diff --git a/src/declaration.ts b/src/declaration.ts
index e8a167f..b413b9f 100644
--- a/src/declaration.ts
+++ b/src/declaration.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import type { Example } from "./example.js";
 import { definedValue, Maybe, undefinedValue } from "./maybe.js";
 
 export type Declaration<T, O extends Options<unknown>> = {
@@ -12,7 +11,6 @@ export type Value<
 
 export type Options<T> = {
   readonly default?: T;
-  readonly examples?: Example[];
   readonly isSensitive?: boolean;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/declaration/big-integer.ts b/src/declaration/big-integer.ts
index 59edcf0..c30bfb4 100644
--- a/src/declaration/big-integer.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/big-integer.ts
@@ -12,12 +12,17 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { ScalarSchema, createScalar, toString } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
 
 export type Options = DeclarationOptions<bigint> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<bigint> &
   Partial<RangeConstraintSpec<bigint>>;
 
 export function bigInteger<O extends Options>(
@@ -36,7 +41,7 @@ export function bigInteger<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(),
+    examples: examples ? marshalExamples(schema, examples) : buildExamples(),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -68,7 +73,7 @@ function createSchema(name: string, options: Options): ScalarSchema<bigint> {
   return createScalar("big integer", toString, unmarshal, constraints);
 }
 
-function buildExamples(): Example[] {
+function buildExamples(): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: "123456",
diff --git a/src/declaration/binary.ts b/src/declaration/binary.ts
index 3883ba1..d349ced 100644
--- a/src/declaration/binary.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/binary.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { ScalarSchema, createScalar } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
@@ -22,10 +26,11 @@ const PATTERNS: Partial<Record<BufferEncoding, RegExp>> = {
   hex: /^[0-9a-fA-F]*$/,
 } as const;
 
-export type Options = DeclarationOptions<Buffer> & {
-  readonly encoding?: BufferEncoding;
-  readonly length?: LengthConstraintSpec;
-};
+export type Options = DeclarationOptions<Buffer> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<Buffer> & {
+    readonly encoding?: BufferEncoding;
+    readonly length?: LengthConstraintSpec;
+  };
 
 export function binary<O extends Options>(
   name: string,
@@ -48,7 +53,9 @@ export function binary<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(encoding, schema),
+    examples: examples
+      ? marshalExamples(schema, examples)
+      : buildExamples(encoding, schema),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -105,7 +112,7 @@ function createUnmarshal(
 function buildExamples(
   encoding: BufferEncoding,
   schema: ScalarSchema<Buffer>,
-): Example[] {
+): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: schema.marshal(Buffer.from("conquistador", "utf-8")),
diff --git a/src/declaration/boolean.ts b/src/declaration/boolean.ts
index a06cd0e..fac35c5 100644
--- a/src/declaration/boolean.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/boolean.ts
@@ -6,14 +6,19 @@ import {
   type ExactOptions,
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { EnumSchema, InvalidEnumError, createEnum } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
 
-export type Options = DeclarationOptions<boolean> & {
-  readonly literals?: Literals;
-};
+export type Options = DeclarationOptions<boolean> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<boolean> & {
+    readonly literals?: Literals;
+  };
 
 export type Literals = Record<string, boolean>;
 
@@ -38,7 +43,9 @@ export function boolean<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(literals),
+    examples: examples
+      ? marshalExamples(schema, examples)
+      : buildExamples(literals),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -83,7 +90,7 @@ function findLiteral(
   throw new MissingLiteralError(name, native);
 }
 
-function buildExamples(literals: Literals): Example[] {
+function buildExamples(literals: Literals): VariableExample[] {
   return Object.entries(literals).map(([literal, native]) => ({
     value: literal,
     description: String(native),
diff --git a/src/declaration/duration.ts b/src/declaration/duration.ts
index 350ce0b..ef3912e 100644
--- a/src/declaration/duration.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/duration.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { ScalarSchema, createScalar, toString } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
@@ -22,6 +26,7 @@ const { Duration } = Temporal;
 type Duration = Temporal.Duration;
 
 export type Options = DeclarationOptions<Duration> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<Duration> &
   Partial<RangeConstraintSpec<Duration>>;
 
 export function duration<O extends Options>(
@@ -40,7 +45,7 @@ export function duration<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(),
+    examples: examples ? marshalExamples(schema, examples) : buildExamples(),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -72,7 +77,7 @@ function createSchema(name: string, options: Options): ScalarSchema<Duration> {
   return createScalar("ISO 8601 duration", toString, unmarshal, constraints);
 }
 
