The Coin Cabinet
Coins and medals can be small and simple, but they can also be real works of art. And they always tell us something about their time. By studying these objects, we come closer to history.
Since the Renaissance, people have been collecting coins and medals, as a means to learn about the past and the wider world. Uppsala University's Coin Cabinet was created around 1750 when Carl Ehrenpreus, then University Chancellor, donated his collection of almost 2700 coins and medals to the University. At about the same time, Queen Lovisa Ulrika gifted a collection of Roman coins, and several more donations followed during the 18th century. This made the Coin Cabinet into one of the city's main visitor attractions.
What does the collection contain?
The Coin Cabinet’s collections currently comprise about 40 000 coins, medals and other objects - from shells to credit cards. The collections of older Swedish coins and medals include several rare and unique objects, mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries. The collection also contains other currency-related items such as banknotes, tokens and rationing coupons.
Visiting us
Gustavianum's collections are currently accessible for University lecturers, researchers and students.
If you are interested in using the collections in your research or teaching, or would like to visit our study rooms, please contact us and book a visit via coincabinet@gustavianum.uu.se
Uppsala University's Coin Cabinet is working towards making the collections available online in the database www.alvin-portal.org
Banknotes
Learn more about the collection of banknotes.
Tokens
Learn more about the collection of tokens.
The Library
The Coin Cabinet's library contains numismatic reference works and journals. You can search for our books in Libris. The books may not be borrowed, but can be read in situ. Please contact us if you are interested in visiting the library.
Publications
Uppsala University Coin Cabinet has published work on parts of the collections in the monograph series Studia Numismatica Upsaliensia and in the Uppsala University Coin Cabinet Working Papers.
Catalogues
The first catalogues of Uppsala University's Coin Cabinet were made in the middle of the 18th century. As the collections grew, new catalogues were compiled. With the help of these, we can follow how the collections have developed and sometimes trace individual objects back in time.
Free images
Download images of items from our collections.
Internship
Are you interested in an internship at Gustavianum?