For a long time already, rare coins have captivated the souls of coin collectors, and some have made people go crazy with their prices at auction. Because of their extremely historical nature, some coins even have unique oddities that make them very desirable. One element that raises a coin’s worth is the story behind its minting undertaken-whether it was to commemorate a historical event, has an unusual design, or contains an error during minting. Some of these precious coins can be found from the early part of the 20th century-for instance, a few remarkably valued coins minted in 1910.
One of the most desired examples is the Liberty Head nickel minted in 1913. According to Professional Coin Grading Services (PCGS), this coin existed only in five copies, making it a very rare coin. In January 2014, one of them was auctioned by Heritage Auctions at an impressive price of $3,290,000. It is not only because of the scarcity of this coin, but also because many numismatist collectors are very interested in such unique items, making its price reach that level. The such rarity proves why even one coin may solicit fierce bidding fights at an auction.
The famous 1919-D dime which garners attention for its “full bands” detail-a feature little seen in coins of its period. Coins minted in 1919 were generally the result of poor minting conditions, which makes the well-preserved ones so rare. The presence of bands, intact and sharply defined on the reverse side of the coin, contributes significantly to this fact. As Coin World put it, one of these dimes sold for $156,000, illustrating how important coins with striking traits at least in top condition will usually fetch such prices.
Another way to make a big difference is with mistakes during the minting process. One of the best illustrations of this is the 1916 Buffalo Nickel, with a double die error. Such a mistake happens when a coin is struck more than once and therefore has details duplicated such as the date or inscriptions. The double die on the 1916 Buffalo Nickel is so prominent that it makes this coin a highly sought after item by collectors. Its oddity and very interesting explanation of it has propelled its value to incredible heights, with one example going for $281,750 at auction.
Such an example is showcasing why the coins become special in the entire world of numismatics. Such coins easily draw collectors into paying high prices because they are rare and have historical importance and errors. Finding an artifact and having that conversation about discovering an interesting minting error keeps coin aficionados burning for fire. For these lucky owners, the value of such items is monetary and way more than that, connecting directly to the past and manifesting the art and craftsmanship behind capital coins.
