Eight of the World’s Most Collectible coins

Coin collecting is one of the world’s most common hobbies. It can be an expensive or affordable depending on the collector.

The US wheat penny is popular. It is still possible to find these in circulation. The most valuable is the 1943 bronze wheat penny. One of these pennies sold at auction for $100,000.
Another 1943 penny is the copper version. Copper was need by the military so bronze and then steel were used to make pennies. With about 40 known to exist, these are valued from $75,000 to $100,000.
Some of the most valuable ancient gold coins are from Byzantine Empire. In 2007, a stash was found dating from 1078AD to 1143AD. Coins from the Emperor Alekssi I Komnin (1100AD) are considered the most valuable. 

The 1804 US draped bust silver dollar is the most valuable silver coin in the world. Less than 20,000 of the coins originally minted. Only 15 are known to exist today. Most are in museum collections. At least six coins are in private collections. 

Another prized US coin is a $3 gold Indian Head Gold piece. Minted from 1854 to 1889, the highest quantity minted per year was 10,000 pieces. Several years, the quantity was 1000 or less. They have an unusual Indian Princess design rather than the common male Indian head motif. In the 1980s, these sold from $4000 to $30000.

A 1933 US Double Eagle coin sold for $7,590,020 in 2002. When the US went off the gold standard during the Depression, most gold coins were melted down. A few Gold Eagles survived. The Smithsonian has two in their collection. In the 1950s, eight appeared on the market. Later, a dealer acquired nine more. Forty years later, one coin Egyptian king Farouk’s collection ended up with a dealer. It was originally stored in a World Trade Center vault but was moved in 2001 before 9/11. Ten coins are now store at Fort Knox.

The 1913 US Liberty Head nickel is another rare collectible. The last one sold went for nearly $4 million. There are only five known to be in existence. 

Euros are popular coins to collect. First minted in 1999, the initial coins showed the countries of Europe separated like islands. Later, each country minted its own designs making these popular due to the diversity.

Yet one more coin you may want to think about adding to your collection is the many silver maple leaf coins.

Coin collecting is a fascinating hobby Keep an eye on the pocket change, there may be treasure lurking within it!