Expert: PAPAJACK - 7/10/2008

Question
Hello.

Thanks for your time , I'm new to the world of coins and I want to start my collection. I just bought some coins, and I noticed the different KM# one is KM#7, and KM#71. What Km means and where I can find more information.

Thank you

Answer
Hello Pedro,                                    

KM stands for Krause-Mishler.
Chester L. Krause and Clifford Mishler are the authors of very large world coin catalogues used by collectors.

Info: Krause Publications is a publisher most well known for its Standard Catalog of World Coins, a series of numismatic catalogs commonly referred to as Krause-Mishler catalogues or simply Krause catalogues. They provide information, pricing, and Krause-Mishler (KM) numbers referring to coin rarity and value. Krause-Mishler releases a yearly catalogue of world coins with values and KM numbers. Krause-Mishler numbers are the most common way of assigning values to coins.
The books come in a series of volumes, with each volume covering a century.  The books are available in many public libraries, either directly or through an inter-library loan (ask your librarian).
Krause and Mishler, STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS. Lists and values world coins from 1901 to the present. There are other volumes.
Krause and Mishler, STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS, 1801-1900,
Krause and Mishler, STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS, 1701-1800,
Krause and Mishler, STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS, 1601-1700,
Krause and Mishler, STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS, 1501-1600, etc.
The KM number is used for reference in their catalog system.  

There is an on-line site at http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis.jsp
Sign up is free and it may help you find more of your coins KM numbers in the free section like the 1988-S commemorative KM#222  but you need a subscription for others. Using the library Catalog is more cost effective.

I hope this information is helpful and that I answered your questions.

Good Luck

PapaJack