Topical Coin Collecting

2016 $1 Honey Bee, New Zealand, PCGS PR70DCAM. Click image to enlarge.

There are many ways to collect coins. Some choose to follow a structured completionism method of putting together established sets. This could involve anything from building an entire set of coins from a given country, or focusing on a particular denomination, series, date-and-mintmark set, etc. With this objective in mind, collectors can set a goal and will know exactly how many pieces are needed for their sets or collections. Yet, there are other methods of collecting that are not so preordained.

Among these are topical collecting – collecting coins based on a certain topic or theme. Some areas of topical collecting have even had numismatic books dedicated to that theme or the goals necessary in completing sets based on that topic. There are many areas that those who pursue topical collecting often choose, and these are completely based off one’s personal preferences. Let’s examine a few of these popular themes and topics and consider some of the collecting objectives they may inspire.

Animals and Flora

1990 Crown Alley Cat/Ag KM-275a, Isle of Man, PCGS PR69DCAM. Click image to enlarge.

1718 Pez Rosa D-1501 Minor Chipped Plan, Italy-Livorno, PCGS AU58. Click image to enlarge.

Animals are among the most popular themes when it comes to topical collecting. Some collectors choose to collect coins showcasing specific animals, such as cats. Others opt to form a collection around different animals, with each coin featuring a different species. Some seek coins featuring flowers or plants. No matter which of these areas one pursues, there is a virtually endless array of coins out there from nations spanning the globe that could suit any such collecting goals. And many new flora- and fauna-themed coins are being minted with each passing year!

Transportation

(1928) $1 Y-428 LM-609 2 Leaves, China- Kweichow, PCGS AU58. Click image to enlarge.

1988 50 Leke First Railroad, Albania, PCGS PR69DCAM. Click image to enlarge.

(1835) Token PE10-30, Prince Edward Island, PCGS MS62BN. Click image to enlarge.

1988 Peso Zepplelin KM-269, Cuba, PCGS MS68. Click image to enlarge.

Another popular area of topical coin collecting encompasses the various modes of transportation. Airplanes, balloons, blimps, cars, trains, and ships are all popular themes for collectors. Books have been written for transportation tokens and medals featuring air travel. There are countless coins, tokens, and medals that one can pursue following on this theme, and more of these transportation-inspired pieces are released each year.

Personages

1982-FM $250 George Washington, Barbados, PCGS PR69DCAM. Click image to enlarge.

(1969)-B Rupee Gandhi, India-Republic, PCGS PR64. Click image to enlarge.

Another of the more popular topical coin collecting areas involves personages – famous individuals. Entire numismatic books have been written that are devoted to coins, medals, and tokens featuring figures such as George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. There are thousands of coins and medals devoted to individuals who have accomplished a great many things, leaving collectors with numerous options for building extraordinary collections of coins and exonumia bearing the likenesses of significant individuals.

Artists and Engravers

1915 Medal Kienast-166 Ae, Germany, PCGS SP62. Click image to enlarge.

1928 Medal Kienast-408 Ag Matter, Germany Weimar Rep, PCGS SP66. Click image to enlarge.

Another neat area of topical collecting involves coins and other numismatic pieces relating to a specific artist or engraver – this could certainly include coins, tokens, and medals designed and engraved by that individual, as well as pieces featuring their likeness. Some artists have become so popular that entire books have been written covering their body of work, such as satirical medalist Karl Goetz of Germany. There are countless other artists and engravers around the world, many who have an active following and collector base. Still others have remained in relative obscurity.

Locational Collecting

(1935-1936) $1 Alaska RRC Bingle PCGS MS64. Click image to enlarge.

AM1218//8 (1790) Rupee KM-126, Mysore, PCGS MS65. Click image to enlarge.

Collecting coins based off a country, state, city, or any other location is another segment of collecting that topical numismatists pursue as their hobby. This used to be a more popular numismatic endeavor, with many United States collectors choosing tokens and medals honoring their state or town. For whatever reason, this type of collecting seems to have diminished slightly in recent years. However, some geographical areas have become popular with collectors who choose to focus their efforts on collecting coins representative of a specific area, such as certain states in Germany or India. These hobbyists will collect ancient to modern coins based off a geographical region they find important to them. Meanwhile, some collectors will prefer to collect only a single coin from each country as their topical collection.

With topical collecting there are no set rules, no hard-and-fast sets, and no predefined completeness. It is simply done for the fun and love of a given topic. It is a way for numismatists to branch out and collect what they desire, granting them the opportunity to set their own rules and guidelines for their collecting and to have fun as they see fit.