Krause Catalog & World Coin Reference Books

The "Bible" of World Coin Collecting

The Krause "Standard Catalog of World Coins" is the single most important reference in world numismatics. First published in 1972 by Chester Krause and Clifton Mishler, this monumental work catalogs virtually every coin produced by every country in the modern era, with photographs, specifications, mintage data, and pricing in multiple grade levels. For world coin collectors, owning the relevant Krause volume is as essential as a Red Book is for US coin collectors — it's the foundation upon which identification, attribution, and valuation rest.

The Krause Volume System

The Krause catalog is published in five volumes covering different date ranges:

• 1601–1700 (17th Century): Covers early modern coinage from the age of exploration and colonial expansion
• 1701–1800 (18th Century): Colonial, revolutionary, and early national coinages worldwide
• 1801–1900 (19th Century): The era of industrialization, colonialism, and the birth of modern nation-states
• 1901–2000 (20th Century): The most commonly used volume, covering the century most collectors focus on
• 2001–Date (21st Century): Current coinage, updated annually with new issues and revised pricing

Each volume is organized alphabetically by country, with each country's coins listed chronologically. Every entry includes:

• KM number: The Krause-Mishler catalog number (e.g., "KM#164" for a specific coin type). KM numbers are the universal identifier for world coins, cited by dealers, auction houses, and collectors worldwide.
• Photograph: Obverse and reverse images for identification
• Specifications: Diameter, weight, metal composition, edge type
• Mintage: Production figures by year and mint mark when available
• Pricing: Estimated values in 4–6 grade levels (typically VG, F, VF, XF, UNC, and BU/Proof)
• Varieties: Major die varieties, overstrikes, and error types noted

How to Use the Krause Catalog Effectively

For identification of an unknown coin:

1. Determine the country using script, emblems, and visual clues (see our identification guide)
2. Turn to that country's section in the alphabetically organized catalog
3. Match the design to the photographs, narrowing by denomination, metal, and approximate date
4. Verify with specifications — measure diameter and weigh the coin to confirm the match
5. Record the KM number for future reference and when buying/selling

For pricing, remember that Krause values are retail estimates based on the US market. Actual market prices may be higher (for popular coins with strong demand) or lower (for obscure types with limited collector interest). Use Krause pricing as a starting point, then check recent auction results and dealer offerings for current market reality.

Digital Alternatives and Supplements

While the printed Krause catalogs remain the gold standard, several digital resources supplement or substitute for them:

Numista.com: The most comprehensive free online world coin database, essentially a crowd-sourced digital Krause. Numista catalogs over 400,000 coin types with images, specifications, and community-contributed pricing. It's searchable by country, denomination, year, metal, and other criteria — often faster than flipping through a printed catalog. Numista assigns its own catalog numbers alongside KM numbers.

NGC World Coin Price Guide: Free online pricing data for world coins, based on NGC-graded sales data. Particularly useful for coins where certification is common.

PCGS CoinFacts World: Growing database of world coin information with images, pricing, and population data for PCGS-graded coins.

Colnect.com: Another large online catalog focused on collectibles including world coins, with active swap/trade features.

WildWinds.com: Comprehensive for ancient coins but less useful for modern world coinage.

Country-Specific Reference Books

For deeper collecting in specific countries, specialized references provide far more detail than Krause:

• Britain: Spink "Coins of England and the United Kingdom" — the definitive British coin catalog, updated annually
• Canada: Charlton "Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins" — the Canadian equivalent of the Red Book
• Germany: Jaeger "Die deutschen Münzen seit 1871" — standard catalog of German Empire through modern coinage
• France: Gadoury "Monnaies Françaises" — comprehensive French coin reference
• Russia: Uzdenikov "Russian Coins" — standard for Imperial Russian coinage
• China: Lin Gwo Ming "Illustrated Catalog of Chinese Gold & Silver Coins" — essential for Chinese numismatics
• Japan: JNDA "Catalog of Japanese Coins and Banknotes" — standard Japanese numismatic reference

Building Your Reference Library

Start with the Krause volume covering your primary collecting period (most collectors need the 20th century volume), then add country-specific references as your focus narrows. Older editions of Krause catalogs — even 5–10 years old — are still excellent for identification purposes and can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of current editions. The pricing will be outdated, but the identification information (KM numbers, specifications, photographs) remains accurate.

Many dealers at coin shows sell reference books alongside coins, often at discounted prices for used copies. Building a numismatic library is an investment that pays dividends every time you identify a coin, evaluate a potential purchase, or discover that a coin in your collection is scarcer than you realized. The knowledge contained in these references is the world coin collector's most valuable tool.