Have you ever heard the word Numismatics before?
Well, it's defined as the study or collection of paper currency, metals, and most commonly,
coins.
Even though coin collecting requires quite a bit of time and energy on the collectors
part, if you take the time to learn about valuable coins and how to identify and collect
them, you'll find that taking part in coin collecting can be both a satisfying and potentially
profitable hobby.
Coins from almost any era can provide an insightful look into what different civilizations and
societies considered to be culturally significant.
We can learn a lot about the spoken language and what metals were prized in a geographic
location where coins are found.
Likewise, the people featured on coins and the other details etched into their faces
give us a revealing glimpse into what was viewed as important by different cultures
from bygone eras.
It doesn't matter if you're interested in learning a bit more about world history or
simply get a kick out of searching for a rare quarter from yesteryear, coin collecting can
be a fun and enriching hobby, especially if you know what you're hunting for.
But not all valuable and rare coins are from past periods of human history.
Quite a few coins that have fetched thousands or even millions of dollars at auction actually
are ones that are still in circulation.
Join Facts Verse as we take a look at some of these hard-to-find US coins.
Perhaps after watching this video, you too can learn what to look for so that you can
start finding those precious quarters and nickels in your piggy bank that might very
well be worth a lot more than their face value.
1932 – 64 Silver Quarters
During the 1930s, quarters were composed of 90% silver and 10% copper.
That metallurgic composition gave them a gorgeous appearance and obviously drove up their value
to collectors and smelters alike.
A ton of quarters were minted during this era, so if you want to find the ones that
are worth the most, you'll want to keep your eyes out for the ones that are in the most
pristine condition.
A coin shop typically uses the value of the silver itself to give a base value for a coin,
but it should be noted that it's actually against the law to melt down US currency.
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1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny
This penny is considered to be one of the most popular and best known Lincoln penny's
ever minted.
It's no wonder then that this cent recently racked up 36 bids when it was auctioned off
on eBay.
The winning bidder from New Jersey ended up paying $1,153 when it sold a couple of months
ago in August.
The coin is especially coveted and rare, seeing as how its designer, Victor David Brenner,
included his own initials into its design when he created his variant of the common
coin.
But not everyone was thrilled that he left his mark on the currency, and the initials
were removed from the coin not long after its first run.
Even so, approximately 480,000 coins were made bearing the controversial mark.
1937 Buffalo Nickel
Recently on eBay, a very rare and sought-after buffalo nickel minted in 1937 sold for an
eye-watering $1,400.
If you happen to find one of these bad boys in your loose change, you too could turn a
pretty decent profit.
This especially hard-to-come-across five-cent piece features an image of a buffalo with
three legs on one side and the image of a Native American on the reverse side.
It was minted in Denver, Colorado, and very few of the coins are believed to still be
in circulation.
The coin managed to rack up a total of 29 bids when it went up for auction on the popular
online marketplace.
The final selling price was 28,000 times the original value of the nickel, which is pretty
mind-boggling if you think about it.
2005 Kansas State Quarter
This rare coin bears the somewhat humorous typo 'In God We Rust' which has sent its value
through the ceiling.
According to modern legend, a drip of grease fell into the die when these coins were being
minted, which resulted in a few coins to come out with the T in the famous slogan 'In God
We Trust' to appear more like the letter R.
This iconic phrase invoking a higher power has been featured on all pieces of US currency
since the 1950s, but if you're lucky enough to find one of these quarters which bears
this comical typo, you just might be able to exchange it for up to $100 to the right
collector.
But if you're wise, you'd be better off tucking it away for safekeeping as it's value will,
without a doubt, increase over the years.
1966 – Roosevelt Silver Dime
In the 1960s, America was moving away from making dimes out of mostly silver to the nickel
and copper composition that they are made of today.
During this period of transition, a few silver dimes were minted by accident using the wrong
metals and die.
This flub resulted in a handful of dimes to be minted that were slightly heavier than
they were supposed to be.
If you happen to own a very sensitive digital scale, you will find that some of the dimes
produced in 1964 weigh 2.5 grams while others weigh .1 grams more.
These error dimes are exceedingly hard to find, and only a few examples have been documented.
If you're lucky enough to find one, it can be worth up to $7,000, depending on its condition.
1918 Buffalo Nickel
During the first world war, the US economy was almost entirely focused on the war effort.
This affected coinage in the way that fewer coins were printed.
These 1918 Buffalo Nickels reflect this cost-cutting strategy, and they are exceptionally rare,
but the quality is especially important when determining their value.
Every last one entered into circulation, which means that there are none in existence today
that are in perfect uncirculated condition, but if you happen to stumble upon one in reasonably
decent condition, it could possibly be worth as much as $125,000.
