Ya know what’s crazy? In the cobwebbed corners of American money history, there’s this insane story about 12 super rare coins.
Get this: They’re worth nearly $86 million apiece! I mean, seriously. PRETTY much all the super-valuable coins are locked up tight in museums or the collections of rich people, but by a somewhat strange — as the above-linked comments about the top-three-ones-today illustrate — legal logic, these legendary pieces are still in circulation.
Imagine that! These money ghosts might, in theory, one day land in your pocket change. From bizarre historical screw-ups to just plain old mint mysteries, these coins are basically the Holy Grail for coin collectors.
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Hidden Treasures Among Us
So there’s kind of the deal with rare coin collecting. It has always been this magnet for history buffs who have a good nose for making money. And lately? Whew! The prices on some of these super-special coins have gone completely bonkers and you’ve got this exclusive club of mega-rare coins worth just … stupid money.
Well, the vast majority of hardcore coin geeks (they prefer “numismatists,” because it sounds spiffy) can only dream of finding something as cool as one of these bad boys on a sidewalk, but who knows — a coin jar at a yard sale, or maybe the next time we order an iced mocha at Starbucks, we just might see the 50-cent piece of Instagrammable dreams.
I interviewed this fella Warren Zivi. He’s kind of the big cheese at American Rarities- a coin guy who knows what he’s doing. He said to me, “If you were to find one of these coins it would be like hitting the lottery, over and over and over again.”
And what’s even more surprising is that he takes that part of the job super-seriously; in his own words, he’s the guy who makes sure the coins are “all on the up and up”, because, as he’ll tell you, “There are tons and tons of fakes out there.” So yeah, just a little FYI if you think you’ve found gold (literally!).
The Glorious Twelve: America\u2019s Most Treasured Circulating Coins
1. The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel: The Five Dollars or Five Lifetimes Proposition
First up is the 1913 Liberty Head nickel – quite possibly the toughest coin to grace American numismatics. In fact, only FIVE of these things actually exist ON EARTH.
FIVE! But wait, there’s a twist that makes this all doubly strange: This coin should not even exist. Like, at all! In 1913, Liberty Head nickels were phased out for Buffalo nickels. But for some reason, these five 1913 Liberty Head appeared mysteriously.
Nobody really knows exactly how they came to be (some sleuthing around coins suggests they could have been minted secretly by an employee), or even how many were made.
So last year, one of these super-rare five-cent pieces was auctioned off for a mind-blowing $4.2 million at some fancy auction. But now coin specialists are saying that, given their rarity (unicorn-rare to super mythical-rare) and all the commotion, they could go for as much as $86 million in today’s bonkers marketplace.
And you know what’s crazy? As much as they claim one is worth, it’s still just regular money! Which is to say — though the odds are astronomically slim — one theoretically could end up in your change one day. And I’m not just saying that because it’s not going to happen, but because can you imagine finding one?
2. The 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar: The “King of American Coins”
SUDDENLY, silver dollars were being struck with the date 1804 added to their dies, though the same had been used for many years prior (and would be used into the future). In a particularly interesting twist of numismatic history, no silver dollars were ever struck dated 1804, despite the “King of American Coins” featuring the date.
These dollars were in fact struck decades later as diplomatic gifts. Just 15 specimens are known to exist spread among three classes, Class I being the rarest.
One that had once belonged to the Sultan of Muscat fetched more than $4.1 million many decades ago.
Today, due to inflation and scarcity alone, experts who specialize in numismatic history claim an actual copy would have a value easily in the $86 million range, making it one of the worlds most-expensive coins.
3. The 1849 Double Eagle: The Smithsonian’s Treasure
The 1849 Double Eagle in gold may be the rarest coin in USA with only 1 confirmed gold coin still in existence. This was the first coin of the $20 gold piece series to be struck during the California Gold Rush. The only known piece is part of the collection of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
Conservative appraisals envision that if one day it were to be sold into private hands, this coin could fetch around $100M, going beyond the ($86M) high-water point. Though still legal tender, the odds of locating such a piece are next to none, but treasure hunters keep on.
4. The Brasher Doubloon: The First American Gold Coin
Long before the U.S. Mint, Ephraim Brasher, a neighbor of George Washington, minted seven gold coins–which became known as Brasher Doubloons–in 1787.
These historical coins depict a rising sun and state seal on the obverse and an American eagle with shield on the reverse. Brasher Hallmark (known as “EB”) The “EB” stamp is found on the eagles wing or breast, with the breast variety considered more collectable.
One Brasher Doubloon sold for $9.36 million in January 2021, and experts say it could be worth “$100 million in the future because of its rarity and extreme historical U.S. significance” in light of recent auction analyses. The figure is respectable in our $86 million range.
5. The 1822 Capped Bust Five Dollar Gold Piece: Three Times the Rarity
One of the rarest is the 1822 Capped Bust $5 Half Eagle. Despite a mintage of more than 17,700 pieces, just three specimens are known to collectors—one in private hands and two in the Smithsonian Institution.
