Pocket Change: A Story of Coins through Time

March 17, 2026 – March 6, 2027

The coins in your pocket have helped shape empires for over 2,000 years. This exhibit showcases more than 100 coins from ancient China and the Mediterranean. Each coin is both an artifact and a historical document, allowing numismatists (or coin collectors) to trace their evolution from raw metals to standardized modern currency. In this exhibit, visitors will learn how numismatists decode the physical features of coins, including how they were made and their use in political propaganda. Visitors will also learn about how coins continue to change and how they can start collecting coins today.

This exhibit is paired with Shelling Out: Traditional Currency from the Collection.