-function buildExamples(): Example[] {
+function buildExamples(): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: Duration.from({ minutes: 1, seconds: 30 }).toString(),
diff --git a/src/declaration/enumeration.ts b/src/declaration/enumeration.ts
index cdc4529..35af5ab 100644
--- a/src/declaration/enumeration.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/enumeration.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ import {
   type ExactOptions,
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { EnumSchema, InvalidEnumError, createEnum } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
@@ -18,7 +22,7 @@ export type Member<T> = {
   readonly description: string;
 };
 
-export type Options<T> = DeclarationOptions<T>;
+export type Options<T> = DeclarationOptions<T> & DeclarationExampleOptions<T>;
 
 export function enumeration<T, O extends Options<T>>(
   name: string,
@@ -37,7 +41,9 @@ export function enumeration<T, O extends Options<T>>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(members),
+    examples: examples
+      ? marshalExamples(schema, examples)
+      : buildExamples(members),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -75,7 +81,7 @@ function createSchema<T>(name: string, members: Members<T>): EnumSchema<T> {
   return createEnum(schemaMembers, marshal, unmarshal, []);
 }
 
-function buildExamples<T>(members: Members<T>): Example[] {
+function buildExamples<T>(members: Members<T>): VariableExample[] {
   return Object.entries(members).map(([literal, { description }]) => ({
     value: literal,
     description,
diff --git a/src/declaration/integer.ts b/src/declaration/integer.ts
index 448658f..2cdf25b 100644
--- a/src/declaration/integer.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/integer.ts
@@ -14,12 +14,17 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { ScalarSchema, createScalar, toString } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
 
 export type Options = DeclarationOptions<number> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<number> &
   Partial<RangeConstraintSpec<number>>;
 
 export function integer<O extends Options>(
@@ -38,7 +43,7 @@ export function integer<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(),
+    examples: examples ? marshalExamples(schema, examples) : buildExamples(),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -67,7 +72,7 @@ function createSchema(name: string, options: Options): ScalarSchema<number> {
   return createScalar("integer", toString, unmarshal, constraints);
 }
 
-function buildExamples(): Example[] {
+function buildExamples(): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: "123456",
diff --git a/src/declaration/kubernetes-address.ts b/src/declaration/kubernetes-address.ts
index 5a1d260..b97be54 100644
--- a/src/declaration/kubernetes-address.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/kubernetes-address.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { Maybe, map, resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import {
   ScalarSchema,
@@ -24,9 +27,10 @@ export type KubernetesAddress = {
   readonly port: number;
 };
 
-export type Options = DeclarationOptions<KubernetesAddress> & {
-  readonly portName?: string;
-};
+export type Options = DeclarationOptions<KubernetesAddress> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<KubernetesAddress> & {
+    readonly portName?: string;
+  };
 
 export function kubernetesAddress<O extends Options>(
   name: string,
@@ -80,7 +84,7 @@ function registerHost(
   });
 }
 
-function buildHostExamples(): Example[] {
+function buildHostExamples(): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: "service.example.org",
@@ -146,7 +150,7 @@ function createPortSchema(): ScalarSchema<number> {
   ]);
 }
 
-function buildPortExamples(): Example[] {
+function buildPortExamples(): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: "12345",
diff --git a/src/declaration/network-port-number.ts b/src/declaration/network-port-number.ts
index 591de6e..3e8765a 100644
--- a/src/declaration/network-port-number.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/network-port-number.ts
@@ -14,12 +14,17 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { ScalarSchema, createScalar, toString } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
 
 export type Options = DeclarationOptions<number> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<number> &
   Partial<RangeConstraintSpec<number>>;
 
 export function networkPortNumber<O extends Options>(
@@ -38,7 +43,7 @@ export function networkPortNumber<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(),
+    examples: examples ? marshalExamples(schema, examples) : buildExamples(),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -72,7 +77,7 @@ function createSchema(name: string, options: Options): ScalarSchema<number> {
   return createScalar("port number", toString, unmarshal, constraints);
 }
 
