All worksheets / Coin Collecting
Edition 2026Active Merit Badge
Coin Collecting
Official Requirements & Fillable Workbook · 2026 Edition
Coin Collecting introduces you to numismatics—the study and collecting of coins, tokens, and paper money. You will explore how coins and currency are manufactured at U.S. Mint and BEP facilities, learn professional grading and preservation techniques, assemble modern denomination sets (including Lincoln cents, Jefferson nickels, State and American Women quarters, and dollar coins), and study world coins or attend a numismatic show.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Coin Anatomy & Minting Technology
- Coin Grading & Preservation
- U.S. Mint Marks & Coinage History
- Building & Housing a Coin Collection
7Printable Pages
7Requirements
2025Reqs Revised
What is on the worksheet: Coin Collecting Requirements
Every requirement for the Coin Collecting merit badge, word for word as published, with room to write under each one on the printed worksheet.
1Coin Minting and U.S. Mint Facilities
Understand how coins are made and where the active U.S. Mint facilities are located.
2Numismatic Terminology
Explain the following terms: obverse, reverse, reeding, clad, type set, and date set.
3Storage and Preservation
Describe three different ways to store a collection, and the benefits, drawbacks, and cost of each method.
4Assembling U.S. Coin Type Sets
Do the following and explain to your counselor the design features, designer name, designer initials, and where to find them for each item:
- a Collect a one-cent coin from the year group: 1959-2008 (that is, dated between 1959 and 2008) and a one-cent coin from the year group 2010-present. Explain how and why the one-cent coins issued in 2009 were different from either of the other two year groups.
- b Collect two five-cent coins, one from each of these year groups: 1959-2003 and 2006-present. Explain how and why the five-cent coins issued in 2004-2005 were different from either of the other two year groups.
- c Collect a ten-cent coin from 1965-present.
- d Collect a twenty-five-cent coin from 1965-1998, two examples from the 50-State Quarter®/territories Program 1999-2009, two designs from the America the Beautiful® program 2010-2021 and two designs from the American Women Quarter® program (2022-2024). Explain the purpose of each of those programs.
- e Collect a half dollar coin from 1965-present.
- f Collect a dollar coin from each of the following design groups: Susan B. Anthony (1979-1981, 1999); Sacagawea (2000-2008); and U.S. Presidents (2007-2016, 2020).
5Bicentennial Coinage
Describe and discuss with your counselor the special reverse designs of the quarters, half dollar and dollar coin struck in 1975-1976 to honor the U.S. Bicentennial.
6Paper Currency and Printing Facilities
Identify for your counselor the people depicted on current currency: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 notes. Explain where United States currency is printed.
7World Coins, Currency, Exonumia, or Numismatic Event
Do ONE of the following:
- a Collect and identify for your counselor 20 different world coins from at least seven different countries. Identify the country, major design elements, and denomination of each.
- b Collect and identify for your counselor 20 different world paper money from at least seven different countries. Identify the country, major design elements, and denomination of each.
- c Collect and identify for your counselor 20 different tokens and/or medals. Identify the issuer and use of each.
- d Complete one of the following and report to your counselor what you experienced:
Two dates, two different things
Requirements Revision vs. Worksheet Date
Scouting America last revised the Coin Collecting requirements in 2025. That is the badge, not this sheet — an older year does not mean the worksheet is out of date.
Verbatim Fidelity & Verification
This worksheet was checked against https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/coin-collecting/ in Aug 2026 and reproduces the requirements word for word. Both dates are printed on the sheet, so a copy in a binder can always be placed in time.
Requirement text is © Scouting America, reproduced verbatim. The worksheet layout and design are original to this project.
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