Are you considering starting a coin collection? Do you currently collect coins on a large scale? Alternatively, perhaps you’ve come across an intriguing coin and are curious about its value. Which coins should you seek out or hold onto if you plan to collect them?
If you are at a loss for what to collect, we have put together a list of the best coins. In the end, every coin has some value, depending on how long you keep it and if you can sell it to someone who is willing to buy it when the time comes.
1. 1856 Flying Eagle Cent
The 1856 Flying Eagle cent was the first “small” cent in American numismatic history. Although they were produced in such large quantities and are classified as pattern coins, some collectors view them as circulation issues.
The public believes that coin collecting in America began with the Flying Eagle cent.
People started hoarding the large cent instead of using it when they found out it was being discontinued.
Estimates of the true quantity of 1856 Flying Eagle coins struck vary from 1,500 to 2,150. Only about 800 1856 Flying Eagle cents are thought to exist today.
The 1856 Flying Eagle cent is valued at $8,600 in Very Good VG8 to $120,000 in Mint State MS66, according to CDN Greysheet.
2. The 1787 Fugio cent
Although the Fugio cent hasn’t broken as many records as the first two coins on this list, it still has an intriguing history and can be a costly collectable. The first coin in circulation in the newly formed United States may have been the Fugio cent, also called the Franklin cent after founding father Benjamin Franklin.
The coin depicts a sun and sundial with the Latin motto “fugio,” implying that time and the sun are flying, in keeping with Franklin’s sense of humour. The phrase “mind your business” appears at the bottom of the coin, advising the bearer to actually attend to their business matters. The phrase “We are one” appears on the coin’s reverse, along with 13 links that represent the original 13 states of the United States.
According to Zivi, a Fugio cent can be purchased for a few hundred dollars, making it reasonably priced for a coin with such a fascinating past. Better-quality coins could fetch several thousand dollars or even up to $10,000, while extremely rare variations could fetch tens of thousands of dollars.
3. 1914-D Lincoln Cent
With a mintage of 1,193,000 coins, the 1914-D coin ranks second in terms of scarcity, albeit not as rare as the 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent. The fact that fewer uncirculated specimens of this coin were preserved than there were of the 1909-S VDB coins is what makes it so desirable. Because of this, uncirculated 1914-D coins are more rare than the more widely available 1909-S V.D.B. coins.
This coin’s value has also held steady over time due to the popularity of Lincoln cents among coin collectors, particularly for intermediate and expert collectors looking for a high-quality uncirculated coin. On the other hand, novice and intermediate coin collectors can also afford to acquire circulated specimens. When choosing a circulated specimen, exercise caution. Seek for a coin with a uniform tone and no flaws, such as dents or scratches.
4. 1849 Double Eagle Gold Coin
The gold 1849 Double Eagle coin is thought to be the rarest and most valuable coin in US history, and there is currently only one in existence. The coin, which was minted in 1850 but is marked with the year 1849, is one of only two trial pieces that identified the era of the $20 coins, also known as Double Eagles. The coin’s production also happened to coincide with the beginning of the California gold rush.
The Smithsonian Institution’s National Numismatic Collections is home to the last surviving specimen, which is being carefully preserved. With an estimated value of $20 million, the 1849 Double Eagle is currently the rarest and most valuable coin in the world.
5. The 1343 Edward III Florin
An oldie and goldie is another of the most valuable coins in the world. Just three of these gold coins—the Edward III Florin from 1343 being the only one known to exist. Two specimens, discovered in the River Tyne in 1857, are kept in the British Museum in London. In 2006, a prospector using a metal detector discovered the third coin.
The coin’s reverse displays the Royal Cross enclosed in a quatrefoil, while the front depicts King Edward III sitting on his throne with two leopard heads on either side. The coin is sometimes referred to as the Double Leopard due to its design.
The coin discovered in 2006 brought in a record-breaking 480,000 pounds, or roughly $850,000, at auction. It was a British coin at the time. The coin is currently estimated to be worth $6.8 million.
6. 1909-S V.D.B. Lincoln Cent
The Indian Head was replaced with a design honouring President Abraham Lincoln’s 100th birthday in 1909 when the United States changed the design of the one-cent coin. The public took to the coin right away. But Victor David Brenner signed his three initials near the bottom of the penny’s reverse.
The mint designer, Charles Barber, objected to this new trend, as previous designers had only used their last initial. The initials on the reverse were removed after 484,000 new Lincoln pennies were produced at the United States Mint facility in San Francisco. An instant scarcity was created by this alteration in the design.
It could be argued that the most well-liked American coin is the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent. Lincoln pennies are one of the first coins that many coin collectors started with. The 1909-S VDB is the “Holy Grail” of Lincoln pennies due to its rarity. Lincoln penny collectors typically add this rare coin as their final addition to their collection. Among US coin collectors, this coin has remained valuable and prestigious over time.
Make sure you get a specimen of these coins that is visually appealing and free of flaws when you buy one. When buying an MS-65 RD coin for investment purposes, try to find one that has the deep, rich copper hue that characterizes coins that are more than a century old. It might have been chemically dipped if it is excessively bright.
7. 1787 Brasher Gold Doubloon
Ephraim Brasher, a goldsmith, was the creator of the 1787 “Brasher” Doubloon Gold Coin. After the State of New York legislature rejected Brasher’s request to mint new copper coins, he created this gold coin on his own initiative and in addition to copper coins.
There are several variations, all of which have Brasher’s signature. One coin with the eagle’s breast hallmark sold for an incredible $7.4 million in 2011, while another coin with the same markings brought in £4.5 million only three years later. These coins are becoming rare to find in circulation.