An alphabet of favourite national designs

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Here I intend to go through the current list of world nations in alphabetic order, choosing a favourite design. Ideally it will be a current circulation design. However, if I do not like any of a country's current circulation designs, I will choose a circulation design that is no longer current. If I then still can't find a design that appeals to me, I will then turn to collector-only pieces, past or present. If I still can't find a piece that appeals to me, then I will omit that country and say so; others will then be welcome to fill the gap. 

You may join in too and post your own favourites (or favorites, depending on your preferred spelling). It doesn't matter if they are not in the correct alphabetical order: the idea is to post one design (at least) for each current country or territory in the world.

Here is the list of countries I shall be using:

List of countries-New World Encyclopedia.

Let me know if I have missed any country or territory as I go through the list.

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I shall omit Abkhazia and Afghanistan, but you can fill in the gaps in you wish.

I will therefore start with Albania. This design of 1926, 5 franga, has always appealed to me. Did it circulate, or was it just a collector piece? I don't know. It shows a peasant boy with his oxen. If you know any interesting details about coins that I post, please share them.

Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

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Algeria, ¼ dinar. Fennec fox.


This is the only coin in the world to feature a fennec fox, to my knowledge.

See also: Algeria animal coin series of 1992.

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Andorra. Chamois and eagle.

This design appears on the 1, 2 and 5 cents of the Andorran euro set.

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Argentina, 1 centavo, 1987.  Rhea. 



It's hard to find a nicely struck piece. There are plenty of nice designs from Argentina, of course, but once again I've chosen a wildlife design.


Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda - I shall omit these. Fill the gaps if you wish.

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Armenia, 25 dram, 1994. Apricot.

In modern terms, a young state, so I've gone for a collector coin with an unusual design.

Is it the only modern coin to feature an apricot?

© Image courtesy of GNDM

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Aruba, 25 florins, 1995.  I do like a turtle design. There are many of them on world coins.

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Australia, $2.  Plenty of animals I could have chosen too, but this a very strong design.


Ascension - omitted.

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Austria, 1 Schilling, 1957.  Peasant sowing seed. It has a simple charm.

See also: Nudes on coins.

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Azerbaijan, 20 qapik.  Spiral staircase.

There is something quite dreamlike about this design for me. I often find myself climbing stairs in my night dreams.

What are those recurring letters on the design?

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Bahamas, 5 cents, 2015.

The Bahamas has a tradition of beautiful designs. There is much to choose from, but I'll go for this striking design of a pineapple, captured at an unusual angle.

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Bahrain.  Best of all, I like this palm tree, seen on a coin of 1965.

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Bangladesh, 25 poisha, 1991.  A splendid tiger.

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Barbados, $1.  An equally splendid flying fish.  And the coin is a heptagon too - bonus!

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Belgium. 50 centimes, 1965.  A coal miner.

An unusual choice of subject. One of my earliest coin possessions. As a child, I imagined the miner was a saint with a halo, for some reason. 

Belarus - omitted.