The single rarest $1 US coin is generally considered to be the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar . Only a limited number of these were produced as the very first official U.S. dollar coins. Their historical significance and extreme rarity make them incredibly valuable to collectors. One specimen, for example, sold for $12 million at auction.
However, other notable rare $1 coins with high values include:
- 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar: While dated 1804, these were actually minted in 1834 as diplomatic gifts and are extremely rare, with only a small number known to exist. These have sold for millions of dollars at auction.
- 1895 Morgan Silver Dollar (Proof): The Philadelphia Mint did not strike any regular circulation Morgan Dollars in 1895, only 880 Proofs were produced, making them extremely valuable. Examples of this coin have sold for as much as $125,000.
- 1893-S Morgan Silver Dollar: This coin has the lowest mintage of any circulation strike Morgan Dollar, with only 100,000 minted in San Francisco. Values can exceed $1 million in very good condition.
- 1889-CC Morgan Silver Dollar: Only 250,000 were produced, and many were later melted down for their silver content, leaving few surviving examples. Some have sold for as much as $1.2 million in pristine condition.
It’s important to note that the value of any rare coin depends significantly on its condition and grade. Even within these rare issues, a pristine, uncirculated coin will be far more valuable than one in circulated condition.
While some modern error coins or promotional issues can also be valuable, their rarity doesn’t typically reach the same level as the aforementioned historical key dates. For instance, some 2000 Sacagawea “Cheerios” dollars with unique detailing on the eagle’s tail feathers can be worth more than $25,000 . Error coins, like the 2007 Missing Edge John Adams Dollar , can also fetch thousands of dollars.
What’s the rarest 1 coin?
Great question! 2011 Edinburgh £1. Mintage: 935,000. …
2011 Cardiff (Wales) £1. Mintage: 1,615,000. …
2010 London City £1. Mintage: 2,635,000. …
2014 Thistle & Bluebell £1. Mintage: 5,185,000. …
2013 Daffodil & Leek £1. Mintage: 5,270,000. …
2013 Rose & Oak £1. Mintage: 5,270,000. …
2014 Flax & Shamrock £1. …
2010 Belfast £1.
Why is the 2005 $1 coin rare?
One such rarity is the 2005 proof kangaroo dollar. Struck by mistake in 2006 and issued in the 2006 proof set, the coin is rare because the official proof dollar minted in 2005 had a completely different design, thus making the 2005 proof dollar with the kangaroo design extremely rare.
How do I know if I have a rare $1 coin?
I can help with that. The date and mintmark are the easiest way to diagnose valuable rare coins. Errors in these two key areas can still be found in circulation, and they could score you a fortune. Re-punched or over-punched mint marks are one winning discovery, as is doubled text.