1965 Washington Quarter Error Coin
Recently, a super rare Washington quarter was sold at auction for more than $500.
The reason why it was so special and thus valuable was the fact that it was accidentally
struck on a 10 cent silver planchet.
When one was auctioned off on eBay, it managed to rack up 25 bids before finally selling
to the highest bidder on August 15, 2021, for $545.
The coin had initially been listed by its seller from Montana for $1.
1794 Flowing Hair Fifty Cent Piece
Another coin that was recently sold on eBay for a small fortune was this stupidly rare
50 cent coin minted back in 1794.
After racking up 63 bids, this 'Flowing Hair' half dollar piece which was actually the first
incarnation of the denomination to ever be struck, sold for $7,777 back in August.
To be fair though, just because this is a coin that technically is still in circulation,
you'd be hard-pressed to find one just lying around.
Given it's strikingly unique appearance, any of these that are still in existence are more
than likely kept under lock and key by knowledgeable collectors who are fully aware of their worth.
1870 Seated Liberty Dollar Coin
Here's a great example of a coin that has gone up in value at an exponential rate over
the years without having been mint in error.
The artwork featured on this uncommon coin makes it particularly aesthetically appealing
and thus has inspired many investors to desire it for their personal collections.
The coin's obverse face depicts ol' Lady Liberty in a seated position while wearing a flowing
gown and holding the nation's flag and shield of liberty in her hands.
Her crown is adorned with 13 stars representing the original 13 US colonies.
Since it's not the rarest coin out there, its condition once again plays a huge part
in determining its value, but that being said, it's been known to fetch between $500 to $5,000
dollars at auction.
1927-D Double Eagle
These last few coins are going to be among some of the most valuable ones still in circulation.
Welcome to the big league's ladies and gentlemen.
This $20 gold coin had 180,000 made during its minting.
Back in 1928, however, when the coins were being sold, the economy was in free fall,
and no one seemed to be that interested in purchasing gold coins from the government
because, frankly, they couldn't afford it.
Then, in 1933, all gold was recalled in the entire nation, and it became illegal for a
stint to even own gold.
So, by this time, it's conceivable that the majority of the original coins that were produced
were collecting dust in the vaults at the Treasury, and it's likely that most of them
were eventually melted down for their intrinsic value.
Even so, several of these coins managed to survive through all of these fascinating twists
and turns of US history, and today they are one of the rarest coins sought-after by coin
collectors.
It's estimated that these precious gold coins are valued upwards of $1.3 million.
1919 Liberty Head Nickel
In 1913, The Liberty Head Nickel swiftly replaced the old Buffalo Nickel design, and according
to records from the US Mint, no liberty nickels were produced during 1914, the year that saw
the start of World War I.
A few years later, however, an eagle-eyed coin collector discovered five specimens of
this coin which was previously thought to be nonexistent.
It was later speculated that this collector, Samuel Brown, had actually worked at the mint
and had clandestinely and unscrupulously struck them on his own accord.
Other theories present an alternative view.
It's plausible that they were actually struck sometime during the latter half of 1912 as
some sort of practice run to gear up for the following year.
Regardless, these nickels are about as rare as they come and have been sold at auction
in recent years for around $5 million a piece.
1794 Silver Dollar
Last but certainly not least, we have this stammeringly rare and valuable US coin that
virtually every collector who knows what's up would give just about anything to get their
mitts on one.
There were only 200 of these stunning beauties ever made, and that was more than two centuries
ago, so very few are known to still be in existence.
The artwork on the head's side features Lady Liberty with her distinct flowing hair and
eyes raised towards the cosmos.
It was also, much like that flowing hair fifty-cent piece we touched on earlier, actually the
first dollar coin to ever be minted in the United States.
Can you imagine what the founding fathers would say if they knew that this dollar coin
would someday be worth as much as many mansions?
These coins, which are pretty much impossible to find at this point, are estimated to be
worth as much as $10 million.
After watching this video, you'd be doing yourself a favor to sift through all of your
pocket change, penny banks, and boxes in your attic to see if you have any of these valuable
coins in your possession.
Chances are, you probably don't have any of the last three that we covered, but as far
as valuable coins go, the others that we mentioned in this video are only the tip of the iceberg.
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And if you're really interested in learning more about coin collecting and how you can
turn your newfound passion for rare currency into cold hard cash, there are numerous resources,
books, and websites out there to help you learn the basics of this niche hobby.
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And one last thing.
Let us know in the comments what some of the rarest coins are that you have in your collection.
And as always, thanks for watching!