Portal:Numismatics

The Numismatics Portal

Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals, and related objects. Experts of this study , known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other means of payment used to resolve debts and exchange goods.

The earliest forms of money used by people are categorised by collectors as "odd and curious", but the use of other goods in barter exchange is excluded, even where used as a circulating currency (e.g., cigarettes or instant noodles in prison). As an example, the Kyrgyz people used horses as the principal currency unit, and gave small change in lambskins; the lambskins may be suitable for numismatic study, but the horses are not.^{[dubious – discuss]} Many objects have been used for centuries, such as cowry shells, precious metals, cocoa beans, large stones, and gems. (Full article...)

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Image 1

The Indian Head eagle is a $10 gold piece or eagle that was struck by the United States Mint continuously from 1907 until 1916, and then irregularly until 1933. The obverse and reverse were designed by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, originally commissioned for use on other denominations. He was suffering from cancer and did not survive to see the coins released.

Beginning in 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt proposed new, more artistic designs on US coins, prompting the Mint to hire Saint-Gaudens to create them. Roosevelt and Saint-Gaudens at first considered a uniform design for the four denominations of coins which were struck in gold, but in 1907 Roosevelt decided to use a model for the obverse of the eagle that the sculptor had meant to use for the cent. For the reverse of the $10 coin, the President decided on a design featuring a standing bald eagle that had been developed for the Saint-Gaudens double eagle $20 coin, while the obverse features a left-facing bust of Liberty wearing an Indian feather headdress. (Full article...)
Image 2

The obverse of a Class I 1804 dollar

The 1804 dollar or Bowed Liberty Dollar was a dollar coin struck by the United States Mint, of which sixteen specimens are currently known to exist. Though dated 1804, none were struck in that year; all were minted in the 1830s or later. They were first created for use in special proof coin sets used as diplomatic gifts during Edmund Roberts' trips to Siam and Muscat.

Edmund Roberts distributed the coins in 1834 and 1835. Two additional sets were ordered for government officials in Japan and Cochinchina, but Roberts died in Macau before they could be delivered. Besides those 1804 dollars produced for inclusion in the diplomatic sets, the Mint struck some examples which were used to trade with collectors for pieces desired for the Mint's coin cabinet. Numismatists first became aware of the 1804 dollar in 1842, when an illustration of one example appeared in a publication authored by two Mint employees. A collector subsequently acquired one example from the Mint in 1843. In response to numismatic demand, several examples were surreptitiously produced by Mint officials. Unlike the original coins, these later restrikes lacked the correct edge lettering, although later examples released from the Mint bore the correct lettering. The coins produced for the diplomatic mission, those struck surreptitiously without edge lettering and those with lettering are known collectively as "Class I", "Class II" and "Class III" dollars, respectively. (Full article...)
Image 3

The American twenty-cent piece is a coin struck from 1875 to 1878, but only for collectors in the final two years. Proposed by Nevada Senator John P. Jones, it proved a failure due to confusion with the quarter, to which it was close in both size and value.

In 1874, the newly elected Jones began pressing for a twenty-cent piece, which he stated would alleviate the shortage of small change in the Far West. The bill passed Congress, and Mint Director Henry Linderman ordered pattern coins struck. Linderman eventually decided on an obverse and reverse similar to that of other silver coins. (Full article...)
Image 4

The Morgan dollar is a United States dollar coin minted from 1878 to 1904, in 1921, and beginning again in 2021 as a collectible. It was the first standard silver dollar minted since the passage of the Coinage Act of 1873, which ended the free coining of silver and the production of the previous design, the Seated Liberty dollar. It contained 412.5 Troy grains of 90% pure silver (or 371.25 Troy grains = 24.057 g; 0.7734 ozt of pure silver). The coin is named after its designer, United States Mint Assistant Engraver George T. Morgan. The obverse depicts a profile portrait representing Liberty, modeled by Anna Willess Williams, while the reverse depicts an eagle with wings outstretched. The mint mark, if present, appears on the reverse above between D and O in "Dollar".

