Reading a coin
Reading a single coin from as close as possible. The legend, the scars, the traces of overstriking.
The Fate of Gold, Divided by Its Use
The Toyotomi faction converted the gold and silver left by Hideyoshi into military power, while Tokugawa Ieyasu established a monetary system valid throughout the country. This is the story of how gold and silver from the same era met completely opposite ends depending on how they were used.
The Value of the Yen as Defined by the 20 Yen Gold Coin
The old 20 yen gold coin was the highest denomination established by the New Coinage Act. The value of this coin, which equated one yen to 1.5 grams of pure gold, was halved in the 30th year of Meiji. Behind this was the war indemnity left in London.
The Fate of Paper Inscribed with "Time Flies"
In the center, "FUGIO" (time flies) and a sundial; below it, "MIND YOUR BUSINESS." Printed to finance the War of Independence, the Continental currency, contrary to its motto, lost its value and left an idiom in the English language.
The Coin of a Memory: Never Trust Paper
After John Law's bubble burst, French currency returned to metal. The écu of Louis XV was a symbol of stability that lasted for about half a century, yet during this time, the nation's finances were heading towards bankruptcy. In an age of stable coinage, something else was eroding the state.
The Sun King's Silver Coin and the Empty Treasury
A silver écu struck in 1690. The reforms of the Controller-General of Finances were supposed to have brought the treasury a surplus. Why, then, did France grow poorer? We trace the history behind the minting of this silver coin.
Machine-Struck Credit: The Pillar Dollar
Two pillars topped by a crown flank two hemispheres. From a distorted lump of silver to a perfectly round coin. A single innovation applied to the edge ended a long-standing malady and built the foundation for worldwide credit.
A Silver Coin with No Place at Home
There was once a silver coin disliked in its homeland for its low fineness. Yet, precisely because it had no place to belong, it embarked on a journey, from the Eastern Mediterranean to North America, making its mark upon the world. This is the long journey of the silver coin that bore the lion.
The Precision and Beauty of the Unclippable Gold Coin
The Louis d'or, a gold coin born in 1640. Its perfect circular shape and artistic portrait were intended to thwart the practice of stealing gold. We trace the precision, beauty, and the hidden side of wealth creation embodied in a single coin.
The Prestige of the Franc That Dropped Two Zeros
In 1960, France issued a new franc, dropping two zeros from the old one. The goal was to restore the prestige of a "heavy franc." The hope entrusted to this single coin would eventually lead to a challenge against the global monetary order, and then against the faceless market.
The Gold Coin of the Sun that Counted a King's Ransom
A gold coin created to proclaim the brilliance of royal authority. In time, this coin also became the unit for counting the ransom of a captured king. We trace the two scenes of glory and defeat reflected by this particular gold coin.
The Sen That Was Never Issued
In the 20th year of the Shōwa era (1945), Japan attempted to fire coins from clay. Fifteen million pieces emerged from the kilns, but the war ended before a single one was issued.
A silver coin covered in chopmarks
There is an 8 Reales silver coin whose king's face has been obliterated by counterstamps. These marks were not a flaw, but a record of the number of times it had been inspected.
Two notes with the same serial number
In the British Museum, two 500 Escudo notes with the same number are displayed side-by-side. One of them is stamped as invalid.
If you would rather read the material itself
Every piece leads back to a stop, a term or a coin in the material.