The Coin Cabinet of Dresden occupies rooms in the Residenzschloss alongside the Green Vault and the other state collections. Its holdings span three millennia, from ancient Greek and Roman coins through medieval European minting, the Saxon monetary system, and on into twentieth-century commemorative issues. The collection traces the economic history of Saxony and the Holy Roman Empire in concrete form — actual currency used in actual transactions, from Athenian owls to Leipzig thaler.
The Saxon elector's coin collection was among the first systematically assembled in Europe, dating to the sixteenth century, and it reflects the dynastic ambitions of the Wettin family as much as any scholarly interest in numismatics. Beyond the coins, the cabinet holds medallions, seals, paper money, and historic scientific instruments for assaying and minting. For visitors who find coins tedious, the collection still has interest as a record of what economies looked like before central banks and paper money made the physical weight of metal irrelevant. Admission is included with the Residenzschloss combined ticket.