The dollar was authorized by the Bland–Allison Act. Following the passage of the 1873 act, mining interests lobbied to restore free silver, which would require the Mint to accept all silver presented to it and return it, struck into coin. Instead, the Bland–Allison Act was passed, which required the Treasury to purchase between two and four million dollars' worth of silver at market value to be coined into dollars each month. In 1890, the Bland–Allison Act was repealed by the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, which required the Treasury to purchase 4,500,000 troy ounces (140,000 kg) of silver each month, but only required further silver dollar production for one year. This act, once again, was repealed in 1893. (Full article...)
Image 5

The Sacagawea dollar (also known as the "golden dollar") is a United States dollar coin introduced in 2000, but subsequently minted only for niche circulation from 2002 onward. The coin generally failed to meet consumer and business demands but it is still generally accepted in circulation.

These coins have a copper core clad by manganese brass, giving them a distinctive golden color. The coin features an obverse designed by Glenna Goodacre of Sacagawea, the Shoshone guide of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, carrying her child. From 2000 to 2008, the reverse featured an eagle design by Thomas D. Rogers. Since 2009, the reverse of the Sacagawea dollar has been changed yearly, with each design in the series depicting a different aspect of Native American cultures. These coins are marketed as "Native American dollars". (Full article...)
Image 6

The Alabama Centennial half dollar, or Alabama half dollar, was a commemorative fifty-cent coin struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1921 as a belated acknowledgement of the 100th anniversary of Alabama's admission to the Union in 1819. The coin was created by Laura Gardin Fraser, the first woman credited with designing a coin.

Alabama Congressman Lilius Bratton Rainey introduced legislation for a commemorative coin at the request of the state's centennial commission. The bill originally provided for commemorative quarters but was amended to provide for halves instead. The bill moved quickly through the legislative process and became the Act of May 10, 1920, with the signature of President Woodrow Wilson. (Full article...)
$Image 7 Fifty-cent fractional currency depicting Francis E. Spinner, with autograph signature. Fractional currency, also referred to as shinplasters, was introduced by the United States federal government following the outbreak of the Civil War. These low-denomination banknotes of the United States dollar were in use between August 21, 1862, and February 15, 1876, and issued in denominations of 3, 5, 10, 15, 25, and 50 cents across five issuing periods. The complete type set below is part of the National Numismatic Collection, housed at the National Museum of American History, part of the Smithsonian Institution. (Full article...)$

Image 7
$Fifty-cent fractional currency depicting Francis E. Spinner, with autograph signature$
Fifty-cent fractional currency depicting Francis E. Spinner, with autograph signature.

Fractional currency, also referred to as shinplasters, was introduced by the United States federal government following the outbreak of the Civil War. These low-denomination banknotes of the United States dollar were in use between August 21, 1862, and February 15, 1876, and issued in denominations of 3, 5, 10, 15, 25, and 50 cents across five issuing periods. The complete type set below is part of the National Numismatic Collection, housed at the National Museum of American History, part of the Smithsonian Institution. (Full article...)
Image 8

The Flying Eagle cent is a one-cent piece struck by the Mint of the United States as a pattern coin in 1856 and for circulation in 1857 and 1858. The coin was designed by Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre, with the eagle in flight based on the work of Longacre's predecessor, Christian Gobrecht.

By the early 1850s, the large cent (about the size of a half dollar) being issued by the Mint was becoming both unpopular in commerce and expensive to mint. After experimenting with various sizes and compositions, the Mint decided on an alloy of 88% copper and 12% nickel for a new, smaller cent. After the Mint produced patterns with an 1856 date and gave them to legislators and officials, Congress formally authorized the new piece in February 1857. (Full article...)
Image 9

The Seated Liberty dollar was a dollar coin struck by the United States Mint from 1840 to 1873 and designed by its chief engraver, Christian Gobrecht. It was the last silver coin of that denomination to be struck before passage of the Coinage Act of 1873, which temporarily ended production of the silver dollar for American commerce. The coin's obverse is based on that of the Gobrecht dollar, which had been minted experimentally from 1836 to 1839. However, the soaring eagle used on the reverse of the Gobrecht dollar was not used; instead, the United States Mint (Mint) used a heraldic eagle, based on a design by late Mint Chief Engraver John Reich first utilized on coins in 1807.

