With its precious metal content and rarity, gold coin values often reach remarkable market prices.
The rarest numismatic gold coins are real treasures to behold. Investing in classic gold coins is for the collector who braves to ride the rise and fall of the gold spot price and the collector demand for old gold coinages.
CNBC Reports This is the world’s most valuable coin The first ever Flowing Hair Silver Dollar, struck in 1794, is the most expensive coin in the world, valued at over $10 million.
This list of numismatic gold rarities from around the world is a testament that there are people willing to shell out huge sums of money just to have the most precious gold coins.
1.) 1933 Saint-Gaudens gold dollar coin
In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt moved that American coinage be changed as he saw the then US currency as bland compared to the beauty of Greek coins. For him, the coinage of a country is a symbol of its greatness. He ordered that American coins be a representation of prestige and power. So in 1907, gold double eagle coins were issued.
Not for long, in 1933, Franklin Roosevelt took off the gold standard from US coinage in the aim of stabilizing economy. Gold coins had to be turned over to the government and had to be melted. A few coins escaped melting. Today, only one legitimate specimen of the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is known to exist and is now owned by a private coin collector.
Price actuations of 1933 Saint-Gaudens gold coin
The 1933 Saint-Gaudens is truly a historical numismatic piece. Once hailed as the Most Valuable Gold Coin in the world for being sold at almost $7.6 million in 2002, this rare gold coin is a numismatist’s treasure
2) 1787 Brasher Doubloons gold coin
In 1787, American silversmith and goldsmith, Ephraim Brasher petitioned to the New York State Assembly that he may be allowed to produce copper coins as there was often a limited mintage of coins during this time.
However, his request was not granted by the state. Because of such disapproval, Brasher went on with his producing items made of silver and gold including seven US gold coin patterns which are now more known as the 1787 Brasher Doubloon.
The Brasher Doubloon is believed to be the first gold coin minted in the US and is considered one of the most important coins in American numismatics.
Price & value of gold Brasher Doubloon coins
In January 1998, one of the seven specimens of the Brasher gold coin went up for $ 800, 000 in a Yale University auction. By 2005, another Brasher doubloon coin was sold for $2.99 million. The gold Brasher Doubloon coin last sold at public auction in a January 9, 2014, Heritage sale where it was finalized amounting to $4,582,500, which includes the 17.5% buyer’s fee added to the final closing hammer price of $3.9 million USD.
3.) Adelaide Assay Office gold ingots
Technically, these are not coins but just gold ingots minted during the Great Australian gold rush back in the 1850s. However, these coin-like gold ingots are wanted by those who are into exonumia, the branch of numismatics dealing with tokens.
Worth & value of numismatic Adelaide gold ingots
There are eight known existing specimens of the Adelaide Assay Office golden ingots which are valued at A$ 1 million per piece.
4.) British Florin
In 1344, the first British gold coin was minted and it was called “florin” after a place in Florence, Italy famous for minting golden coins. The florin is often called the Double Leopard gold coins because the coin’s obverse features two leopards seated beside King Edward III.
Unlike other rare British gold coins, the face value of the florin is greater than its actual gold content. British businessmen often refuse to accept florins during trading. The gold florins stopped in circulation only a few months it was released. It was then replaced with a new gold coinage, the British noble gold coin.
Price & value of British florin gold coins
Today, the gold Florin coins are one of the classic British gold rarities. There are only three known golden florins to exist today. In a 2006 numismatic auction, a specimen of the florin was sold for £460,000.
5.) 1849-C Open Wreath gold coin
The gold dollar coinage was produced from 1849 to 1889. The 1849-C Open Wreath is the rarest US gold dollar and the third rarest regular issue of Liberty Head gold coin of any denomination.
Affectionately called the “King of Southern Gold Coins”, the 1849-C Open Wreath is truly one of the most valuable gold coins from America.
1849-C open wreath gold pieces price & value
There are disputed four or five pieces of this rarest gold coin known to exist today. In 2004, a specimen of the one dollar open wreath gold coin was auction for $690,000. Gold coin investors believe that 1849-C gold dollars can reach up to nearly a million dollars in value.
6.) Proof 1920 Sydney Mint Sovereign gold coin
1920 Australian sovereign gold proof coin is one of the rarest circulated gold coins in the world. Some numismatists even claim that this coin does not exist. However, it does and it tops the list of the extremely rare Australian gold coins.
Proof 1920 Australian sovereign gold coins value & price
In 2009, this rare Australian gold coin was sold for A$ 844, 000 over a telephone coin auction.
7.) 1861-D gold dollar coin
The 1861-D gold dollars were minted during the American Civil War when Confederate troops were ordered to take over the Dahlonega Mint. However, the mint would not generate enough income to continually support the mint operations. The branch mint was decided to be closed down including other branches of coin mints in other places in the US. The 1861-D golden dollars became one of the rarest American gold coins as they were the last coins minted in the Dahlonega Mint.
