Worldwide

Coins from five continents

The Worldwide category gathers foreign coins from the early Middle Ages to modern times, sorted into Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Australasia. Europe is by far the largest group, with its own subcategories for England, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, France, Italy, Spain, the Benelux countries and Prussia, Germany and Austria. Here you find English hammered pennies and groats, German bracteates of the 12th and 13th centuries, thalers and daalders, Danish coins of Christian IV, Swedish coins from 1573 to the 20th century and Russian kopeks and roubles.

Asia is the second-largest group, with Chinese money from knife money and cash coins of the Han, Xin and Song dynasties to Qing dragon silver, rupees from the Mughal Empire and the East India Company, and a Japanese Tenpō Tsūhō. Africa is represented by silver from Egypt under King Farouk and a coin of Paul Kruger’s South African Republic, America by Spanish colonial silver from Potosí and Lima and coins from Brazil and the United States, and Australasia by a token from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Norwegian coins, ancient coins and coins from the Middle East and the Arctic have their own categories.

Hammered, cast and milled coins

Coins were made in different ways in different parts of the world, and the method affects what you should look for:

• Hammered coins were struck by hand between two dies. Medieval European pennies, groats and bracteates, and Spanish colonial cobs, are hammered, so off-centre strikes and irregular flans are normal.
• Cast coins were poured into moulds. Chinese cash coins with their square holes were made this way for some two thousand years.
• Milled coins were struck by machine, giving a round, even flan and often a decorated edge. In Europe the technique took over gradually from the 16th and 17th centuries.

What affects the value of a coin?

Four factors matter most. Rarity: how many were made and how many survive. Condition: Norwegian dealers grade coins on a scale where 0 is uncirculated, 01 nearly uncirculated, 1+ very well preserved, 1 well preserved with clear wear and 1- or 2 for more worn coins; in English the terms are roughly UNC, aUNC, EF, VF and F. Strike and flan: a sharp, well-centred strike on a whole flan is worth more than a weak or off-centre one. Surface: an original, untouched patina is preferred, while cleaned or polished coins are valued lower.

Historical interest also counts. A coin of a famous ruler, from a dramatic period or with a visible error can be more sought after than its rarity alone would suggest. Each coin is described with ruler, mint, date, condition and catalogue reference, and the photographs show both sides.

Buy foreign coins with confidence

Every coin at Denarius is examined, photographed and described, and has its own protocol number. Most are single examples, so the coin you see is the coin you receive. Denarius guarantees that everything sold is genuine and as described, and ships worldwide. For paper money from the same countries, see the Banknotes category.