The Rarest Coins in the World
Do you have a passion for collecting coins? If so, you may be interested in learning about the rarest coins in the world. These unique pieces are highly sought-after by collectors and can sell for thousands or even millions. This blog post will look at some of the rarest and most valuable coins. So, if you’re ready to learn more, keep reading!
Collecting coins as a hobby is very popular. People like to collect coins because sometimes the coin’s value is more than the face value. There are some gold and silver coins whose values can be more than people expect. Their values vary depending on their rarity, but some can be worth a lot of money.
Product Name | Product Image | Check Price in Amazon |
|---|---|---|
1344 Edward III Gold Florin | ||
1907 Gold Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle High Relief | ||
1822 Half Eagle Gold Coin | ||
1913 Liberty Head Nickel |
The 10 World’s Rarest and Most Valuable Coins
1. 1344 Edward III Gold Florin
The Gold Florin was first introduced by King Edward III in 1344. It had a face value of just 6 shillings and was meant to be legal tender throughout Europe.
The coin had an image of the Royal cross on one side and the King on his throne on the other side. The King was sitting under a canopy with a leopard’s head to his left and right. However, it was taken out of circulation after just a couple of months.
This coin is seen as the rarest coin in British numismatics. In fact, there are only three coins of its kind that are known to still exist.
One of these three items is privately owned and was won at an auction in July 2006. The sale price of the 1344 Edward III Florin was £460,000. This is the highest price ever paid for a coin from Britain. The other two items are currently exhibited in the British Museum.
2. 1907 Gold Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle High Relief
This gold coin, released in 1907, was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The coin’s high relief made it difficult to be struck, which meant that less than 30 pieces were produced. It is estimated that there were only 24 in circulation when the coin was first launched.
The coin’s design was changed a few times. The coin continued to circulate until 1933.
Two coins with the 1907 design are in the Smithsonian museum. Another coin was sold at an auction for almost $3 million in 2005.
3. 1822 Half Eagle Gold Coin
The 1822 Half Eagle gold coin is one of the rarest coins. It was released with a $5 denomination by the U.S. Mint and featured a design created by John Reich.
Approximately 17,800 pieces of the 1822 coin were minted, but only three are still around today. Two of them are in a museum, and the other was sold for almost $700,000 a long time ago.
4. 1913 Liberty Head Nickel
The Liberty Head Nickel was first issued in 1913. It has a face value of 5 cents, which is not a lot of money. Even though it is not made out of precious metal, it is one of the most valuable coins sold at an auction.
The coin was created without being approved by the U.S. Mint, and a very small number were made. In fact, their existence wasn’t even widely known until 1920, when Samuel Brown sold them.
In 1972, one of these limited-edition Liberty Nickels became the first coin to sell for $100,000. Only five of these coins are thought to be around today, and one sold for an incredible $3.7 million in 2010.
5. 1804 Silver Dollar
The Silver Dollar was minted in the 1830s, even though it wasn’t called the Silver Dollar until 1804.
The 1804 dollar coin was created during Edmund Roberts’ diplomatic efforts as part of the gifts given to Siam and Muscat. The coins can be separated into three types, with just 15 coins believed to exist.
Class I division is the most valuable type of these pieces. A Class I division piece that belonged to the Sultan of Muscat was sold for $4.1 million in 1999.
6. 2007 Queen Elizabeth II Maple Leaf Gold Coin
Queen Elizabeth II Maple Leaf coin is the first coin to have a face value of $1,000,000. It was produced by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2007. This impressive coin is made of 100 kg gold and has a purity level of 99.99%.
This massive coin has Queen Elizabeth II on one side, and a trio of Maple leaves on the other. The purpose of this coin was to show off the new Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins.
7. 1787 Brasher Gold Doubloon
The 1787 Doubloon Gold Coin was created by goldsmith Ephraim Brasher. He made it himself and some copper coins when the State of New York legislature refused his appeal to mint new copper coins.
A few different versions of this coin, each with Brasher’s hallmark. One coin, which included the hallmark on the eagle’s breast, sold for an astounding $7.4 million in 2011. Another with marks on the eagle’s breast fetched £4.5 million just three years later. These coins are very rare, and there are only a few today.
8. 1933 Double Eagle Gold Coin
In 1933, the Double Eagle gold coin was minted by the U.S. However, it was later taken out of circulation. Over 400,000 specimens were created, but they are not being used anymore.
The Statue of Liberty was designed by Saint-Gaudens. It shows Lady Liberty carrying a torch and an olive branch in one hand.
Even though many coins were made, they were not actually put into circulation. Most of them were melted down, but a few were stolen. Some of the stolen coins were found and destroyed. There are believed to be less than 15 coins remaining today, and one sold for $7.59 million in 2002.
There are two coins housed at the U.S. National Numismatic Collection, and ten coins are currently located in Fort Knox.
9. Silver Flowing Hair Dollar
The Flowing Hair dollar silver coin was the first dollar currency struck by the United States federal government in 1794.
The silver dollar was designed by Robert Scot and made the coin similar to the Spanish dollar. The silver dollar was 90% silver and 10% copper. The coin had a bust of Lady Liberty on one side and an image of an eagle on the other. The coin stopped being used the next year. However, it is still popular with collectors because of its historical significance and rarity.
In 2013, a 1794 Flowing Hair silver dollar was auctioned off for $10 million. This was a record amount at the time.
10. 1849 Double Eagle Gold Coin
The gold 1849 Double Eagle is the rarest and most valuable coin in U.S. history. It is one of just two trial pieces that marked the era of $20 coins, nicknamed Double Eagles.
The coin was minted in 1850, though it is marked with the year 1849. This coin was made around the same time the California gold rush started.
The 1849 Double Eagle is the rarest and most valuable coin globally. It is estimated to be worth nearly $20 million. It is currently preserved in the National Numismatic Collections at the Smithsonian Institution.
Click here to learn more information about the rarest coin collection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rarest Coins
Lydian Lion coins are some of the oldest in the world. They were created before ancient Greek coinage and come from the ancient Kingdom of Lydia, which is located in modern-day western Turkey.
Look for errors, cracks, edge imperfections, and missing parts on your coins. If it looks like two coins were glued together to create it, then it is probably fake. You can always consult a guidebook if you are unsure if your coin is fake or speak with a coin dealer.
Some valuable coins to look out for are sixpences minted between 1920 and 1946 made of 50% silver. If you have a sixpence from before 1920, it is made of 92.5% silver and is worth almost double. Another rare coin to look out for is the 1893 sixpence with the Victoria jubilee head, worth thousands of pounds.
A rare coin celebrating the U.K. leaving the European Union has sold its original value on eBay more than a thousand times. These coins are still in circulation in the millions.
The stater was a Greek silver currency first used as ingots and later as coins. It circulated from the 8th century B.C. to A.D. 50. The earliest known stamped stater is an electrum turtle coin, struck at Aegina and dates to about 700 BC.