It is believed that 1,000 to 1,500 pieces of this coin were minted while others speculate there were about 2,350 to 3,250 pieces of the gold dollar produced. There are approximately 60-80 specimens believed to exist today but about 2 are in Mint State condition.
Estimated price & value of 1861-D gold $1 coin
An 1861 Dahlonega gold dollar in an average circulated condition has a retail value of $5,000 in 2007 numismatic price guides.
8.) 1852 Adelaide gold pound
On of the rarest Australian gold coins is the Adelaide gold coin. Some currency experts argue that it’s not a coin since it was struck without Royal assent or approval. Thus, it’s merely a coin-shaped ingot or a lump of gold with a monetary value equal to the Australian pound. But numismatists consider this a valuable and significant gold coin in the history of Australian coinage.
After the first year of minting of the Australian gold pound, they found out that its intrinsic value exceeds its face value of one pound. The mint authorities mandated to have all Adelaide gold coins shipped to London for melting. One year later, the Adelaide gold pound coinage was stopped.
Market value of 1852 Adelaide gold coins
Only a few hundred pieces of the gold Adelaide pound is believed to be existing today. In 2009, a high grade specimen of the Adelaide pound was sold in Sydney for $ 337, 600. An Adelaide gold coin with lesser numismatic grade was also sold $221, 550 in an Australian auction during the same year.
9.) Spur Royal gold coins
Also called the Spur Ryal, this rare English gold coin was first issued during the reign of King James I. The gold Spur Royal coins were so called because of its sun and rose design that resemble a horse’s spur. The Spur ryal gold coinage has a face value of fifteen shillings.
Price and value of gold Spur Royal coins
Golden Spur Royal coins are one of the world’s rarest gold coins. This English numismatic rarity is estimated to fetch a price of at least US$ 30,000 to 35,000 for an MS-64 grade.
10.) 1879 Flowing hair stella gold coin
The $4 stella gold coin was minted between the years 1879 and 1880. In general, all golden stella coins are extremely rare. There are only 13 to 30 remaining peices of this American gold rarity.
However, the rarest stella gold coin is the 1879 flowing hair or the Barber stella. It was named after its designer Charles Barber who depicted Lady Liberty with a long hair.
Estimated worth of a four dollar stella gold coin
As of 2006, an 1879 Barber stella gold coin is priced around US$233, 180 for a high mint grade specimen.
© Meir Jacob/Getty Images 8 of the most valuable coinsFinding a treasure hidden in an old dresser drawer or the attic is the stuff of dreams. So is rooting through your jars of coins and coming up with a rare one that's worth serious money. Striking it rich is a remote possibility for folks who have built up a sizable collection of coins, but you may still be able to find some loose change that's worth a significant amount more than you would otherwise expect.
Many of the coins in the list below are not likely to be hiding in your attic, since they are tremendously rare, but not all of them are super expensive either. Some more recent examples (coins from the 20th century) may be relatively affordable and those are more likely to be tucked away someplace quiet or in a safe deposit box at your parents' bank.
Before you rush out to buy these coins - if you have a spare million sitting around for some of them - you'll want to hear from an expert coin collector, a numismatist, as they're called.
'Coins are both a hobby and [an] investment,' says Warren Zivi, head numismatist and president at American Rarities, a coin dealer based in Boulder, Colorado. 'You have to make good choices in what you pick.'
For those getting into the field, it's important to understand what your goal is - to have a good time with your collection as a hobbyist or try to make some money as an investor.
Either way, says Zivi, you want to know what you're doing. His motto for new entrants to the field is 'Buy the book before you buy the coin.' The book he's referring to is 'A Guide Book of United States Coins,' known among experts as the 'Red Book.' He also recommends a subscription to Coin World, which includes current information on the state of the industry.
Zivi says that there’s a lot of misinformation on the internet now about coins, with scammers taking a common coin and trying to sell it as a valuable coin on an auction site.
'There are tons and tons of fakes,' he says, so it's important to get access to expert knowledge, especially as you're starting out, so that you know what you're buying is indeed authentic. Still it can be difficult to spot a fake, even for the pros.
'Recently I had two individuals send us coins that were graded by a nationally recognized grader, and they turned out to be fake,' says Zivi.
More valuable coins offer the potential for higher profits for scammers, of course, but such coins are also very rare. Even if you're not paying millions of dollars for a coin, you want to know that you're getting what you pay for.
'It's easier than ever before to get an opinion on authenticity and valuation,' says Zivi. 'Buyers or sellers can send in pictures or even whole collections.'
Below are some of the most valuable coins in the world, but they're not all limited to museums and wealthy private collectors. A couple of these might just turn up in your couch cushions.
The 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar may sit atop the rankings of the most expensive coin ever sold, at least for now. Some experts believe that it was the first silver dollar struck by the U.S. Mint. The front features a profile of Lady Liberty with flowing hair, while the reverse shows an American eagle. Fewer than 1,800 of these coins were ever produced, and one expert puts the number of remaining coins at between 120 and 130, so it's quite rare.
The coin sold at auction for just over $10 million in 2013.
