How to Identify Coins

Understand that each coin from around the world has some traits in common. These include the country of origin, the date it was minted, and the amount it is worth. However, if the coin is foreign, this information is usually in a different language.

Find the name of the coin's country of origin. Sometimes it is on the edge or on the face of the coin. However, it is important to know that the name of the country is always in the native language of that country. An easy way to translate the name, if it is in English alphabet characters, is to perform a simple Internet search. If it is in different characters, however, use the chart in References to determine the country name.

Find the denomination of the coin. Each country uses a different name to refer to its currency, and each currency has its own naming system for different denominations. Japan has yen and sen, and the United States has dollars and cents. However, many denominations have now fallen out of use. Older foreign coins may not be in use any more. To help determine the denomination use the link to the world coin gallery that is in the References section.

Look for the date when the coin was minted. Finding the year the coin was minted is generally easy, as most of the world uses the Western dating system. However, there are some anomalies. Israel, for example, uses the Hebrew calendar and Hebrew numbers when they display the date on their coins. Use the link to the world coin gallery that can be found in the resources section in order to help you find the date of the coin you are investigating.

Determine what a coin is made of by selecting the coin's country of origin on the World Coin Gallery website (see resources below) and reviewing the information going by date and denomination. For instance, in the United States coins such as dollars, halves, quarters and dimes minted before 1965 where made of 90 percent silver. Half dollars produced between 1965 and 1969 are 40 percent silver, and any other coins made after 1965 do not possess any silver. If you are dealing with a foreign coin, you may require more research; however, using the coin's date and denomination is the appropriate approach. Other elements used in coins include gold, aluminum, lead, copper and steel.

Keep in mind that coins can be very old. They last a long time and some coins dating back even to Roman times are still in existence today. Coins that are this old might have a country name or currency that is no longer in existence. For example, European nations that adopted the Euro retired their own currencies in 2002 and as such those retired currencies are not worth anything except to collectors.