Several coins vie for the title of the world’s rarest and most valuable, often due to extremely limited mintage, historical significance, and unique circumstances surrounding their survival.
Here are some of the most prominent contenders:
- 1933 Double Eagle: This gold coin was minted just as the U.S. was abandoning the gold standard, and almost the entire mintage was ordered melted down. Only a few escaped, and only one is legally owned by a private collector. This coin holds the record for the most expensive coin ever sold, fetching $18.9 million in 2021.
- 1849 Double Eagle Gold Coin: Only a single example of this coin is currently known to exist, making it arguably the rarest and most valuable US coin in history. It is preserved at the National Numismatic Collections at the Smithsonian Institution and has an estimated value of around $20 million.
- 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar: Considered possibly the first silver dollar struck by the U.S. Mint, this historically significant coin boasts a very low mintage. It sold for $12 million in 2022, according to [Bankrate].
- 1787 Brasher Doubloon: Struck privately by Ephraim Brasher before the U.S. Mint was established, this coin’s rarity and early American origin make it highly sought after. Different versions exist, with one selling for $9.36 million in 2021.
- 1343 Edward III Florin: Also known as the “Double Leopard”, this medieval English gold coin is one of only three known to exist, with two housed in the British Museum. Its rarity and historical importance contribute to an estimated value of $6.8 million.
- 723 Umayyad Gold Dinar: This coin, minted in the Umayyad Caliphate and believed to have been struck from gold owned by the Caliph, is one of the oldest known Islamic coins to reference a specific place in Saudi Arabia. Only a few dozen are believed to exist, and one sold for $6 million in 2019.
These are just a few of the coins that are incredibly rare and valuable in the world of numismatics. The specific “rarest” coin can be debated depending on factors like the number of surviving examples, unique historical context, and the circumstances surrounding their creation and preservation.
What’s the rarest 1 coin?
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.
What US coin is worth $19 million?
I can help with that. The 1933 double eagle $20 gold coin became the most expensive coin ever sold in June 2021 when it was auctioned for $18.9 million. But when the U.S. Mint first produced the coin in 1933, it wasn’t particularly rare, with around 445,500 produced.