Numismatic treasure from the 1990 - 2010 donations

Did you know that the holding of the Zagreb Archaeological Museum includes a numismatic collection with over 278,000 coins, medals, badges and plaques? Among them is even an example of a unique Roman mould for bronze coins, dating from the times of Emperor Constantine I; made between the years 321 and 324.

Apart from over 1200 coins, medals, plaques, badges and other similar items donated to the Archaeological Museum over the past two decades, the exhibition "Numismatic Collection: Donations 1990 – 2010" also features one very valuable item. It is a unique Roman mould for bronze coins dating from the times of Emperor Constantine I (306/7 - 337) and made between the years 321 and 324, at the famous mint in Sisak.

The exhibition, which will remain open to the public until March 21st, also features part of the existing numismatic collection, consisting of over 278,000 coins, medals, plaques, badges, tools and other such items from the Croatian and global past. Items that were donated to the museum during the aforementioned period have been separated from the rest of the collection, and they can be viewed in display cabinets on the ground floor and first floor of the museum. However, as 6732 various items were donated to the museum during that period, the exhibition will only feature the best and most valuable. Apart from the exhibits themselves, numerous exhibited posters also tell the historic tale about the diverse and important numismatic items.

The exhibition itself is actually the latest in a succession of exhibitions; similar ones were organized before, as the numismatic collection grew. The entire collection has been donated to the museum during its many years of existence by faithful collectors so, apart from presenting these items to the public, exhibitions like this are often organized so as to express gratitude to the donors themselves. That is why individual collections are named after the family or person that donated them to the museum; among them are the Havliček and Kopač families, Milo Milković, Vladimir Mataušić and Vjekoslava - Slavica – Kerdić, thanks to whom the Archaeological Museum now boasts an array of valuable items such as Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins, several items from ancient Egypt, medals made in the United States by sculptor Ivan Meštrović, and numerous other items from the Croatian past.