Yesterday’s small change could very well become today’s jackpot.
A number of rare, coveted American coins have soared in value in recent years, and there has never been a better time to see if any reside in your collection. In chronological order, here are 10 rare coins to watch out for; some of them could be worth, quite literally, thousands if not millions of dollars.
The 1894-S Barber Dime
According to the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), the 1894-S Barber Dime was designed by the engraver Charles E. Barber and minted in San Francisco. Only nine of these dimes are known to exist, and it is by far the most valuable rare coin in this list.
In August 2016, Utah businessman and coin collector Dell Loy Hansen paid $1.32 million for one of these rare 125-year-old coins at the Chicago-based Stack’s Bowers auction house “Rarities Night” auction. “This was an opportunity to buy yet another famous rarity for the growing collection,” Hansen later shared, as per Good Morning America.
Only five of these coins were ever struck, as per Coin Resource, and four have since been accounted for. Two are in museums and two are privately owned.
The Liberty Head Nickel is estimated to be worth a few thousand dollars.
In the 1940s, it was commonplace for the United States Mint to fashion pennies from zinc-coated steel. The 1943 Lincoln Head Penny, however, was made from copper, thus making it a historical rarity worth up to $10,000 to modern coin collectors.
In the late 1940s, half-dollar coins bore the image of Benjamin Franklin on one side and an eagle, the emblem of the United States of America, on the other.
In 1964, the image was replaced by that of John F. Kennedy after his assassination. The Benjamin Franklin Half-dollar, albeit in circulation for two decades, is still rare enough to fetch around $100 per coin today.
An error in alignment during the minting process caused the wording on this coin to look double. Only a few thousand of these incorrectly minted pennies were ever released into circulation.
According to the PCGS, the doubling is most prominent on the date, the word “Liberty,” and in the motto “In God We Trust.” A 1955 Double Die Penny in good condition could be worth around $1,800.
In June 2016, a Las Vegas coin dealer listed a 1970-S Proof Washington Quarter on eBay that had been struck onto a 1941 Canadian quarter. The rare, mistakenly minted coin was listed on eBay for a staggering “Buy It Now” price of $35,000.
“There is a significant amount of detail on both sides showing the design of the Canadian quarter,” read the coin’s description, as per Coin Week. “This is one of the most fascinating and intriguing proof mint errors ever discovered.”
As standard practice, all coins minted in the United States bear a letter indicating in which state they were made. In 1982, the Philadelphia Mint neglected to print a “P” on their Roosevelt Dime; they only released a small quantity of these coins before the error was recognized; however, anybody discovering one in their possession today could sell it for up to $300.
Due to an unknown minting error, a few thousand 2004 Wisconsin State Quarters were pressed with an extra leaf on the husk of corn, making the rare coin a coveted collector’s item to this day.
If someone should happen to find one of these quarters, it could be worth around $1,400 at auction.
Allegedly, as per The Spruce Crafts, grease escaped from the minting machinery onto the surface of the 2005 Kansas State Quarter coin die, plugging up the letter “T” in “Trust.” The omission caused irrevocable damage to the official motto of the United States, and as such, this rare coin can be worth hundreds of dollars to modern coin collectors.
Another coin that affronted the official motto of the United States, this time by virtue of complete omission, was the George Washington Dollar Coin, a run of which was accidentally minted without the motto or the date.
As per the PCGS, a coin from this somewhat rare, accidental pressing could fetch between $40 and $60 on eBay.
Perhaps it’s time to rummage behind the couch cushions; it could be worth a small fortune.
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