You can tell a lot about a country by its coinage. In the case of the United States, rare coins are invaluable pieces of Americana that any person can own. It’s not a surprise, then, that coin collecting is one of the most popular hobbies over there. Those who’re not “in the know” are often shocked upon hearing exactly how much money a single coin can be worth. Here is a list of top 7 rare US coins and why they’re so important to the American history.
1. 1913 Liberty Nickel
For a five-cent coin, the Liberty Nickel does pretty well, considering it’s now worth more than $6 million. They were never supposed to be printed, as the coin was retired in 1912; however, before the die for the nickel could be destroyed, five last specimens were struck at a certain Philadelphia mint. They were not seen again until 1920, not long after the statute of limitations for theft had run out.
2. 1943 Copper Penny
As the World War II kept raging on, supplies of copper were starting to become limited. During this difficult time, most pennies were made of a brass-steel alloy, except for a very small number which were struck from copper alloy. You can tell the difference by testing the coin with a magnet – the brass version will stick to it, but the bronze one won’t.
3. 1776 Silver Continental Dollar
After the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Congress decided it was time for the first true American currency. Most of these coins were struck in pewter, but the silver version is incredibly rare. The coin is easily recognizable by its design – thirteen rings representing the American colonies with the word “fugio” next to them.
4. 1849 Coronet Double Eagle
Only a single version of this coin is known to exist, and it currently resides at the Smithsonian Institution. How’s that for a rarity? Other than being the holy grail of uncommon coins, the 1849 Coronet is also the first $20 gold piece ever made. It was issued as a result of the famous Gold Rush in California.
5. 1933 Saint-Goudens Double Eagle
Somewhere in 1933, during the Great Depression, owning gold coins became illegal for private citizens. On the orders of President Roosevelt, all gold coins were to to be melted and converted into bullion bars. About a dozen of them never made it to the mint, however, and were instead smuggled out of the country. As the legend goes, they were later sold out to various collectors.
6. 1885 Silver Dollar
Nobody knows why there were only five copies of this coin were printed, but one thing’s crystal clear – they’re extremely expensive. In 2006, one copy was sold at an auction for $3.3 million, and their worth only goes up each year. The coin was designed by William Barber, a Chief Engraver famous for his prolific pattern designs.
7. 1870-S Three Dollar Gold Piece
Out of many valuable coins created at the San Francisco Mint building in 1870, the $3 gold coin is probably the rarest. For a long time, it was believed that only one copy of this coin was struck; however, a second example showed up thirty seven years later. It was later sold for $687,500 at a 1982 auction, and these days it’s worth well over $2,5 million.