-function buildExamples(): Example[] {
+function buildExamples(): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: "12345",
diff --git a/src/declaration/number.ts b/src/declaration/number.ts
index 108e392..5303c5a 100644
--- a/src/declaration/number.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/number.ts
@@ -12,12 +12,17 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { ScalarSchema, createScalar, toString } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
 
 export type Options = DeclarationOptions<number> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<number> &
   Partial<RangeConstraintSpec<number>>;
 
 export function number<O extends Options>(
@@ -36,7 +41,7 @@ export function number<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(),
+    examples: examples ? marshalExamples(schema, examples) : buildExamples(),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -68,7 +73,7 @@ function createSchema(name: string, options: Options): ScalarSchema<number> {
   return createScalar("number", toString, unmarshal, constraints);
 }
 
-function buildExamples(): Example[] {
+function buildExamples(): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: "123456",
diff --git a/src/declaration/string.ts b/src/declaration/string.ts
index 530aef0..7232faa 100644
--- a/src/declaration/string.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/string.ts
@@ -11,14 +11,19 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { type Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+  type VariableExample,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { createString } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
 
-export type Options = DeclarationOptions<string> & {
-  readonly length?: LengthConstraintSpec;
-};
+export type Options = DeclarationOptions<string> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<string> & {
+    readonly length?: LengthConstraintSpec;
+  };
 
 export function string<O extends Options>(
   name: string,
@@ -46,7 +51,7 @@ export function string<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(),
+    examples: examples ? marshalExamples(schema, examples) : buildExamples(),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -56,7 +61,7 @@ export function string<O extends Options>(
   };
 }
 
-function buildExamples(): Example[] {
+function buildExamples(): VariableExample[] {
   return [
     {
       value: "conquistador",
diff --git a/src/declaration/url.ts b/src/declaration/url.ts
index 7f00ab7..d589b30 100644
--- a/src/declaration/url.ts
+++ b/src/declaration/url.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@ import {
 } from "../declaration.js";
 import { registerVariable } from "../environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "../error.js";
-import { Example } from "../example.js";
+import {
+  VariableExample,
+  marshalExamples,
+  type DeclarationExampleOptions,
+} from "../example.js";
 import { resolve } from "../maybe.js";
 import { createURL, toString, type URLSchema } from "../schema.js";
 import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
@@ -17,10 +21,11 @@ import { SpecError } from "../variable.js";
 // as per https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3986#section-3.1
 const VALID_PROTOCOL_PATTERN = /^[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9.+-]*:$/;
 
-export type Options = DeclarationOptions<URL> & {
-  readonly base?: URL;
-  readonly protocols?: string[];
-};
+export type Options = DeclarationOptions<URL> &
+  DeclarationExampleOptions<URL> & {
+    readonly base?: URL;
+    readonly protocols?: string[];
+  };
 
 export function url<O extends Options>(
   name: string,
@@ -43,7 +48,9 @@ export function url<O extends Options>(
     default: def,
     isSensitive,
     schema,
-    examples: examples ?? buildExamples(base, protocols),
+    examples: examples
+      ? marshalExamples(schema, examples)
+      : buildExamples(base, protocols),
   });
 
   return {
@@ -113,8 +120,8 @@ function createSchema(
 function buildExamples(
   base: URL | undefined,
   protocols: string[] | undefined,
-): Example[] {
-  const examples: Example[] =
+): VariableExample[] {
+  const examples: VariableExample[] =
     protocols == null
       ? [
           {
diff --git a/src/example.ts b/src/example.ts
index 11e2172..b242641 100644
--- a/src/example.ts
+++ b/src/example.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,35 @@
 import { applyConstraints } from "./constraint.js";
 import type { Schema } from "./schema.js";
 
-export type Example = {
+export type DeclarationExampleOptions<T> = {
+  readonly examples?: DeclarationExample<T>[];
+};
+
+export type DeclarationExample<T> = {
+  readonly value: T;
+  readonly description: string;
+};
+
+export type VariableExample = {
   readonly value: string;
   readonly description: string;
 };
 
