Originally published in The Numismatist — October 1986 A sunken Spanish galleon yields more than 140,000 numismatic treasures.

To some, coins are merely a type of currency. But, to the collector, they are artistic masterpieces that can be held in the palm of one's hand. It is said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Of the thousands of coin designs to grace coins over the ages, here are five world coins that I consider particularly stunning.