The Brasher Doubloon was made by Ephraim Basher, a New York City goldsmith and silversmith, in the late 18th Century. The front of the coin shows a state seal with a rising sun, while the reverse shows the American eagle with a shield. The coin is already rare, but certain versions of it have fetched various prices, depending on their specific characteristics.
A 2011 sale saw a version of the doubloon with Basher's signature EB on the breast go for nearly $7.4 million. A 2018 private sale of another doubloon with the signature EB on the bird's wing went for more than $5 million, according to Coin World.
The Fugio cent hasn't set the kind of astronomical records as the first two coins on this list, but it can still be a pricey collectible, and it has an interesting history to it. The Fugio cent, also known as the Franklin cent, after founding father Benjamin Franklin, may have been the first coin circulated in the newly formed United States.
In line with Franklin's humor, the coin shows a sun and sundial with the Latin motto 'fugio,' suggesting the sun and time are flying. At the bottom, the coin says 'mind your business,' an invocation for the bearer to literally pay attention to their business affairs. The reverse of the coin has the motto 'We are one' with 13 links in a chain to symbolize America's first 13 states.
Zivi suggests you could buy a Fugio cent for a few hundred dollars, making it relatively accessible for a coin with such an interesting history. Coins in better condition may go for a few thousand dollars and perhaps as high as $10,000, while extremely rare variants may sell for tens of thousands.
The 723 Umayyad gold dinar is one of the most prized Islamic coins, and it was struck from gold mined at a location owned by the caliph. The coin bears the marking 'mine of the commander of the faithful' and it's the first Islamic coin to mention a location in Saudi Arabia. About a dozen examples of the coin are in existence, according to experts.
In 2011, the coin fetched 3.7 million pounds (about $6 million) at auction, the second-most expensive ever sold at auction. In 2019, another version of the coin was sold for the same amount in pounds, but the dollar value came to about $4.8 million.
Another one of the world's most expensive coins is an oldie and goldie. The 1343 Edward III Florin is just one of three such gold coins known to exist. Two examples are housed in the British Museum in London, both of which were found in the River Tyne in 1857. The third coin was found by a prospector with a metal detector in 2006.
The front of the coin shows King Edward III on his throne with two leopards' heads on either side, while the reverse shows the Royal Cross inside a quatrefoil. Because of its design, the coin is also known as the Double Leopard.
The coin found in 2006 was sold at auction for 480,000 pounds, or about $850,000 - a record at the time for a British coin. It's now estimated that the coin is valued around $6.8 million.
Here's another coin that you just might find tucked inside a dresser sometime, and it's the conditions surrounding its production that make the 1943 Lincoln Head Copper Penny interesting and valuable.
While pennies were normally made of copper and nickel, the U.S. needed the metals for war efforts, so the mint started using steel to produce the coin. But it mistakenly still struck a batch of pennies with copper, potentially because blanks remained in the press when the mint began making new steel pennies. Experts estimate that about 40 pennies of these exist, though some say fewer than 20 examples remain.
The U.S. Mint says these coins are frequently counterfeited because of the relative ease of coating steel pennies with copper and altering the date on coins struck in 1945, 1948 and 1949. But to see if the coin is actually steel, you can see if it sticks to a magnet.
While a regular steel 1943 Lincoln penny might fetch you 30 or 40 cents - again about 30 or 40 times more than its face value - the special copper versions fetched $204,000 at a 2019 auction. This specimen of the coin had been held by a man for some 70 years since boyhood after he found it at his school cafeteria.
The $1 million Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin is a novelty coin, if there ever were one, and it tips the scales at a whopping 100 kilograms or about 220 pounds. Only six of the nearly pure gold coins have ever been made, as of early May 2020, and each has a face value of $1 million. They were used as a promotional showpiece for the mint's one-ounce Gold Maple Leaf coins.
In October 2007, the Guinness Book of World Records certified the coin as the world's largest gold coin. The coin's front shows Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse shows a Candian maple leaf. The coin is 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) wide and just over an inch thick.
The coin was sold at auction in 2010 for 3.27 million euros, or just over $4 million at the time.
The 'silver' coins of today are not really made of silver, but these low denominations at one time were! Silver coins minted before 1964 contained 90 percent actual silver, and of the coins on this list, these are the most likely to be found floating around your house or in an old garage, tied up in a shoebox or a coffee can.
Such coins include the Morgan silver dollar, the Mercury dime, and even Washington quarters, says Zivi.
While some of these coins may have collectible value independent of their silver content, such as some of the Morgan silver dollars, the value of common coins is boosted by their bullion value. Some speculators focused on owning real silver may buy these coins for their precious metal content, rather than for their collector value.
Coin collecting can be a fun hobby, as you collate and sift through coins. But don't forget that making money on collectibles creates a tax liability, too. So before you decide to turn your hobby into a business - even a side gig - examine what taxes you'll owe on your profits. Unfortunately, a collectibles tax rate of 28 percent can be higher than rates on stocks and other financial assets.
(Featured image by MEIR JACOB / Getty Images.)