The most unusual money. The smallest coin

The largest and most expensive gold coins in the world. Coin "Gold Maple Leaf" 100 kg.

The largest gold coins in the world

golden maple leaf	Big Phil	Beijing Olympics 2008
150th anniversary of the Bank of Russia	Taj Mahal	gigantic kangaroo

Canadian coin 100 kg "Gold Maple Leaf"

• In 2007, the Central Bank of Canada issued a giant Gold Maple Leaf coin weighing 100 kg, 1.2 inches thick and 0.53 m in diameter. The fineness of gold is 999.
  The front side depicts the Queen of Great Britain and Canada, Elizabeth II, on the back - the symbol of Canada - three maple leaves.
  Only 5 copies were made. The issue of the coin is dedicated to the centenary of the Royal Canadian Mint. The CAD 1 million or $904.03 thousand gold maple leaf is one of the most expensive coins in the world, and until November 2011 was the heaviest gold coin.
  One coin is owned by Queen Elizabeth II herself, another coin is kept in the safe of the Royal Canadian Mint, the rest were sold at auctions from 3.27 million euros.

  "Golden Maple Leaf"

Austrian gold coin 31 kg "Big Phil"

• Austrian gold coin "Big Phil" (Big Phil) weighs 31 kg and costs 100 thousand euros (diameter 37 cm). This coin was produced by the Vienna Mint in October 2004 and at that time was the largest gold coin. It was released for the anniversary of the Vienna Philharmonic. The circulation of "Big Phil" was 15 pieces and most of the coins were bought up by anonymous buyers.

  "Big Phil" (Big Phil)

Chinese gold coin 10 kg "XXIX Olympic Games in Beijing"

• In China, for the XXIX Summer Olympic Games in 2008, a 10-kilogram gold coin of 100,000 yuan (diameter 18 cm; mintage of 29 pieces) was issued. On the front side of the gold coin there is a color logo of the Beijing Olympics, on the reverse side there is a heavenly temple against the background of clouds, a dragon, the years of the Olympics, seventeen figures of athletes.
  One Chinese ten-kilogram gold coin was sold in Russia in 2008 (30,000,000 rubles).

  Chinese gold coin 10 kg

French gold coin 1kg "Taj Mahal"

The fae and ray coins of Yap Island are the heaviest. They are stone discs with a hole in the middle. Some of them have a diameter of more than 3.5 meters and a weight of 4 tons. I wonder how they were paid?

The largest at face value and the heaviest coin

The largest and therefore the heaviest coin is the one million dollar gold coin, designed by artist Stanley Witten. This pure 999.99 gold coin was minted by the Bank of Canada on behalf of the Royal Mint. On one side of the coin is a portrait of the head of Canada, Queen Elizabeth II, on the other side - a maple leaf. Each coin was made by hand for up to eight weeks.

The weight of the coin is about 100 kilograms, more precisely 99.95 kilograms or 221 pounds, the diameter is 20 inches or 50.8 cm, the thickness is 1 inch or 2.5 cm. Before it was made, the coin from Austria with a denomination of 100,000 euros was considered the heaviest , whose weight was 31.1 kilograms. 15 coins were issued and they were distributed among collections in less than a month. Thus, the new largest and heaviest coin is more than 3 times more solid than its predecessor!

The most beautiful coin

The Mexican coin, issued in 2005 from silver with images of the national emblem of Mexico and the calendar of the Aztec tribe, is rightfully considered the most beautiful in the world. The decision to assign this status to the coin was made by members of the World Conference of Mints, which took place in May 2008 in South Korea. The value of the coin is not specified. This outlandish coin attracted the attention of the jury not only with its amazing beauty, but also with the complexity of the execution technique. Indeed, it is very difficult to depict the Aztec monolith “Stone of the Sun” weighing 24 tons, which is also called the “calendar”, on a small coin in all details.

The largest Russian coin in terms of purchasing power

A commemorative coin with a face value of as much as 50,000 rubles of the Russian Federation was put into circulation by the Bank of Russia on February 1, 2010 for its 150th anniversary. The weight of a coin made of pure gold is 5 kilograms, the mintage is 50 copies. This coin serves as legal tender throughout the Russian Federation and is accepted for payment at its face value of 50,000 rubles, although the real value of the coin is several orders of magnitude higher than the nominal value.