+export function marshalExamples<T>(
+  schema: Schema<T>,
+  examples: DeclarationExample<T>[],
+): VariableExample[] {
+  return examples.map((example) => ({
+    value: schema.marshal(example.value),
+    description: example.description,
+  }));
+}
+
 export function removeInvalidExamples<T>(
   schema: Schema<T>,
-  examples: Example[],
-): Example[] {
-  const filtered: Example[] = [];
+  examples: VariableExample[],
+): VariableExample[] {
+  const filtered: VariableExample[] = [];
 
   for (const example of examples) {
     try {
diff --git a/src/variable.ts b/src/variable.ts
index 66656c7..546b187 100644
--- a/src/variable.ts
+++ b/src/variable.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { applyConstraints } from "./constraint.js";
 import { readVariable } from "./environment.js";
 import { normalize } from "./error.js";
-import { removeInvalidExamples, type Example } from "./example.js";
+import { removeInvalidExamples, type VariableExample } from "./example.js";
 import { Maybe, definedValue, map, undefinedValue } from "./maybe.js";
 import { Schema } from "./schema.js";
 import { quote } from "./shell.js";
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export type VariableSpec<T> = {
   readonly default: Maybe<T | undefined>;
   readonly isSensitive: boolean;
   readonly schema: Schema<T>;
-  readonly examples: Example[];
+  readonly examples: VariableExample[];
 };
 
 export type Variable<T> = {
diff --git a/test/suite/specification.spec.ts b/test/suite/specification.spec.ts
index 302ce7d..8024a2d 100644
--- a/test/suite/specification.spec.ts
+++ b/test/suite/specification.spec.ts
@@ -760,11 +760,11 @@ describe("Specification documents", () => {
       bigInteger("AUSTENITE_INTEGER_BIG", "example big integer", {
         examples: [
           {
-            value: "12345678901234567890",
+            value: 12345678901234567890n,
             description: "<bigInteger example A>",
           },
           {
-            value: "98765432109876543210",
+            value: 98765432109876543210n,
             description: "<bigInteger example B>",
           },
         ],
@@ -772,11 +772,11 @@ describe("Specification documents", () => {
       binary("AUSTENITE_BINARY", "example binary", {
         examples: [
           {
-            value: "QmVlcCBib29wIQ==",
+            value: Buffer.from("Beep boop!", "utf-8"),
             description: "<binary example A>",
           },
           {
-            value: "Qm9vcCBiZWVwIQ==",
+            value: Buffer.from("Boop beep!", "utf-8"),
             description: "<binary example B>",
           },
         ],
@@ -784,11 +784,11 @@ describe("Specification documents", () => {
       boolean("AUSTENITE_BOOLEAN", "example boolean", {
         examples: [
           {
-            value: "true",
+            value: true,
             description: "<boolean example A>",
           },
           {
-            value: "false",
+            value: false,
             description: "<boolean example B>",
           },
         ],
@@ -796,11 +796,11 @@ describe("Specification documents", () => {
       duration("AUSTENITE_DURATION", "example duration", {
         examples: [
           {
-            value: "PT10S",
+            value: Duration.from("PT10S"),
             description: "<duration example A>",
           },
           {
-            value: "PT20S",
+            value: Duration.from("PT20S"),
             description: "<duration example B>",
           },
         ],
@@ -838,11 +838,11 @@ describe("Specification documents", () => {
       integer("AUSTENITE_INTEGER", "example integer", {
         examples: [
           {
-            value: "123456",
+            value: 123456,
             description: "<integer example A>",
           },
           {
-            value: "654321",
+            value: 654321,
             description: "<integer example B>",
           },
         ],
@@ -851,11 +851,11 @@ describe("Specification documents", () => {
       networkPortNumber("AUSTENITE_PORT_NUMBER", "example port number", {
         examples: [
           {
-            value: "123",
+            value: 123,
             description: "<port number example A>",
           },
           {
-            value: "234",
+            value: 234,
             description: "<port number example B>",
           },
         ],
@@ -863,11 +863,11 @@ describe("Specification documents", () => {
       number("AUSTENITE_NUMBER", "example number", {
         examples: [
           {
-            value: "123.456",
+            value: 123.456,
             description: "<number example A>",
           },
           {
-            value: "654.321",
+            value: 654.321,
             description: "<number example B>",
           },
         ],
@@ -887,11 +887,11 @@ describe("Specification documents", () => {
       url("AUSTENITE_URL", "example URL", {
         examples: [
           {
-            value: "https://example.org/path/to/resource",
+            value: new URL("https://example.org/path/to/resource"),
             description: "<URL example A>",
           },
           {
-            value: "https://example.com/path/to/resource",
+            value: new URL("https://example.com/path/to/resource"),
             description: "<URL example B>",
           },
         ],