When you hear about coin collectors you often wonder where their passion could possibly come from. While we all have unique hobbies, coin collection just doesn’t seem to get the heart racing. Yet when you understand just how much money some coins can sell for at auction you can understand the attraction. We have listed the best selling coins by public auction below to show that maybe this is a hobby worth considering.
The Liberty Head Nickel
The Liberty head nickel is a coin first minted in 1913. Only five are known to be in existence today and one recently went on auction, in 2018. The coin was in such pristine condition that it sold for over $4.5 million. While the sale price of many coins is related to how many were printed originally, little is known about the records of this coin so there could be many more undiscovered Liberty nickels out there. Check your stash of coins at home because if you have a nickel from 1913, you may now be a millionaire.
The Brasher Doubloon
Some view the Brasher Doubloon as the most important coin in the world. It predates national currency and is believed to have been made in 1787. At this time private businessmen minted their own coins. A number of Brasher Doubloons have gone for auction recently. If the EB insignia is on the wing of the bird then it can fetch over $4.5 million dollars but if it is on the breast it could get you over $7 million.
The Double Eagle
This coin has a fascinating story. It was minted in 1933 at a time when America was going through a financial crisis. The president at the time, Roosevelt, decided that any gold was needed by the government. He recalled all $20 coins at the time and melted them down for gold. Some did not make it back to the government and remain in circulation today. If you have one it could make you over $7.5 million. However, be careful of how or where you sell it. It is illegal to own this coin in America and if you sell it on US land you will have to split the proceeds with the national treasury.
The Flowing Hair Silver Dollar
Believed to be the first-ever silver coin to be minted. The coin dates back to 1794 and sold at auction recently for over $10 million. If you can find one of these then you are probably the greatest coin collector in the world.