On the obverse of the coin in the center is the state emblem of modern Russia, framed by all the symbols of the coat of arms that existed in its history at the bottom, at the top there is the inscription "Fifty thousand rubles".

On the reverse of the coin in the center is the building of the Central Administration of the State Bank in St. Petersburg in the period from 1860 to 1918, in the foreground are fragments of the Bank Bridge and two griffins, in oval medallions at the top are portraits from right to left: Stieglitz A.L., Alexander II, Lamansky E.I. At the bottom is written: "BANK OF RUSSIA was founded in 1860".

The predecessor of this largest coin was a commemorative coin with a face value of 25,000 rubles of the Russian Federation made of 3 kilograms of pure gold, timed to coincide with the 190th anniversary of the Federal State Enterprise Goznak. The coin was issued by the Bank of Russia on August 11, 2008, its circulation is 50 copies.

An interesting fact: with the help of a five-kilogram gold coin, you can make a purchase in any store, for example, purchase a gold chain weighing 50-60 grams.

The largest token coin in Russia

The largest coins of Russia at face value, starting from the time of the Russian Empire and ending with the Russian Federation, are the 100 ruble coins of the Russian Federation issued in 1992 from two metals and the 100 ruble coin from a copper-nickel alloy issued in 1993. These coins were mass-produced, that is, not investment.

The smallest face value coin of Russia

In the 15th - early 16th centuries, a small copper coin was minted in Moscow, Pskov and Novgorod - pulo (pul, pula). The denomination on these coins was not indicated, and in terms of purchasing power, the coins were only 1/60-1/70 money (1/120-1/140 kopecks).

At the turn of the 17th and 17th centuries, a now quite rare coin was issued in denominations of half a penny, equal to an eighth of a penny (half a penny or a quarter of money). The coin was minted by Peter I in 1700.

The heaviest coins of Russia

In the Russian Empire, it was a square copper plate in denomination of 1 ruble of Empress Catherine I with the denomination in the center and seals-coats of arms of Russia on four edges. The inscription around the circle: The price is a ruble. Yekaterinburg. 1725. Its weight was a little over 1.6 kg, so ten of these coins weighed exactly a pood. The thickness of the coin is 5 mm, the size is 18x18 cm. The coin was issued in the period from 1725 to 1726 and is now very rare (the collection value of such a coin was more than two thousand rubles back in the 60s of the last century).

In modern Russia, on November 22, 1999, the Bank of Russia issued a 900 commemorative silver coin in honor of the 275th anniversary of the St. Petersburg Mint. The total circulation of the coin is 150 pieces, the face value is 200 rubles and the weight is 3342 grams. It took more than 3 kilograms of pure silver to make one coin. After that, two more of the same coins were issued: 200 coins from 925 silver and 300 coins from 900 silver.

The heaviest stump

The largest regular minted 5 kopeck coin by weight is a coin issued in 1726 by Catherine I at the Yekaterinburg payment yard. The weight of this copper coin, made in the form of a square plate, is 81.9 grams, the size is 45×45 mm.

The smallest denomination

In Russia, this is one penny. It was first issued by Nicholas II in 1915, as there was a shortage of change coins due to the outbreak of the First World War.

The smallest banknote in terms of its purchasing power

This banknote is 1 ruble in pyatakovkas or kerenkas of 1918 and Soviet signs of 1919. During the denomination in 1924, the banknote was worth 1/5,000,000,000 of the ruble in Soviet chervonets. This means that 1 chervonets then cost 500,000,000,000 rubles in 1918.

The most unusual in terms of material

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in 2005, the first wooden coin was made, which is the official means of payment. The value of the coin is 5 francs. It depicts a gorilla and is written in French "Let's protect the animal world." Coin weight 2.4 grams, diameter 40 mm, material - maple.

The most expensive lot of numismatic auctions in Moscow

In the archives of the Leningrad Mint there is a stamp tool for trial 50 and 10 kopecks, but there is not a single sample of the coins themselves. A few years ago, in one of the private collections, a fifty kopeck piece was presented, the only known copy of the trial coin minted in 1929 to date. At the Znak auction in 2011, the coin was sold for 10,000,000 rubles. Recently, this price has been a record for a Soviet or Russian coin.

The most expensive coin in the world for 7.6 million dollars.

