The Lilly Collection is now a part of the National Numismatic Collection. An act of Congress in 1968 brought the coins from Lilly’s estate to the Smithsonian. This acquisition included 1,227 U.S. gold ...

Many different metals have been used as money, including copper, iron, tin, gold, and silver. Metal money can be melted down and used for other purposes, which makes it an appealing form of payment.