silver dollar

Rarest U.S. Coin Is Worth $20 Million

Filed under: Wealth

What is the most valuable United States coin? The coin, shown at right is the Smithsonian's 1849-dated "Double Eagle" $20 denomination gold piece. The unique coin was struck by the United States Mint in Philadelphia during the early days of the California Gold Rush. The Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has rounded-up the 2011 PCGS Million Dollar Coin Club and their experts agree that this coin has gone up in value from an estimated $15 million last year to $20 million now. The first $20 gold piece struck at the United States Mint is part of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. It will be exhibited in Chicago in August at the World's Fair of Money.

Here's a reason to start collecting, the group says that the most valuable rare coins have increased in value by an estimated 25 to 50 percent the past year. There are currently 235 historic U.S. coins valued at $1 million or more that are in private collections or museums (an estimated total combined value of $548.6 million).

"It was only 15 years ago that a coin first broke the million dollar mark at auction. That coin is the finest of only five known 1913 Liberty Head nickels, and in 1996 it sold for $1,485,000. It now is valued at $4,500,000," explained David Hall, President of Collectors Universe, Inc.of Santa Ana, California.

The 2011 PCGS Million Dollar Coin Club listing was compiled by Hall and Ron Guth, President of PCGS CoinFacts, in consultation with four other well-known professional numismatists: Jim Halperin, Co-Chairman of Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas; Kevin Lipton, President of Kevin Lipton Rare Coins, Beverly Hills, California; Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions; and Laura Sperber, President of Legend Numismatics, Lincroft, New Jersey.

Tags: coin collecting, coins, gold coins, nickels, pennies, silver dollar

Continue reading “Rarest U.S. Coin Is Worth $20 Million”

Silver Dollar Sets New World Record

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

A rare 1794 U.S. silver dollar has set a record price. The Neil/Carter/Contursi specimen 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar sold for $7.85 million. What makes this particular coin so rare is that it is the finest known 1794 dollar and several experts believe this could be the first silver dollar ever struck by the United States Mint.

The coin was sold by Steven L. Contursi, President of Rare Coin Wholesalers of Irvine, California, to the nonprofit Cardinal Collection Educational Foundation in Sunnyvale, California. Contursi has had the coin since 2003, acquiring it for a price he's only ever defined as "millions of dollars." He has displayed the coin in cities around the country and had a custom wooden exhibit case constructed so it could be seen more easily. When it wasn't on tour it was a featured exhibit at the American Numismatic Association's Edward C. Rochette Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Tags: 1794 silver dollar, contest, flowing hair silver dollar, most expensive coin, rare coin, rare coins, silver coins, silver dollar, silver dollars

Continue reading “Silver Dollar Sets New World Record”