Münzkabinett

The Münzkabinett is a numismatic collection in Dresden Castle, part of the Dresden State Art Collections. Founded around 1530, it ranks among the oldest museums in Dresden. The collection moved several times before returning to the castle in 2002. It holds nearly 300,000 objects, including coins, medals, bank notes and minting equipment from around the world. The cabinet also safeguards any coin hoards discovered in Saxony. A public library of about 30,000 volumes supports scholarly work. Over centuries the collection grew through purchases by Saxon electors and kings. By the early 18th century it was already well known in Europe. Augustus III transferred the cabinet to the Japanisches Palais in 1786 alongside the library and antiquities. After wartime losses and Soviet removal, the collection returned in 1958. A temporary display ran in the Albertinum until the permanent exhibition opened in the Georgenbau in 2015. Visitors find four rooms showing roughly 3,300 objects in rotating displays. Rare and unique pieces illustrate the breadth of the collection. The public library and study room provide resources for research. The setting inside Dresden Castle links the numismatic displays to the building’s history.