has over 1.6 million coins, medals, tokens, pieces of paper money, and other items relating to numismatics. The National Numismatic Collection encompasses a vast array of money that represents the entire world dating back to ancient times.
The collection of U.S. coins includes almost 20,000 coins and features such rarities as:
- all 3 varieties of the 1804 silver dollar
- a 1913 Liberty nickel
- 2 of the 3 known 1933 Double Eagles, a coin listed as the world’s most valuable
Also on display is a coin known to many collectors as a great curiosity: the 1974 aluminum Lincoln cent. This coin was created at a time when the U.S. Mint was trying to develop Lincoln cents made from a metal less expensive than copper.
Not to be excluded from this preview of the Smithsonian museum are the many thousands of world coins on display there, including 12,000 Russian coins, 19,000 Greek coins, and an array of other nations’ coins and rich representations of their numismatic histories.
More About Coin Museums
- Rare Coin Exhibits Online
- Coin Collecting Throughout The Ages
- World Museums & Universities With Coin Rooms
- Directory Of Coin Museums
I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century. I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek. I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!
i have a coin i would like to ask some question about that i have not found anything on it if you could help or point me to someone who could i would be very greatful
Hi Matt,
I’d be happy to help. If you can first provide a basic background of the coin (date, denomination, inscriptions, description of the design, etc.) I’ll be able to get you going in the right direction!
ji Joshua
i have a Victoria Empress 1878 One Rupee coin .
please co- +917999607694
Hi, Lucky —
Depending on condition, these are generally worth $7USD to $15USD.
Hope this info helps!
Josh
I think my grandma have one of these coin
How do I get a coin we found in the ocean appraised?
who can I contract if i have the really one?
I want to know your idea and to give me suggestion to sell.
Sir I have 1800 year old silver coin I want to sell call me +918866604933
hi Joshua , I have a couple questions here there are spots od clad missing and looking fully zoomed in its not a damage none of the edges are damaged but rather wrappers around , over and into high and low areas with no indentations or forced , scraped idk but really don’t seem to be PMD . Also pretty sure got some doubling please let me know what you thinking …. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e284e2c5cf3e559886e6676b7dbee78f73c47f3de45614164ace9b179d3f2e25.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f79f338994d2710085b0da68bd266f695812357541acc2a9fe9cc25412f49ef7.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/60029925701608e992e52f11de6aede723b048a1dcb65d558342610be8b3322d.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/882efca5785f333d4da312341419d7dab61a65c3f797912fd5998cbf266b4674.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/882efca5785f333d4da312341419d7dab61a65c3f797912fd5998cbf266b4674.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/89711a6f873ac13baf7f8141098e8c8073d2b279fa98ed4e979ea93eb8600787.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4429fb43325d66b1b0ae9697c630a78e4094c25153bc321e59eb39a6142b6c54.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c75d2985dbd737e9d6e22e09c8fb7b72d7decd891198dc0f6e57b67c3707ff9f.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4429fb43325d66b1b0ae9697c630a78e4094c25153bc321e59eb39a6142b6c54.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5640d9381246c93b40971f69eeb7f78f9661508cc4115de6000d60c89b80e76e.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0454e87a247ac939f78917c970a6f9c5e16b48327003d89001e51e90c2a88e17.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/dc272ae6f17c50a1ee9eb5719c982f39ac2f856864d6732439a302dab4795471.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a978a4f993618adf52871ac7732ebf0b48c68b16bc164c8393e6875e03ff60b4.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/266c3c2f35f893d65a94e2490c111079fbd6c8198efa327a0b1e30eb2ed3b808.jpg
Hi, Ray —
From what I see here the checkerboard discoloration is due to toning from the coin being against fabric or perhaps cardboard, but with the lighting and all it’s tough to say, though I’m leaning away from clad layers missing and believe it’s surface coloration.
As for the doubling, yes, your coin exhibits lots of doubling in the lettering, most notably here in “Blue Ridge Parkway.” As I review these photos again and again the doubling looks too defined to be machine doubling, but I think it’s best to get a second opinion from a place that can possibly attribute this as a new variety or existing variety of it is one, and that’s CONECA. While the quality of the doubling looks more like machine doubling, the definition around the edges of the lettering suggest possible hub doubling. CONECA would have the resources to compare this piece to existing varieties to declare one way or the other here.
Good luck,
Josh
Hi Joshua, Just wanted to update you, I did contact Ron Fern
CONECA Examiner , and confirmed Double Die and it would be a variety.As to it being a New Variety The reference material, and all functions related to it are handled by authenticators ,& the tools to get it in the right hands. I would like to thank you for you&Ron Fern info and guidance you guys are Awesome and appreciated.
Hi, Ray!
That’s awesome! I really appreciate the update!
Congratulations,
Josh
Hi Joshua , here I have from what seems to be missing the FG , I have blown up zoomed in inspected under all lighting and angles . It has no signs of a light strike or that its wore off . If you would please let me know what you think I as always appreciate it and thank you …..
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7caa4b015ffe8d99ce0219010cf74ee6da47743d83b817563a7832ad0e991fb4.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c88e89cef707821f7df0c5204f9813e11478650494b700d97ff4e08c98e0401b.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4f8e85aaee779b85235f15edd795ef0f951b2f8a8af643d5c7cffd9126fc0a46.jpg
Hi, Ray —
I need photos of the whole coin, too, so I can check for other diagnostics. The FG May have been removed through die polishing, common on 1969 pennies and often lending toward a phenomenon known as a floating roof penny.
Thank you!
Josh
Hi’ sir joshua, i asked if this coin are error coins https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/25ee42a9d8a9d82febb3d79548e0a5565c1adee192c5d843e8405d9f826f5177.jpg
Hi, Abelardo —
I can’t tell in this photo if these coins have any errors. However, it does appear the largest one has some possible environmental damage on its lower obverse.
Thank you,
Josh
Thank you,to to your response sir joshua,and God bless.
You’re welcome, Abelardo! God bless you, too…
-Josh
Hi sir Joshua,see this one AM/ER/ICA
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a270881a8f2d792086a15645aa80517b3939f34782e9a38f8c0c130c874ee484.jpg
Hi, Abelardo —
I see your previous note about AM/ER/ICA but am not sure what in that word is an error here on this penny. To me, on my end, this piece looks wholly normal. Is there something I’m missing? I’ll be glad to further advise.
Best wishes,
Josh
I think its close AM and the word has wide space between AM wide space and then ER wide space again and then ICA.
One cent penny AM/ER/ICA