The only privately-held example, certified AU-50 by the Professional Coin Grading Service, traded hands in 2021 for $8.4 million. With such rarity and the rising market of truly irreplaceable coins, this item is forecasted to hit an $86 million price at any future auction.
6. Contributed by The story of the 1794 Capped Bust Silver Dollar begins in 1785.
This classic American coin is one of the first silver dollars made by the United States federal government. The flowing hair of Lady Liberty is on the obverse; the reverse features a small eagle.
Depending on the source, somewhere between 120-130 are thought to exist today. One outstanding example sold for more than $10 million in 2013, marking a record at the time.
Modern values indicate that a handful of prime examples could achieve that $86 million level by virtue of their historical importance and the rapidly rising market for trophy coins.
7. The 1943 Copper Lincoln Penny: A Wartime Error The year was 1943 – a span of 40 years since the Lincoln design made an appearance on the penny in 1909.
In the case of World War II, copper was diverted to the war effort, and the United States Mint found itself producing pennies from zinc-coated steel. There were a small number of copper blanks from 1942 left in presses though, and some copper 1943 pennies were minted by mistake.
Only 20 or so of these copper pennies are known to exist, and they have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. As the demand for real American numismatic rarities serves to increase the premium, such top specimens are expected to fetch as much as $86 million – and suddenly these modest pennies rise to magnificence.
8. The $3 Gold 1870-S Indian Princess Head Gold: The Primary Mystery
One of the true major mysteries in numismatics is the 1870-S Indian Princess Head $3 gold piece. According to records, only a single piece was ever minted, that one for placement under the cornerstone of the San Francisco Mint. But mysteriously, one turned up at auction in 1911.
If this is the now-O-101 or an enigmatic duplication is not determined. The value of this one-of-a-kind coin has increased significantly over the decades, and at a current estimate, it more than comfortably falls within the $86 million range.
9. The 1974 Aluminum Penny: A Modern Rarity
To avoid rising copper prices, the U.S. Mint issued aluminum pennies in 1974. Though about 1.5 million were struck, none were ever issued for circulation and nearly all were melted down. Only a few are known to be in circulation, and they’re in fact illegal to own, since they were never officially issued.
The US government has also been trying to recover these coins. Their mix of high-tech manufacturing, extraordinary rarity, and dubious legal status meant that experts had valued them at anything up to $86m for proven examples.
10. The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle: “Forbidden Gold”
In 2021, the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle became the most expensive coin ever sold at auction, when it was sold for $18.9 million. Almost 450,000 were struck, yet most were melted down after Executive Order 6102, which made gold hoarding a crime during the Great Depression.
Only one is in private hands legally; the government has 12. Indeed, such is its intrinsic beauty and compelling history as well as its extreme rarity that valuations continue to soar, with some specialists suggesting that it could hit the $86 million mark, if and when it comes upon the market again.
11. The 1873-CC No Arrows Liberty Seated Dime: Carson City’s Phantom volume 10 of Carson City Morgan Dollars, Carson City: an Illustrated History.
The 1873-CC No Arrows Liberty Seated dime from the Carson City Mint is one of the rarest of all American coinage. Just a single example is believed to exist, despite U.S. Mint records suggesting that no less than 12,400 were coined. The rest may well have been melted down and recast, with the arrows added to the design later that year as a way to show a weight change.
It was the only surviving example until it went under the hammer for $ 1.8 million in 2012, but since then its one-of-a-kind nature and increased desire among collectors could potentially see its value soar to around $86 million today.
12. 1907 Ultra High Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle – Masterpiece of Art
The original design of double eagle gold coin was conceived with a ultra high relief so beautiful. Unfortunately, the high relief was too severe for mass production and only about 20 examples were minted before the design was abandoned.
These are the latter day classic American coins. A near-perfect one once sold for almost $3 million in 2005, and, because of their artistic importance and scarcity, current estimates have soared to the $86 million mark for impeccable examples.
The Hunt Continues
I mean, finding one of these 12 ultra-rare coins is like finding a specific snowflake in a snowstorm. Stupidly difficult. BUT… that minute flicker of hope will have hot-to-trot collectors frantically sorting through their change and raiding granny’s penny jar for the next few years
… (Only thing to remember – if you think you’ve found something great you better GET IT AUTHENTICATED!) There are more fakes that exist than real ones do, particularly when you’re discussing coins that cost more than a luxury yacht.”
Want to begin your own treasure quest? Here’s what the experts say: Get yourself a good magnifier (nothing extravagant but nothing below 6x power) and begin to learn what sets valuable coins apart.
And even if you don’t land the $86 million bonanza, there are still plenty of some pretty valuable coins still out there. One of my friend’s kids found a 1955 double-die penny (worth close to $900) in their Halloween change last year! No joke!
I’ll leave you with this Warren Zivi quote that really resonated: “Coins are a hobby and an investment for both. You need to pick well in what you pick.” Whether because you like money or you can’t resist the call of the past something about this centuries-old hobby persists, powering up strong even in a digital, crypto-curious age.
