24 Historical Coins That Are Worth Serious Cash Today
Whether we check through our loose change for unusual editions or seek out items on auction sites, many of us like to collect coins. Some take the hobby more seriously by heading out into the countryside with their metal detectors in search of a Roman hoard.
But which coins should we all dream of owning? What releases could produce life-changing sums if they were in our collections?
1. USA 1933 Double Eagle
The world record price for a coin has stood since 2021. The rare 1933 Double Eagle came up for auction in New York and sold to an unnamed bidder for $18.9 million. The coin was part of a trio of high-value lots belonging to renowned collector Stuart Weitzman, including two rare stamps.
2. USA Flowing Hair Dollar
Before the sale of the Double Eagle, this coin had held the world record for eight years. The Flowing Hair Dollar was so-called because it features the head of Liberty with long, flowing locks. Minted for two years in 1794 and 1795, an example sold for $12 million in a 2013 private deal.
3. Roman Republic: Aurius of Marcus Junius Brutus
Anyone who finds a Roman coin may start to get excited. They may be the first to handle it for thousands of years, but only some Roman examples are valuable. The Aurius of Marcus Junius Brutus was a notable exception. Minted in 42 BC, the coin sold for $4,174,950 when auctioned in 2020.
4. Private Mint: Brasher Doubloon
Countries or states have not produced some of the world’s rarest coins. Privately minted items often come up for sale, and this is the rarest one to fall into that category. The 1797 Brasher Doubloon with EB on the wing was minted by the American goldsmith Ephraim Brasher, and the record of $9,360,000 was set in 2021.
5. Umayyad Gold Dinar
One of the oldest coins on this list, the Umayyad Caliphate issued the 723 AD Gold Dinar, and photos show the surviving coin to be exceptional for its age. That superb condition and its rarity saw the 723 Dinar sell for just over $6 million in 2011.
6. UK: Edward III Gold Florin
The UK has a long history of coinage, but this is one of its oldest remaining examples. Only three gold florins from the 14th century exist, and two have a permanent home at the British Museum. The solitary gold florin in private hands dates from 1343, and it was sold at auction in 2006 for about $850,000.
7. USA: Lincoln Head Copper Penny
This rare coin appeared in 1943, and that date is critical to its value. At that time, the United States diverted copper to its war effort, and coins were minted using steel. A small batch of Lincoln copper pennies was released by mistake. About 20 exist, and the record sale is the $1.75 million raised at auction in 2010.
8. UK: Edward VIII Five Pounds
Production of stamps and coins in the UK was halted in 1938 following the abdication of King Edward VIII. The released items came in relatively large quantities, but owning one could be more exciting. However, you should be delighted if you have one of the rare five-pound Edward VIII coins. A surviving example sold for $2,280,000 at auction in 2021.
9. USA: Morgan Silver Dollars
Silver dollars are highly collectible, and some can be exceptionally valuable. The Morgan and Peace Dollars are the most desirable of the many options in circulation. Of the two producers, Morgan Dollars hold slightly more worth, and the record for a single item is the $881,250 from a 2013 auction.
10. Roman Empire: Sestersius of Hadrian
The Sestersius is a scarce Roman coin that was only released to celebrate special occasions. During the days of the Roman Empire, these coins were larger than regulation and made of brass. Any Sestersius should have some monetary value, while the record for this coin features the head of Hadrian, and it made over $1.64 million in 2008.
11. USA: 1913 Liberty Head V Nickel
In 1913, the production of the regular U.S. nickel was supposed to switch from the Liberty Head to the Buffalo Head. However, five Liberty designs made it into circulation, and they are the rarest and most valuable of all the U.S. nickels. In 2018, one came up for auction and sold for more than $4.5 million.
12. USA Sacagawea Cheerios Dollar
Could a novelty coin from a cereal box change your life? In 2000, a run of 5,500 coins was produced by the U.S. Mint and given away as part of a Cheerios promotion. Most have little value, but around 60 were misprinted with enhanced tail feathers on the eagle. If you find one, it could be worth up to $25,000.
13. New Zealand One Penny Trade Tokens
New Zealand’s early currency came as trade tokens, which hints at a bartering system. Most examples can be picked up for a few dollars, but the most valuable coin from this country is an 1857 copper token valued at up to $40,000.
14. Mexico: 1732 8 Reales
There are many interesting examples of collectible Mexican coins. Circular coins started to be produced in 1732, so the Pillar 8 Reales from this year is highly desirable. Only a handful have survived, and an auction sale of an example in excellent condition produced $86,250 in 2008.
15. UK: Penny 1933
Officially, the UK produced just six penny coins in 1933. It’s suspected that a few more made it into circulation by accident, and each would represent a rare and valuable find. A recent sale by Baldwin’s Auctioneers produced an impressive hammer price of £127,248.
16. USA: $4 Coiled Hair
You won’t come across too many four-dollar coins in your lifetime. This special release, also known as the Stella, was minted in small quantities for two years between 1879 and 1880. In total, 425 coins were struck, and the record price for a $4 “Stella” is the $2,574,000 achieved at Bonhams Auctioneers in 2013.
17. USA: 1787 Fugio Cent
Starter collectors who want a historical coin at an affordable price should consider the Fugio Cent. Issued in 1787, it’s the first official coin of the new United States, and those in average condition sell for a few hundred dollars. Also known as the Franklin Cent after one of the Founding Fathers, examples approaching mint condition can fetch about $10,000.
18. UK: Kew Gardens 50p
The reality is that most of us can only dream of owning a coin worth seven figures, but we can still find some value among new coins in circulation. In the UK, many commemorative 50p coins have been produced recently, and the most sought-after of these celebrates Kew Gardens. About 210,000 were issued in 2009, valued at about £700.
19. UK: Flopsy Bunny 50p
The most popular UK 50p range is the Beatrix Potter series, which features several characters from these much-loved books. I own some of these but was upset I had to use one in a car park machine when I had no other coins. Fortunately, it wasn’t Flopsy Bunny, which is the rarest issue and is reportedly worth about £10.
20. USA: Massachusetts 2000-P Quarter
The United States also issued several commemorative coins, and many quarters are worth significantly more than their face value. If you have a Massachusetts 2000-P issue in your loose change, it’s time to get excited, as a mint condition example sold for $3,760 at auction.
21. Australia: 2000 1$ Mule
Printing errors are rare in coin production, but this modern Australian release is a notable exception. Known as the “mule,” the wrong die was used when casting the coin, and the 10-cent reverse was used in a small batch of these dollars. If you come across one, it can be worth between $300 to $3000, depending on the condition.
22. Canada: One Million Dollar Gold Coin
This is a novelty coin, but its value commands a place on this list. In 2007, Canada issued six oversized maple leaf gold coins, each with a face value of one million dollars. The coins are 50 centimeters wide, and when one example came up for auction in 2010, it sold for just over $4 million.
23. USA: Barber Dime
Only 24 of these coins were minted in 1894, and that rarity has seen the Barber Dime achieve some incredible prices at auction. Only nine are known to have survived, and a January 2016 auction saw one of these examples sold for a fraction under $2 million.
24. UK: 1983 New Pence 2p Coin
Finding this coin won’t make you a millionaire, but it would significantly increase your face value. In 1983, the UK’s Royal Mint mistakenly released a small batch of 2p coins bearing the words “New Pence” instead of “Two Pence.” The error was rectified, but a small batch made it into circulation, and surviving examples could be worth up to £500.
