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Shining Bright: Treasures of the Numismatics Collection at Museums Victoria

Museums Victoria's numismatics collection is the most important of its kind in Australia, and the collection of Australian coins is the most significant in the world. This display of famous Australian coins, brilliant ancient coins, and beautiful French art medals includes some of the stunning treasures in the collection. Now on show at Melbourne Museum.

Shining Bright: Treasures of the Numismatics Collection

Shining Bright: Treasures of the Numismatics Collection Numismatics - the collection and study of coins, tokens and medals - was amongst the earliest public collections in Victoria and part of the 1861 Victorian Exhibition on William Street, Melbourne. The numismatics collection was ...

Power & Wealth - Treasures of the Ancient Coin Collection

Power & Wealth - Treasures of the Ancient Coin Collection The ancient Greek and Roman empires stretched far across the Mediterranean and beyond. Borrowing the idea of coins from Asia Minor, they used coins to promote their rulers, achievements, and the gods that protected them. The coins ...

Famous Australian Coins - Treasures of the Australian Coin Collection

Famous Australian Coins - Treasures of the Australian Coin Collection Being on an island far away from their known world of Europe, Australia's early European colonists had to make do with the coins they brought with them. Occasionally they imported foreign coins to expand the circulation. Later, ...

Medals As Art - Treasures of the French Art Medals Collection

Medals As Art - Treasures of the French Art Medals Collection Bronze medals and plaques minted in France and Belgium in the late 19th and early 20th centuries show artistic expression while not necessarily commemorating military or sporting achievements. More than shiny discs of metal, they ...

Explore our collection

Explore a wealth of collections and research about natural sciences, history, technology and First Peoples from Museums Victoria in Australia.

Closeup of old typewritter keys

Articles 2,393 Read about people, places, events, and our collections

Brass pocket compass sundial

Items 114,661 Things made and used by people

Closeup shot of a butterfly

Specimens 1,306,191 Animals, fossils, and rocks in our collections

Closeup of blue coloured bird

Species 1,540 Read about some animals you might see in the wild

Explore the collection on display

Closeup of a taxidermied owl

Melbourne Museum

Closeup of a robot

Illustrated impression of a ship on water

Immigration Museum

Moving sculpture lit up by stage lights

Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre

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Word Processing System - I.B.M., Displaywriter, circa 1978

ST 43467 Word Processing System - I.B.M., Displaywriter, circa 1978

Information & Communication

I.B.M. Displaywriter computer system for word processing. Consists of electronics module (with CPU), separate QWERTY keyboard, diskette unit, monochrome visual display unit, six 8-inch floppy system ...

Wheat Sample - Hard Federation, New South Wales, 1918

ST 4170 Wheat Sample - Hard Federation, New South Wales, 1918

Sustainable Futures

Wheat sample, Triticum vulgare (Gramineae) in glass cylindrical jar with stopper. This sample was grown by the Department of Agriculture at the Cowra Experiment Farm, New South Wales, 1918. This was a popular ...

Runner - Hmong Community, Appliqued, Victoria, circa 1991-1992

SH 921202 Runner - Hmong Community, Appliqued, Victoria, circa 1991-1992

Migration & Cultural Diversity

Alternative Name(s): Banner Embroidered banner made by members of the Hmong community in Victoria, circa 1991-1992. The Victorian Hmong community developed after many Hmong fled from Laos in 1975 and ...

Necklace - Sudan, Remnant, Plastic & Wool, circa 1980

HT 13490 Necklace - Sudan, Remnant, Plastic & Wool, circa 1980

Migration & Cultural Diversity, Clothing & Textiles

String of four beads, which are the remains of a childhood necklace from southern Sudan owned Nyabana Riek. It one of the few possessions she retained during her nine year journey ...

Mantel Clock - British United Clock Co, Birmingham, circa 1890

ST 19416 Mantel Clock - British United Clock Co, Birmingham, circa 1890

Science & Measurement

Mantel clock, in gilded ornamental stand, made by British United Clock Co, Birmingham, circa 1890.

Cape - Black Velvet, Beaded & Feathered, circa 1895-1905

HT 47958 Cape - Black Velvet, Beaded & Feathered, circa 1895-1905

Home & Community, Clothing & Textiles

Alternate Name(s): Plush Cape, Opera Cape, Mantle, Mantelet Black velvet cape with jet (likely 'French jet', or black glass) beading, high black feather collar, and a bright pink patterned ...

Satellite Model - NASA Goddard Grumman, Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, OAO-2, United States of America, 1968

ST 40973 Satellite Model - NASA Goddard Grumman, Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, OAO-2, United States of America, 1968

Science & Measurement, Transport

Model of the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO-2) satellite, also known as Stargazer. It is a 1:32 scale model. The actual Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO-2) satellite was developed by ...

Cup Trophy - Bol D'Or (Bowl of Gold) Tandem Paced, France, 3 Sep 1928

ST 32172 Cup Trophy - Bol D'Or (Bowl of Gold) Tandem Paced, France, 3 Sep 1928

Leisure

The Bol d'Or was a classic French cycling race (named for its trophy), held on the Buffalo velodrome in Paris. Each competitor was paced by three riders on a triple tandem bicycle. The racer followed closely, using the ...

Negative - Exterior of London Stores Ltd, Dandenong, Victoria, 06 Oct 1960

MM 137936 Negative - Exterior of London Stores Ltd, Dandenong, Victoria, 06 Oct 1960

Images & Image Making, Working Life & Trades, Clothing & Textiles

One of approximately 85,000 negatives from the Laurie Richards Collection taken by the Melbourne based Laurie Richards Studio between the 1950s -1970s. Laurie ...

Negative - Man with Dry Cleaning Service Van, Northcote, Victoria, 08 Oct 1960

MM 137937 Negative - Man with Dry Cleaning Service Van, Northcote, Victoria, 08 Oct 1960

Images & Image Making, Working Life & Trades

One of approximately 85,000 negatives from the Laurie Richards Collection taken by the Melbourne based Laurie Richards Studio between the 1950s -1970s. Laurie Richards was a ...

Wall Hanging - Egyptian Applique, Possibly World War I, 1914-1918

ST 38217 Wall Hanging - Egyptian Applique, Possibly World War I, 1914-1918

Public Life & Institutions

Hand-made wall hanging featuring Egyptian scene of three boys and a donkey. The provenance of the wall hanging was not recorded. However, it is likely to be a World War I souvenir.

Wall Hanging - Egyptian Applique, Possibly World War I, 1914-1918

ST 38224 Wall Hanging - Egyptian Applique, Possibly World War I, 1914-1918

Public Life & Institutions

Hand-made Egyptian wall hanging, featuring an image of two boys on a black donkey plus a man holding a spear. Souvenir of Egypt. The provenance of the wall hanging was not recorded. However, it is likely ...