10 Rarest and Most Valuable Coins in the World

Numismatics, or the hobby of collecting coins, is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. It is really amazing that a piece of metal comes to represent a higher value than its real worth. Well, that’s money for you. But there are some coins that value more than one could imagine, as much as millions of dollars. The value of a coin depends on the historical importance and rarity of the piece, and even minting errors.

Here is a list of the top 10 rarest and most valuable coins in the world.

10 Rarest and Most Valuable Coins in the World

1. Double Eagle (1849)

With only one specimen remaining, this coin is likely the most valuable and rare coin in US history. It is one of two trial pieces that heralded the era of the $20 coins, also known as Double Eagles. The coin was minted in 1850, despite the fact that it bears the year 1849. Its release coincided with the start of the California gold rush. The existing specimen of this coin is now housed in the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collections. It is worth nearly $20 million.

2. Flowing Hair Dollar

The Flowing Hair dollar, first minted in 1794, was the first dollar coin issued by the federal government of the United States. It was designed by Robert Scot, and its size and weight was inspired by the popular Spanish dollar at the time. The silver and copper coin featured a bust of Liberty on one side and an eagle on the other. The following year, it was replaced.

Collectors like it because of its historical significance and scarcity. A 1794 mint specimen was auctioned off for a record $10 million in 2013.

3. 1933 Double Eagle

The United States issued this 20-dollar gold coin in 1933. Despite minting over four hundred thousand specimens, it was withdrawn the same year. Augustus Saint-Gaudens designed the coin, which depicted Lady Liberty holding a torch and an olive branch. The coins were never circulated, and nearly all of them were melted down, though a few were stolen and wound up in the hands of collectors. Some were discovered and destroyed.

4. 1787 Brasher Doubloon

This is a gold coin made by the goldsmith Ephraim Brasher from New York. He produced the coins on his own, along with copper coins, when the New York state legislature rejected his appeal to mint new copper coins. There are a few varieties, based on Brasher’s hallmark on the coins. One specimen which has the mark on eagle’s breast was sold for $7.4 million in 2011 and one with marks on the eagle’s wings was sold for $4.5 million in 2014. Only a few coins of these types exist now.

5. 2007 Queen Elizabeth II

Produced in 2007 by the Royal Canadian Mint, it was the first coin in the world with a face value of a million dollars. Each specimen was made of 100 kg gold with 99.99% purity. Depicting Queen Elizabeth II on one side and three Maple leaves on the opposite, they were made to promote Canada’s new line of Maple Leaf gold coins. Five of the coins have been purchased so far. One specimen was sold for $4.02 million at an auction in Vienna in 2009.

6. 1804 Silver Dollar

The 1804 silver dollar is ranked sixth on the list of most valuable coins. These coins were not minted in 1804, but rather in the 1830s. This dollar coin with the bust of Liberty was made as part of diplomatic gifts for Edmund Roberts during his diplomatic missions to Siam and Muscat.

There are three 'Classes' of these coins, and only 15 specimens are known to exist. The most valuable specimens are Class I. In 1999, a Class I specimen previously owned by the Sultan of Muscat was sold for $4.1 million.

7. Liberty Head Nickel

The Liberty Head nickel is a 5-cent coin that was first issued in 1913. It was produced without the permission of the United States Mint and in very limited quantities. The existence of the coins, all of which were owned by Samuel Brown, a former Mint employee, was only discovered in 1920. In 1972, a Liberty nickel specimen became the first coin to sell for $100,000. Another specimen became the first to break the million-dollar barrier in 1996. There are currently only five examples of the coin. In 2010, a specimen was sold for $3.7 million.

8. 1822 Half Eagle

The 1822 Half Eagle is one of the rarest coins in the history of numismatics. It was released in $5 denomination by the U.S. Mint. The Capped Head Half Eagle on the coin was designed by John Reich. Around 17,796 pieces of this gold coin were produced, but there are only three specimens known to exist now. Two of them are housed by the National Numismatic Collection of the Smithsonian Institution. The other specimen was sold in 1982 for nearly seven hundred thousand USD.

9. 1907 Saint-Gaudens

In 1907, this coin was issued with a face value of $20. Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a well-known sculptor, designed the coin. Because of the high relief, the coins were difficult to strike, and only about two dozen pieces were produced. These are now referred to as 'Ultra High Relief' specimens. The design was later changed several times, and the coin was produced in 1933. The Smithsonian Institution has two specimens of the 1907 coin. One specimen was auctioned off for nearly $3 million in 2005.

10. 1344 Edward III florin

Also known as Double Leopard, the Florin was introduced in 1344 by English king Edward III. The coin had a value of 6 shillings and was aimed to be used across all of Europe. The obverse of the coin depicted the King enthroned beneath a canopy, with two leopards’ heads at the sides and the reverse shows the Royal cross within a quatrefoil and a leopard in each spandrel.

The coin, however, was withdrawn only a few months later. It is probably the rarest coin in the history of British numismatics.