Seated Liberty dollars were initially struck only at the Philadelphia Mint; in 1846, production began at the New Orleans facility. In the late 1840s, the price of silver increased relative to gold because of an increase in supply of the latter caused by the California Gold Rush; this led to the hoarding, export, and melting of American silver coins. The Coinage Act of 1853 decreased the weight of all silver coins of five cents or higher, except for the dollar, but also required a supplemental payment from those wishing their bullion struck into dollar coins. As little silver was being presented to the US Mint at the time, production remained low. In the final years of the series, there was more silver produced in the US, and mintages increased. (Full article...)
Image 10
Cameo of Pistrucci (ca. 1850, by his daughter, Elisa)

Benedetto Pistrucci (29 May 1783 – 16 September 1855) was an Italian gem-engraver, medallist and a coin engraver, probably best known for his Saint George and the Dragon design for the British sovereign coin. Pistrucci was commissioned by the British government to create the large Waterloo Medal, a project which took him thirty years to complete.

Born in Rome in 1783, Pistrucci studied briefly with other artists before striking out on his own at age 15. He became prominent as a cameo carver and was patronised by royalty. In 1815, he moved to Britain, where he would live for most of the rest of his life. His talent brought him to the attention of notables including William Wellesley-Pole, the Master of the Mint. Pole engaged Pistrucci to design new coinage, including the sovereign, which was first issued in 1817 to mixed reactions. Although Pole probably promised Pistrucci the post of Chief Engraver, the position could not be awarded as only a British subject could hold it. This slight became a long-term grievance for Pistrucci. (Full article...)
Image 11

Zerbe c. 1908

Joseph Farran Zerbe (April 16, 1871 – December 25, 1949) was an American coin collector and dealer who was the president of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) in 1908 and 1909. He served as chief numismatist (person responsible for selling government coins) at the World's Fairs in St. Louis (1904), Portland (1905), and San Francisco (1915).

Zerbe was born in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, in 1871, and became interested in coins as a child. By the time he was 20, he was running a corner store in Tyrone, alongside involvement in other businesses. He joined the ANA in 1900, and thereafter made his living from coins. Accumulating a major collection of numismatic items, he exhibited them at the fairs and at local banks throughout the U.S. for over 20 years beginning in 1907. The high prices he charged for the commemorative coins issued by the U.S. Mint for the World's Fairs, as well as the fact that some of the coins sank in value after the fairs closed, earned him a reputation among some numismatists as a huckster. (Full article...)
Image 12

The Gobrecht dollar, minted from 1836 to 1839, was the first silver dollar struck for circulation by the United States Mint after production of that denomination had been halted in 1806 (the last previous silver dollars were struck in 1804 but dated 1803). The coin was struck in small numbers to determine whether the reintroduced silver dollar would be well received by the public.

In 1835, Director of the United States Mint Samuel Moore resigned his post, and Robert M. Patterson assumed the position. Shortly after, Patterson began an attempt to redesign the nation's coinage. After Mint Chief Engraver William Kneass suffered a stroke later that year, Christian Gobrecht was hired as an engraver. On August 1, Patterson wrote a letter to Philadelphia artist Thomas Sully laying out his plans for the dollar coin. He also asked Titian Peale to create a design for the coin. Sully created an obverse design depicting a seated representation of Liberty and Peale a reverse depicting a soaring bald eagle, which were adapted into coin designs by Gobrecht. After the designs were created and trials struck, production of the working dies began in September 1836. (Full article...)
Image 13

The Eisenhower dollar is a one-dollar coin issued by the United States Mint from 1971 to 1978; it was the first coin of that denomination issued by the Mint since the Peace dollar series ended in 1935. The coin depicts President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the obverse, and a stylized image honoring the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon mission on the reverse. Both sides were designed by Frank Gasparro, with the reverse based on the mission patch designed by astronaut Michael Collins. It is the only large-size U.S. dollar coin whose circulation strikes contained no silver.

