The British Museum’s Impressions of Nations is now online and it shows coins from every United Nations member state. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, they’re all here, though as the Museum points out, not every country issues coins. Looking through the coins, eagles are popular images,with lions, elephants and fish also appearing. Queen Elizabeth II is the single most represented person as she is the head of state for many Commonwealth countries.
Europhiles can check out the coins from the different member states. For those not familiar with the euro, the notes are all the same, but the coins reflect the country of origin. The Irish euro has a harp on it, the German one an eagle and the Italian euro has the Vitruvian Man. Look also at Greece, Austria and Portugal.
Most are round, but some have holes (Denmark, Norway) and others are have, err, wiggly edges (Libya, Maldives, Myanmar). I can understand why people collect coins as they’re a fascinating insight into each country, often showing not only the history but also the aspiration of the nation.
Australian coin photograph courtesy of BigStock.