What is the KM# reference all about?

4 posts
G'day. I'm new to the world of coin collecting and is getting quite addictive. Lots to learn but at the moment I'd like to ask about the reference numbers on each coin. E.g. KM# 446 for a East India Company quarter anna. I understand is for Standard Catalogue of world coins, but what and how is it used for? Thanks in advance
Hi, the KM stands for Krause-Mishler, the publishing company that publishes the coin catalogues. The number is just a way of cataloging the coins. Usually the first coin minted for the country is KM#1 and the next KM# 2 and so on, so the KM#446 you mentioned would be the 446th coin that was minted for use in India.

There are sometimes suffixes on the end of a KM number. if it has a decimal point (i.e. KM#446.1. KM#446.2) it is a minor variety of the same coin. When it has a letter on the end (i.e. KM#446, KM#446a) it is where the same design is used, but there is a major difference, like the metal has changed composition, or the lettering has changed
Thanks heaps for the assistance, the way you've explained that makes perfect sense - cheers
Sadly, Chet Krause passed away earlier this summer after a long career in numismatics and publishing. http://www.coinnews.net/2016/07/01/chester-l-krause-dies-at-92/

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