So much money was paid for the coin not because of the high cost of the metal and its quantity in the coin, but because of the rarity. A coin "double gold eagle" in denominations of only 20 dollars was issued in 1933. After the change in the decision of the US Federal Bank to issue it into circulation, the coins sold earlier were bought back from the population for a price 2.5 times more than the face value. All coins were redeemed, except for three pieces. Two are now in the Smithsonian Museum, the third was stolen and nothing was known about it for a long time. Only in 1996 did the coin surface from a private Egyptian collector. The company producing the coin bought it (for what price is unknown) and in 2008 sold it at an auction in New York to a buyer who wished to remain incognito.

The smallest and lightest coin in the world

This 1/4 Jawa silver coin was issued in Nepal in 1740. Its mass is only 0.002 grams.

The largest banknote in the world

The 1 billion trillion pengyo banknote was issued by Hungary in July 1946 after the introduction of the two trillion pengyő derivative unit adopengyo. At the same time, a 1 billion trillion egi note was issued.

It was possible to stop inflation in Hungary only a month later, in August 1946, when a new monetary unit was introduced - the forint, the exchange of pengo at the rate of forints was 4x1029: 1, which is also an absolute record for all financial systems of the world.

The smallest banknote

It was issued in 1917 by the Romanian Ministry of Finance. The 10 bani banknote measured 27.5 by 38 millimeters.

The largest paper banknote

The 1 guan note was issued between 1368 and 1399 by the Ming Dynasty in China. It measures 23 x 33 cm, which is larger than an A4 sheet.

1 Tonne Gold Kangaroo Coin

In the fall of 2011, the 2007 record holder, who was “born” from Canada, weighed 100kg and was equal to $925,500, was replaced by a “beauty” from the Australian Mint. The new banknote weighing 1 ton has a diameter of about 80 cm and a thickness of 0.12 meters and is considered the most expensive in the world. Ed Harbuz, chief executive of Perth Mint (Australia's oldest mint), said that the novelty is the pinnacle of ingenuity and innovation, and is made of gold with a purity of 99.99%.

Despite the fact that the "precious" one loses somewhat to the Canadian one, the creators of which declared a purity of 99.999%, its victory in the "Biggest" nomination is undeniable. The eminent predecessor has the size of a large pizza and cannot compete with the "Australian".

All previously existing projects of "money thugs" remained only art projects. The latest development has not only a true embodiment, but also a real value. Australian Geographic calls it the 1 Tonne Gold Kangaroo Coin, a 1,000,000 Australian dollar coin.

According to the most accurate data, its cost is $ 57.34 million, and the weight is 1012 kg. The obverse of the largest and, accordingly, expensive banknote in the world is decorated with the profile of Elizabeth II. The reverse is a golden kangaroo in the sun. The design was developed by Stuart Devlin - the official jeweler of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain. It took almost 18 months to create a golden masterpiece.

The production of the coin is part of the Australian kangaroo gold bullion coin program. And the novelty itself is an investment coin intended for investing cash savings. The golden "millionaire" is legal tender. The creators, who wished to exhibit the coin for public viewing, believe that stealing the "baby" is almost impossible. The Inquisitr reports that everyone will be able to purchase small affordable copies.

“Golden Maple Leaf”

The largest at face value and at the same time the heaviest metal coin in the world until 2011 - 1 million Canadian dollars. This coin was issued in Canada in May 2007. In total, 3 such coins were cast - according to the number of buyers who showed interest in acquiring them.

This coin was created by artist Stanley Witten and commissioned by the Royal Canadian Mint.

The weight of each coin is 220 pounds or 99.79 kg, the diameter is 20 inches and the thickness is 1 inch, respectively 50.8 and 2.5 cm. the other is a maple leaf. Each coin was made by hand and required about 8 weeks of work on it.

The coin was originally conceived as a unique showpiece from the Canadian Mint to introduce the new Gold Maple Leaf line. But when several buyers showed interest in the coin, the mint decided to issue a limited number of 100 kg coins for sale.

“The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) operates in a very competitive environment, which is especially true for the international gold bar market,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “Our 100 kg 99999 purity ingot is an achievement that separates KKMD from a large number of competitors. By producing the best quality products in the world, KKMD thereby increases its reputation in the world.”

