100 GREATEST U.S. COINS
In 2005, Whitman Publishing published a very important piece of numismatic literature entitled “100 Greatest U.S. Coins.”
This book is not only a useful guide for serious, affluent investors and collectors, it is also a wonderful journey into the field of numismatics. The coins listed, described and illustrated therein were voted on by an all-star cast of professional numismatists and long-time coin dealers. They were asked to rank the coins based on 6 significant criteria: rarity, value, quality, popularity, beauty and history.
For each coin, the book provides exquisite photography, detailed histories and descriptions, and, most important for investors, price histories for each coin covering 1960, 1980 and the present (2005).
What this price history shows in total is quite astounding: the total value of the 100 coins in 1960 came to $842,250. By 1980, the value had climbed to $11,197,750. And by 2005, the total value of the 100 greatest coins was estimated at $92,216,500!
Complete details for each of the coins are available in the book, which we highly recommend.
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RANK
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100 GREATEST U.S. COINS
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Comment
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1
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1804 Silver Dollar
|
15 known
|
|
2
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1913 Liberty Head Nickel
|
5 known
|
|
3
|
1933 Double Eagle
|
unique
|
|
4
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1849 Double Eagle
|
unique
|
|
5
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1907 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle
|
16-18 known
|
|
6
|
1894-S Barber Dime
|
9 known
|
|
7
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1907 Judd-1776 Double Eagle Pattern
|
unique
|
|
8
|
1943 Copper Cent
|
12 known
|
|
9
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1822 Half Eagle
|
3 known
|
|
10
|
1885 Trade Dollar
|
5 struck
|
|
11
|
1872 Amazonian Gold Pattern Set
|
unique
|
|
12
|
1776 Continental Dollar
|
several
|
|
13
|
1877 Half Union Fifty Dollar
|
Rare
|
|
14
|
1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent
|
many
|
|
15
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1793 Chain or Wreath Cents
|
very scarce
|
|
16
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1876-CC Twenty Cent piece
|
Rare
|
|
17
|
1907 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle (Small Diameter)
|
2 known
|
|
18
|
1792 Half Disme
|
Rare
|
|
19
|
1838-O Half Dollar
|
12 known
|
|
20
|
1794 Silver Dollar
|
several
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|
21
|
1870-S Half Dime
|
unique
|
|
22
|
1854-S Half Eagle
|
3 known
|
|
23
|
1856 Flying Eagle Cent
|
Rare
|
|
24
|
1873-CC "No Arrows" Dime
|
unique
|
|
25
|
1907 High Relief Double Eagle
|
many
|
|
26
|
1915-S Panama-Pacific $50 Octagonal
|
many
|
|
27
|
1915-S Panama-Pacific $50 Round
|
many
|
|
27
|
1875 Three Dollar Proof
|
Rare
|
|
28
|
1879-1880 Flowing or Coiled Hair Stella
|
Rare
|
|
29
|
1792 Disme
|
Rare
|
|
30
|
1870-S Three Dollar
|
unique
|
|
31
|
1792 Silver-Center Cent
|
12 known
|
|
32
|
1787 Fugio Cent
|
several
|
|
33
|
1861 "Paquet" Double Eagle
|
2 known
|
|
34
|
1792 Birch Cent
|
Ex. Rare
|
|
35
|
US Assay $50 Gold piece
|
very scarce
|
|
36
|
1815 Half Eagle
|
12 known
|
|
37
|
1793 "Strawberry Leaf" Large Cent
|
4 known
|
|
38
|
1798 Half Eagle - Small Eagle
|
8 known
|
|
39
|
1844-O Eagle Proof
|
unique
|
|
40
|
1884 Trade Dollar
|
10 struck
|
|
41
|
1873-CC "No Arrows" Quarter Dollar
|
5 known
|
|
42
|
1849-C Gold Dollar - Open Wreath
|
4 known
|
|
43
|
1838 Ten Dollar Proof
|
3 known
|
|
44
|
1804 Plain 4 Ten Dollar Proof
|
4 known
|
|
45
|
1866 "No Motto" Quarter Dollar
|
unique
|
|
46
|
1866 "No Motto" Half Dollar
|
unique
|
|
47
|
1866 "No Motto" Dollar
|
2 known
|
|
48
|
1822 Half Eagle Proof
|
2 known
|
|
49
|
1834-1838 "Classic Head" Half Eagle Proof
|
12 known
|
|
50
|
1927-D Double Eagle
|
12 known
|
|
51
|
1829 Half Eagle (Small or Large Planchet)
|
8 known
|
|
52
|
1907 "Rolled Edge" Ten Dollar
|
several
|
|
53
|
1933 Eagle
|
Rare
|
|
54
|
1848 "CAL." Quarter Eagle
|
Rare
|
|
55
|
1842 Small Date Quarter Dollar
|
Ex. Rare
|
|
56
|
1792 Pattern Quarter Dollar in Copper
|
2 known
|
|
57
|
1817/4 Capped Bust Half Dollar
|
7 known
|
|
58
|
1853-O No Arrows Half Dollar
|
3 known
|
|
59
|
1916 Standing Liberty Quarter Dollar
|
very scarce
|
|
60
|
1851-O Silver Dollar
|
unique
|
|
61
|
1802 Half Dime
|
Rare
|
|
62
|
1796 "With Pole" or "No Pole" Half Cent
|
Ex. Rare
|
|
63
|
1874 Bickford Ten Dollar Gold Pattern
|
2 known
|
|
64
|
1861-D Gold Dollar
|
very scarce
|
|
65
|
1916-D Mercury Dime
|
very scarce
|
|
66
|
1895 Morgan Dollar
|
very scarce
|
|
67
|
1796 "No Stars" Quarter Eagle
|
very scarce
|
|
68
|
1797 Half Dollar
|
very scarce
|
|
69
|
1836-1839 Gobrecht Silver Dollar
|
very scarce
|
|
70
|
1795 "9 Leaves" Ten Dollar Gold
|
very scarce
|
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