In 1965, because of rises in bullion prices, the Mint began to strike copper-nickel clad coins instead of silver. No dollar coins had been issued for thirty years, but, beginning in 1969, legislators sought to reintroduce a dollar coin into commerce. After Eisenhower died that March, there were a number of proposals to honor him with the new coin. While these bills generally commanded wide support, enactment was delayed by a dispute over whether the new dollar coin should be in base metal or 40% silver. In 1970, a compromise was reached to strike the Eisenhower dollar in base metal for circulation, and in 40% silver as a collectible. On December 31, 1970, President Richard Nixon, who had served as vice president under Eisenhower, signed legislation authorizing mintage of the new coin. (Full article...)
Image 14

The Cleveland Centennial half dollar is a commemorative United States half dollar struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1936 and 1937, though all bear the earlier date. Sometimes known as the Cleveland Centennial Great Lakes Exposition half dollar, it was issued to mark the 100th anniversary of Cleveland, Ohio, as an incorporated city, and in commemoration of the Great Lakes Exposition, held in Cleveland in 1936.

In the mid-1930s, commemorative coins were increasing in value, and Cincinnati businessman Thomas G. Melish, a coin collector, lobbied Congress to authorize several new issues, of which he would be the sole distributor. He was successful with the Cincinnati Musical Center half dollar, from which he profited greatly, and with the Cleveland piece. Brenda Putnam designed the Cleveland coin, which was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts after suggestions by sculptor Lee Lawrie. (Full article...)
Image 15

The Barber coinage consists of a dime, quarter, and half dollar designed by United States Bureau of the Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber. They were minted between 1892 and 1916, though no half dollars were struck in the final year of the series.

By the late 1880s, there were increasing calls for the replacement of the Seated Liberty design, used since the 1830s on most denominations of silver coins. In 1891, Mint Director Edward O. Leech, having been authorized by Congress to approve coin redesigns, ordered a competition, seeking a new look for the silver coins. As only the winner would receive a cash prize, invited artists refused to participate and no entry from the public proved suitable. Leech instructed Barber to prepare new designs for the dime, quarter, and half dollar, and after the chief engraver made changes to secure Leech's endorsement, they were approved by President Benjamin Harrison in November 1891. Striking of the new coins began the following January. (Full article...)

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The Egyptian pound (Egyptian Arabic: جنيه مصرى [ɡeˈneː ˈmɑsˤri, ˈɡeni-]; abbreviations: £, E£, £E, LE, or EGP in Latin, and ج.م. in Arabic, ISO code: EGP) is the official currency of Egypt. It is divided into 100 piastres, (or qirsh, قرش [ʔerʃ]; plural قروش [ʔʊˈruːʃ]; abbreviation: PT, short for "piastre tarif") and was historically divided into 1,000 milliemes (مليم [mælˈliːm]; French: millième, abbreviated to m or mill).

Since July 6, 2022, the 10- and 20-pound notes have been made out of polymer plastic paper. (Full article...)

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Credit: DavidBrooks
Reverse of a 1915 George V half-sovereign.

Did you know...

...that with its two-dollar coin (reverse pictured), Newfoundland was the only British colony to issue circulating gold coinage?
...that Mount Burgess is nicknamed the Ten Dollar Mountain because it was featured on Canadian currency?
...that the American Buffalo gold bullion coin was the first .9999 fine 24-carat gold coin released by the United States Mint?
...that the Alabama centennial half dollar was the first commemorative coin minted with the image of a living individual?
...that Aksumite currency was the only native coinage to be issued in Africa without direct influence by an outside culture like Roman, Greek, etc...?

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The Florentine florin was a gold coin (in Italian Fiorino d'oro) struck from 1252 to 1533 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard during that time.