The Golden Maple Leaf line was first launched in September 1979 as a bullion coin. Until 1982, the purity of the "Golden Maple Leaf" was 999. Later, its purity was increased to 9999, setting a new benchmark for gold coins. The Canadian Mint said it is maintaining its tradition of leadership in the gold bar industry by taking a new height of 99999 quality. Gold Maple Leaf coins are distributed through a wide network of dealers and are a simple and easy way for investors to add precious metals to their investment portfolios. .

The world is full of unique things created by man. These things include even coins, however, not those that people are used to using on a daily basis, paying for goods and services, but large coins of the world. They are unique not only in their size, but also in the technique of execution, as well as in a fairly small number. Indeed, on the entire globe there are only three types of such coins, which, according to their weight and size, occupy a certain position.

So, in the third position is a coin that was issued in honor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. She weighs as much as 31 kg. The diameter of this coin is 37 centimeters. The coin has on its sides images of the famous hall of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and orchestral instruments. You can buy such a coin for about $153,000. A total of 15 such coins have been produced since 2004.

The second place is occupied by another large coin, whose birthplace is Canada - the Golden Maple Leaf. Its weight is 100 kg, and its diameter and thickness are 50 cm and 3 cm, respectively. It was released in 2007 by the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM). The face value of the coin is $1,000,000. Pure gold of 99.999 samples was used as a material for its manufacture. The coin is the brainchild of artist Stanley Witten, who commissioned the Royal Canadian Mint to create it. The artistic design of this coin is no different from all other Canadian coins. So, on one side of it is depicted Queen Elizabeth II, who is the formal head of state, and the other side of the coin contains a maple leaf.

During the auction house Dorotheum, held in Vienna, the coin was sold for 4 million dollars.

In total, this coin was produced in the amount of three pieces - according to the number of buyers who showed interest in purchasing such coins. Initially, it was planned that the coin would be a unique exhibition sample of the Canadian Mint to introduce the new line of "Gold Maple Leaf" (Gold Maple Leaf). Everyone who decided to purchase the "Golden Maple Leaf" received a unique copy minted by hand. It took about 8 weeks to make one such copy.

It is worth noting that until 2011, the "Canadian" bore the title of the largest coin in the world. However, then another large gold coin appeared, which to this day holds the palm.

So, the new banknote, which moved the record holder to second place, is Australian. Australian precious metals manufacturer Perth Mint has minted a 1 ton (or 35,273.92 troy ounce) coin for the Perth Mint of Australia. The coin is simply striking in its size, because its diameter is 80 cm, and the thickness is 0.12 meters. In addition, Australian Geographic calls the banknote a coin of 1,000,000 Australian dollars (1 Tonne Gold Kangaroo Coin). Therefore, today the largest coin is also recognized as the most expensive in the world.

According to the chief executive of the oldest Australian mint, Ed Harbuz, a 1 ton coin is not just a coin, but a real pinnacle of ingenuity and innovation. 99.99% gold was used for its manufacture. And although according to some reports, in the purity of the material used during the minting of the coin, the record holder loses to her predecessor, the creators of which declared 99.999% gold, she is still the winner. In addition to the fact that the “millionaire” broke all previous coin records, it also took the longest amount of time to make it - as much as 18 months.

The reason for the manufacture of such a banknote was a meeting of the leaders of those countries that are part of the Commonwealth - an interstate association of Great Britain, as well as most of the former English dominions, colonies and dependent states. On the obverse of the coin there is an image of the profile of Elizabeth II, and on the reverse there is a symbol of Australia - a golden kangaroo in the rays of the Sun. To develop the design of the banknote, the official jeweler of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, Stuart Devlin, was specially invited.

It is worth noting that this large gold coin acts as a real means of payment. The coin is intended for investment. So, during its manufacture, everyone could invest their money in it, which is a very reliable option for saving capital, since the creators claim that it is simply impossible to steal a coin. For everyone who wants to become the owner of this coin in a reduced form, small copies of it are available for sale.

And while these coins make a strong impression, there are also old large coins that are no less amazing and very valuable. Russia, or rather the Russian Empire, was especially famous for such coins. Large coins of Russia were distinguished by their large weight, which was so large that it was necessary to have special wallets to carry such a weight. Such coins include the ruble-fee, half-fee, half-fifty-fee, hryvnia-fee, 5 kopecks-fee, Sestroretsk ruble and many others. Their weight ranged from 51.19 grams to 1638 grams. Currently, these coins are quite rare and valuable.