For centuries, foreign nations have been minting coins. A large quantity of these coins still exist today, each with a unique design history, minting process, and circulation. The foreign coin world offers a peek into each country’s history and provides the collector with an endless trove of stories.
Several factors need to be taken into account when evaluating foreign coins. While many foreign coins have the country’s name written on them, languages that use a different alphabet, such as Hindi or Arabic, can make the coin’s origin difficult to decipher. Most foreign coins aren’t worth more than their face value, but old (more than 100 years old) and rare coins could be worth a lot of money. And just like domestic coins, the condition of the foreign coin is of paramount importance. Keep in mind, too, that a modern foreign coin can be valuable—as legal tender or if it is a rare collectible, like a limited-edition commemorative coin.