It had 54 grains (3.499 grams, 0.1125 troy ounces) of nominally pure or 'fine' gold with a purchasing power difficult to estimate (and variable) but ranging according to social grouping and perspective from approximately 140 to 1,000 modern US dollars. The name of the coin comes from the Giglio bottonato (it), the floral emblem of the city, which is represented at the head of the coin. (Full article...)

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Credit: Ronald Wise, banknoteworld
Back of 100 Kyrgyz som, printed and issued in 2002.

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The following are images from various numismatics-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Greek drachm of Aegina. Obverse: Land turtle. Reverse: ΑΙΓ(INA) and dolphin (from History of money)
Image 2Shreds of unfit US dollar notes with a typical size of less than 1.5 mm × 16 mm (from Banknote)
Image 3Genoese doppia, 1589 (from History of money)
Image 4Many currencies, such as the Indonesian rupiah, vary the sizes of their banknotes by denomination. This is done so that they may be told apart through touch alone. (from Banknote)
Image 5Cowry shells being used as money by an Arab trader (from Currency)
Image 6An oxhide ingot from Crete. Late Bronze Age metal ingots were given standard shapes, such as the shape of an "ox-hide", suggesting that they represented standardized values. (from Coin)
Image 7Silver coin of the Maurya Empire, known as rūpyarūpa, with symbols of wheel and elephant. 3rd century BC (from History of money)
Image 8Coins can be stacked. (from Coin)
Image 9Timeline of monetary history (from History of money)
Image 101884 United States trade dollar (from Coin)
Image 11A 2000 Romanian lei polymer banknote (from Banknote)
Image 12A 7th century one-third stater coin from Lydia, shown larger (from History of money)
Image 13Spade money from the Zhou dynasty, c. 650–400 BC (from History of money)
Image 14Bimetallic Egyptian one pound coin featuring King Tutankhamen (from Coin)
Image 15A silver coin made during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II (1754–1759) (from Coin)
Image 16Punch-marked coin minted in the Kabul Valley under Achaemenid administration, c. 500–380 BC, or c. 350 BC. (from Coin)
Image 17Name of currency units by country, in Portuguese (from Currency)
Image 18Athenian coin (c. 500/490–485 BC) discovered in the Shaikhan Dehri hoard in Pushkalavati, Pakistan. This coin is the earliest known example of its type to be found so far east. (from Coin)
Image 19Early punch-marked coins of Gandhara, Taxila-Gandhara region. (from Coin)
Image 20A siglos found in the Kabul valley, 5th century BC. Coins of this type were also found in the Bhir Mound hoard. (from Coin)
Image 21Genoese scudo, 1541 (from History of money)
Image 22100 USD banknote (from History of money)
Image 23Roman aureus of Septimius Severus, c. 193–211 AD (from History of money)
Image 24An American Silver Eagle minted in 2019 (left), an example of a Bullion coin. Its obverse design is based on the older, formerly circulating silver Walking Liberty half dollar (right). (from Coin)
Image 25Silver stater of Aegina, 550–530 BC. Obverse: sea turtle with large pellets down centre. Reverse: incuse square punch with eight sections. (from Coin)
Image 26Earliest banknote from China during the Song Dynasty which is known as "Jiaozi" (from History of money)
Image 27Roman denarius of Julius Caesar, 44 BC (from History of money)
Image 28The French Indies Company issued rupees in the name of Muhammad Shah (1719–1748) for Northern India trade. This was cast in Pondicherry. (from History of money)
Image 29Collage for banknote design with annotations and additions to show proposed changes (figure rather higher so as to allow room for the No.), Bank of Manchester, UK, 1833. On display at the British Museum in London (from Banknote)
Image 30Russian American Company-issued Alaskan parchment scrip (c. 1852) (from Banknote)
Image 31Holographic coin from Liberia features the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) (from Coin)
Image 32A $5 note issued by Citizens Bank of Louisiana in the 1850s. (from Banknote)
$Image 33Five million mark coin (Weimar Republic, 1923). Despite its high denomination, this coin's monetary value dropped to a tiny fraction of a US cent by the end of 1923, substantially less than the value of its metallic content. (from Coin)$

