Century Set

The Rules

The set consists of 28 coins, one per century, starting from the 21^st century, and proceeding backward to the beginning of coinage. The coin chosen for any given century must be unambiguously from that century — an undated coin that, say, was minted at any time from 1375 to 1425 is ineligible to be counted in either the 14^th or 15^th centuries. Also, the coin chosen for any given century can come from anywhere in the world, but no coin-issuing-entity should be represented more than once in the set. This set does have one Roman, and one Roman Provincial, which does bend the rule slightly, though at least the legend for the provincial is in Greek, rather than Latin.

The Set

21^st Century

(2001-present)

2011 Dollar

Canada Bust of Elizabeth II / Stylized land, air and aquatic fauna, varieties of flora, park building, hiker and mountain range. 26.4mm.

20^th Century

(1901-2000)

1915 Peso

Cuba National arms within wreath, denomination below / High relief star, date below. Silver, 38mm; KM #15.1.

19^th Century

(1801-1900)

1880-S Morgan Dollar

United States Liberty facing left / Eagle holding arrows and olive branch in a wreath. Silver, 38.1mm; KM #110.

18^th Century

(1701-1800)

1795 6 Florins

Geneva, Switzerland Arms within circle and wreath / Value in center of large radiant sun, date below. One year issue reform coinage. Silver, 33.1mm; KM #110.

17^th Century

(1601-1700)

1618 4 Maravedis

Spain Issued by Philip III. Castle / Rampant lion left. Valladolid mint (aqueduct mintmark). Copper, 20.2mm; KM #14.

16^th Century

(1501-1600)

1578 Schilling

Riga, Latvia Lion's head in front of a city gate; CIVITATIS RIGENSIS / Cross above crossed keys, rosette below; MONE NO ARGENTEA. Silver, 18mm; Fyodorov 620.

15^th Century

(1401-1500)

1471 Kreuzer

Austria Double-headed eagle / Inner and outer crosses. Early dated coin. Wiener Neustadt (Vienna) mint. Silver, 18mm; Saurma 645, Frey-140.

14^th Century

(1301-1400)

1382-1387 Denar

Hungary Issued by Maria of Anjou. Monogram in a circle, legend surrounding / Lorraine cross in a circle, legend surrounding. Silver, 14mm.

13^th Century

(1201-1300)

ca. 1290 Pfennig

Regensburg, Germany Issued by Heinrich II von Rotteneck and Otto III Duke of Lower Bavaria. Bust of Heinrich under an arch / Busts of Heinrich and Otto. Silver, 15.6mm.

12^th Century

(1101-1200)

1172-1185 Denier

Aquitaine Issued by Richard (I) Coeur de Lion. RICARDVS in two lines across field, cross above, ω below / AQVITANIE, cross pattée. Bordeaux mint. Silver, 18mm.

11^th Century

(1001-1100)

1080-1091 (AH 473-484) Half Dinar

Sulayhids of Yemen Issued by Queen Al Sayyida Arwa in the name of her late husband al-Mukarram Ahmad. Dhu Jibla mint. Gold, 18.2mm; Album 1078.

10^th Century

(901-1000)

907-960 Cash

China Five Dynasties - Southern Han. Ch'ien-heng chung-pao / blank. Lead, 25mm; Schjoth 436, Jen 169.

9^th Century

(801-900)

ca. 854-862 Sceat

Kings of Northumbria, England Issued by Aethelred II. King's name, cross in the center / Moneyer's name, five pellets in the center. Copper, 12.6mm; Spink 861 or 864.

8^th Century

(701-800)

793 Half Dirhem

Tabaristan Based on the Sasanian style: Crowned bust right, border with crescents / Two attendants flanking a flaming altar, triple border with crescents and dots. Silver, 22.8mm; Marsden 542, Walker 159 XXXIV-15.

7^th Century

(601-700)

610 (Year 21) Drachm

Sasanian Persia Issued by Khosrau II. Crowned bust of Khosrau right, double border with 3 crescents / Two attendants flanking a flaming altar, triple border with 4 crescents. Silver, 27mm.

6^th Century

(501-600)

527-565 Solidus

Byzantine Empire Issued by Justinian. Bust of Justinian, helmeted, holding globus cruciger and shield / Angel standing facing, holding P-headed cross and globus cruciger. Gold, 23.2mm; Metcalf 358ff.

5^th Century

(401-500)

455-467 AD Drachm

India Issued by Skandagupta. Head of king right / Fire altar, Brahmi legend around. Silver, 12.3mm.

4^th Century

(301-400)

351-355 Æ

Rome Issued by Constantius II. Diademed draped bust of Constantius II / Roman soldier spearing a fallen horseman who raises an arm in protest. Siscia mint. Bronze, 18.6mm; RIC VIII Siscia 350.

3^rd Century

(201-300)

249-251 Tetradrachm

Alexandria, EgyptIssued by Trajan Decius. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Eagle on palm right, wreath in his beak. Silver, 25.6mm; Prieur 589.

2^nd Century

(101-200)

133-4 Æ (Bar Kochba revolt)

Judea Seven branched palm tree with two bunches of dates; Hebrew below (Simon) / Vine leaf on tendril; Hebrew around (Year two of the freedom of Israel). Copper, 22.4mm; Hendin 708.

1^st Century

(1-100)

February, 47 AD Tetradrachm

Parthia Issued by Gotarzes II. Draped and diademed bust left / King enthroned right, Tyche presenting wreath, date (Yr 359) above, month ("Dustrou" - February) in exergue. Silver, 27.3mm; Shore 359, Sellwood 65.

1^st Century BC

(100-1 BC)

ca. 79 BC Half-Shekel

Tyre, Phoenicia Laureate head of Melqart right / Eagle standing left on prow, carrying a palm under its right wing, club in field. Silver, 23.4mm.

2^nd Century BC

(200-101 BC)

ca. 174-165 BC Drachm

Baktria Issued by Apollodotos I. Elephant standing right; monogram / Zebu bull standing right. Silver, 14.7mm; Bop 4D, MIG 207b.

3^rd Century BC

(300-201 BC)

241-238 BC Shekel-Didrachm

Zeugitania, North Africa Libyan Revolt. Diademed head of Tanit/Kore left / Horse standing right. Overstruck. Silver, 23.9mm; SNG Cop 236.

4^th Century BC

(400-301 BC)

395-308 BC Stater

Thebes, BoeotiaBoeotian shield / Amphora. Silver, 22.5mm; Sear 2400var.

5^th Century BC

(500-401 BC)

ca. 450-400 BC Drachm

Apollonia Pontika, Black Sea area Anchor and crayfish / Gorgoneion. Silver, 14.mm; Sear 1655.

6^th Century BC

(600-501 BC)

Late 6th Century BC Twelfth Stater

Miletus, Ionia Forepart of a lion right, head turned back / Star ornament within an incuse square. Silver, 9.8mm; Sear 3532.

7^th Century BC

(700-601 BC)

Pre-Kroisos Third Stater (Trite)

Lydia, Asia Minor Head of a lion facing right / Oblong punch divided into two squares. Electrum, 12.8mm; Sear 3398.