Collecting coins can be more than just a hobby. Rare coins are quite valuable, along with their widely recognized historical significance. For instance, some rare pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters with missing mint marks, planchet or strike errors, doubled dies, or other issues are worth as much as $450,000. Today, these valuable coins have crawled their way into investors’ portfolios. Knowing which ones to look for can turn this hobby into a lucrative venture.
1. 1916 Doubled Die Obverse Buffalo Nickel
With one of the most popular doubled die varieties in the market, this coin is quite valuable. The error is prominently visible on the date and on the lips, chin, and feathers on the headgear.
2. 1944 Steel Wheat Penny
This rare penny was produced and mistakenly released into the coin supply; it is valued at a whopping $408,000. Only a few of these are in circulation right now, and experts have deduced that the coin was made from zinc-coated steel.
3. 1916-D Full Band Mercury Dime
The rare coin has a low mintage of about 264,000. Its striking feature is the fully visible bands on the central part of the fasces, a symbol on the back of the coin. This detail indicates a well-struck coin and is highly prized by collectors.
4. 1969-S Doubled Die Lincoln Cent
Valued at approximately $24,000, this Lincoln Cent has an apparent doubling of the obverse except for the mint mark. Since mint marks were difficult to get right in the earlier days, they were punched into the coin die separately in 1969. Several counterfeits of these coins were confiscated but a certified genuine one is quite valuable.
5. 1796 Draped Bust Quarter
The coin is considered the country’s first quarter, meaning it has a high collectible price. It was minted for only one year in the 18th century and was recently auctioned for over a million dollars. It is also a high-quality and beautiful coin that shows the detailed artistry and craftsmanship of early minting in the country.
6. 1970 Abraham Lincoln Penny
This coin has a doubled die in the word “Liberty” and a bump on the number 7. The mistake has made the coin worth $3,500 in the current market.
7. 1975 “No S” Proof Roosevelt Dime
These are among the rarest of most coins, with only two in existence, and records suggest that they have been auctioned for about $456,000 recently. The dimes were found seven years apart, and it is possible to find more of them. These dimes do not have the standard “S” mint mark, and they were meant to be part of the proof sets, which are made for collectors with high-quality finishes. So, this makes them even more valuable.
8. 1918/7 D Overdate Buffalo Nickel
Records suggest, the Buffalo Nickel was auctioned for around $350,750. It has a date issue of 1981/7, with the new date stamped over the old one. The error was discovered in 1930, making the coin a rare collectible.
9. 2004 Wisconsin State Fair Quarter
Among the recent ones, this State Fair quarter is a special edition quarter with a doubled die leaf hanging from an ear of corn.
10. 2007 One Dollar Coin
In recent years, a few 2007 One Dollar Coins have missing letters on their edges. These are known as presidential coins and fetch up to $3,000.
11. 1867 Shield Nickel
In 1867, the Shield Nickels had rays around the number five, but the rays were removed later that year. Some nickels from 1867 still have the rays, and about 10 of these are known to exist today, which have been auctioned at around $132,250.
12. 1996-W Roosevelt Dime
It was made for the special 50th anniversary of the Roosevelt dime design, and its limited edition status has made it rare and valuable.
13. 1998-P Bonded Group of Roosevelt Dimes
In 1998, about a billion dimes were produced in a state, and a minting error distorted approximately 32 dimes. These were bonded due to a coinage press malfunction, making them a rare and valuable collectible.
14. 1856 Flying Eagle Cents
The rare Flying Eagle cents were produced in the mid-1850s because minting officials believed that the large copper cents were becoming unpopular and uneconomical. Minted between 1856 and 1858, these cents had a distinctive design featuring a majestic flying eagle. They were introduced as a smaller, more convenient replacement for the larger copper cents.