Image 33Five million mark coin (Weimar Republic, 1923). Despite its high denomination, this coin's monetary value dropped to a tiny fraction of a US cent by the end of 1923, substantially less than the value of its metallic content. (from Coin)
Image 34Florentine florin, 1347 (from Coin)
Image 35A 5 euro note that was repaired with plastic tape after being torn in half (from Banknote)
Image 36Shredded and briquetted US dollar notes from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (approx. 1000 pieces, 1 kg) (from Banknote)
Image 37Egyptian Gold stater of Nectanebo II: reverse with hieroglyphs nfr-nb (around 360 BC). (from Currency)
Image 38Song dynasty Jiaozi, the world's earliest paper money (from Currency)
Image 39The earliest inscribed coinage: electrum coin of Phanes from Ephesus, 625–600 BC. Obverse: Stag grazing right, ΦΑΝΕΩΣ (retrograde). Reverse: Two incuse punches, each with raised intersecting lines. (from Coin)
Image 40A Swiss ten-cent coin from 1879, similar to the oldest coins still in official use today (from Coin)
Image 41Posthumous Alexander the Great tetradrachm from Temnos, Aeolis. Dated 188–170 BC. Obverse: Alexander the Great as Herakles facing right wearing the nemean lionskin. Reverse: Zeus seated on throne to the left holding eagle in right hand and scepter in left; in left field PA monogram and angular sigma above grape vine arching over oinochoe; ALEXANDROU vertical in right field. Reference: Price 1678. (from Coin)
Image 42Coin of Alyattes of Lydia, c. 620/10–564/53 BC (from Coin)
Image 43Roman sestertius of Nero, c. 54–68 AD (from History of money)
Image 44Hoard of mostly Mauryan Empire coins, 3rd century BC (from Coin)
Image 45Gandharan "bent-bar" punch-marked coin minted under Achaemenid administration, of the type found in large quantities in the Chaman Hazouri and the Bhir Mound hoards. (from Coin)
Image 46French 1992 twenty Franc Tri-Metallic coin (from Coin)
Image 47The Achaemenid Empire satraps and dynasts in Asia Minor developed the usage of portraiture from c. 420 BC. Portrait of the satrap of Lydia, Tissaphernes (c. 445–395 BC). (from Coin)
Image 48Obverse and reverse of an old American $100 note (1928) (from Banknote)
Image 49Chinese round coins, Eastern Zhou dynasty – Warring States Period, c. 300–220 BC. Four Hua (四化, 30mm, 6.94 g). Legend Yi Si Hua ([City of] Yi Four Hua). (from Coin)
Image 50Genoese 10 doppie, 1641 (from History of money)
Image 51Fed Shreds as souvenir from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (from Banknote)
Image 52Shredded and briquetted US dollar notes from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (approx. 1000 pieces, 1 kg) (from Banknote)
Image 53Alexander the Great Tetradrachm from the Temnos Mint, c. 188–170 BC (from Coin)
Image 54The Piloncitos are tiny engraved gold coins found in the Philippines, along with barter rings, which are gold ring-like ingots. These barter rings are bigger than softballs in size and are made of pure gold from the Archaic period (c. 10th to 16th century). (from Coin)
Image 553 Rubles proof coin of Russia, minted in 2008 (from Coin)
Image 56Shredded and briquetted euro banknotes from the Deutsche Bundesbank, Germany (approx. 1 kg) (from Banknote)

Numismatic terminology

Bullion – Precious metals (platinum, gold and silver) in the form of bars, ingots or plate.
Error – Usually a mis-made coin not intended for circulation, but can also refer to an engraving or die-cutting error not discovered until the coins are released to circulation. This may result is two or more varieties of the coin in the same year.
Exonumia – The study of coin-like objects such as token coins and medals, and other items used in place of legal currency or for commemoration.
Fineness – Purity of precious metal content expressed in terms of one thousand parts. 90% is expressed as .900 fine.
Notaphily – The study of paper money or banknotes.
Scripophily – The study and collection of stocks and Bonds.

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Money - Coins - Banknotes - Electronic money - Exchange rate - Legal tender - Clubs - Terminology

Ancient currency: Asia - Byzantium - Greece - Primitive Money - Roman - Indian coinage

Modern currency: Africa - The Americas - Asia and the Pacific - Europe - Bullion coins - Challenge coin - Commemorative coins - Token coins

Economics: Banking - Bonds - Cheques - Credit Cards - Fiat currency - Gold standard - Mints - Monetary union - Reserve currency - Stocks

Production: Coining (machining) - Designers - Die making - Mint (coin) • Coinage Metals: Aluminum - Bronze - Copper - Gold - Platinum - Silver - Tin

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Most traded currencies

Most traded currencies by value
Currency distribution of global foreign exchange market turnover^[1]
v
t
e
Currency	ISO 4217 code	Proportion of daily volume		Change (2022–2025)
Currency	ISO 4217 code	April 2022	April 2025	Change (2022–2025)
U.S. dollar	USD	88.4%	89.2%	0.8pp
Euro	EUR	30.6%	28.9%	1.7pp
Japanese yen	JPY	16.7%	16.8%	0.1pp
Pound sterling	GBP	12.9%	10.2%	2.7pp
Renminbi	CNY	7.0%	8.5%	1.5pp
Swiss franc	CHF	5.2%	6.4%	1.2pp
Australian dollar	AUD	6.4%	6.1%	0.3pp
Canadian dollar	CAD	6.2%	5.8%	0.4pp
Hong Kong dollar	HKD	2.6%	3.8%	1.2pp
Singapore dollar	SGD	2.4%	2.4%
Indian rupee	INR	1.6%	1.9%	0.3pp
South Korean won	KRW	1.8%	1.8%
Swedish krona	SEK	2.2%	1.6%	0.6pp
Mexican peso	MXN	1.5%	1.6%	0.1pp
New Zealand dollar	NZD	1.7%	1.5%	0.2pp
Norwegian krone	NOK	1.7%	1.3%	0.4pp
New Taiwan dollar	TWD	1.1%	1.2%	0.1pp
Brazilian real	BRL	0.9%	0.9%
South African rand	ZAR	1.0%	0.8%	0.2pp
Polish złoty	PLN	0.7%	0.8%	0.1pp
Danish krone	DKK	0.7%	0.7%
Indonesian rupiah	IDR	0.4%	0.7%	0.3pp
Turkish lira	TRY	0.4%	0.5%	0.1pp
Thai baht	THB	0.4%	0.5%	0.1pp
Israeli new shekel	ILS	0.4%	0.4%
Hungarian forint	HUF	0.3%	0.4%	0.1pp
Czech koruna	CZK	0.4%	0.4%
Chilean peso	CLP	0.3%	0.3%
Philippine peso	PHP	0.2%	0.2%
Colombian peso	COP	0.2%	0.2%
Malaysian ringgit	MYR	0.2%	0.2%
UAE dirham	AED	0.4%	0.1%	0.3pp
Saudi riyal	SAR	0.2%	0.1%	0.1pp
Romanian leu	RON	0.1%	0.1%
Peruvian sol	PEN	0.1%	0.1%
Other currencies		2.6%	3.4%	0.8pp
Total^[a]		200.0%	200.0%

References

^ Triennial Central Bank Survey Foreign exchange turnover in April 2025 (PDF) (Report). Bank for International Settlements. 30 September 2025. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-10-12.

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^ The total sum is 200% because each currency trade is counted twice: once for the currency being bought and once for the currency being sold. The percentages above represent the proportion of all trades involving a given currency, regardless of which side of the transaction it is on.

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[1] Triennial Central Bank Survey Foreign exchange turnover in April 2025 (PDF) (Report). Bank for International Settlements. 30 September 2025. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-10-12.

[2] The total sum is 200% because each currency trade is counted twice: once for the currency being bought and once for the currency being sold. The percentages above represent the proportion of all trades involving a given currency, regardless of which side of the transaction it is on.

[1]

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