The most expensive coin in the world is the 1794/5 Flowing Hair Silver/Copper Dollar. Several expert Numismatic researchers believe that this was the very first silver coin to be minted and issued by the U.S Federal Government. The coin’s rarity, beauty, and design are extremely popular in the numismatic world. 1870-S Three Dollar Gold Piece This coin came about from 1854-1889. Longacre made the design. The 1870’s coins are considered to be one of the most valuable US coins. It is rare in the marketplace.

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1. #10 1913 Liberty Head Nickel - Hawaii Five-O Star. Price Realized: $3,737,500. Date Sold: January 7.
2. With only one specimen existing, this coin is probably the rarest and most valuable coin in U.S. It is one of the two trial pieces that heralded the era of the $20 coins, nicknamed Double Eagles. The coin was minted in 1850, though it bears the year 1849. Its production coincided with the beginning of the California gold rush.

Finding 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.

Educate yourself - watch out for fakes

'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.'

7 of the most valuable coins in the world

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.

1. The 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar

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.

2. The 1787 Brasher Doubloon

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.

3. The 1787 Fugio cent

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.

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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.

4. The 723 Umayyad Gold Dinar

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.

5. The 1343 Edward III Florin

100 Most Valuable Us Coins

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.

6. The 1943 Lincoln Head Copper Penny

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.

7. The 2007 $1 Million Canadian Gold Maple Leaf

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.

BONUS: Check your change jars for these pre-1964 American silver coins

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.

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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.

Bottom line

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.)

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Consumers value coins for various reasons. This includes investment, aesthetic appeal, numismatic value for collectors, and gifting are the top few. Here we talk about the top most valuable US coins.

The value of a coin is directly related to how much it weighs. Additionally, its content, purity, age and most importantly, its rarity comes into play. It is possible for a rare copper coin from the 19th century to be far more valuable than its intrinsic value. However, the value of another similar coin would be a lot less if it is old, but it is commonly available. A .9999 gold coin minted this year probably has the approximately same value as its intrinsic value. It would be a lot more valuable if it is a limited release of a popular coin series, and is expected to sell out soon.

Here is a list of the 15 most valuable US coins:

1. 1794 Silver Dollar

   Owning this “Flowing Hair Silver Dollar” from 1794 would be a dream come true for any serious numismatist. This rare beauty with her flowing hair has fascinated the numismatic world. A buyer bought the coin at auction from Stack’s Bowers Galleries for an astounding $10 million in 2013. That was a new world record price for any coin. The coin’s mintage was minuscule. It was heavily in circulation and served as a face of the young United States to the world outside. This is a favorite image of the 18th century America.
   

   2. 1804 Ten Dollar Gold Piece

   In total only ten of these coins went into production. Only three are known to exist. Similar to the 1804 Silver Dollar, these coins came about in 1834. However, they date 1804. The only auctioned coin was from the King of Siam set. $8.5 million in 2005 was what the coin went for.

   3. 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

   445,500 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle coins went into production in 1933. Today only a handful of coins are available. Thus, this valuable US coins collection is highly rare. These coins did not release for circulation. This was due to Frank Roosevelt’s executive order suspending gold coinage and confiscating all gold coins in circulation for melting. Only 20 coins remain today as they were stolen and sold to the collectors. The secret services could recover 19 of them out. They melted 9 of them. Nowadays, only a handful of coins remain. They are highly valuable today. A private owner bought one coin for a colossal sum of US $7.59 million in 2002.

   4. 1804 Silver Dollar

   This coin has the limelight for its rarity and value. It is well-known fact that a private buyer bought it for a whopping $4.14 million at an auction. There are only 15 coins available in the entire world. The exciting part is none of these coins came from 1804. All the coins came in 1830 or later. The elegantly draped bust and bowed head Liberty is a design that all numismatists will want to own. The coin’s rarity, beauty, and design are extremely popular in the numismatic world.

   5. 1870-S Three Dollar Gold Piece

      This coin came about from 1854-1889. James B. Longacre made the design. The 1870’s coins are considered to be one of the most valuable US coins. It is rare in the marketplace. Only two of these 1870-S Three Dollar Gold Piece believe to be out there. Coin enthusiasts believe that only one such coin exists. It is in the cornerstone of the U.S. Mint building in San Francisco. The coin has an extraordinary cast and has a unique hand carved “S” mark. The coin stores in the American Numismatic Association Museum in Colorado Springs and its value is $4 million.
      

   6. 1849 Coronet Double Eagle

   The Double Eagle is a one-of-the-kind coin, yet just like the other valuable US coins. The 1848 California Gold Rush inspired this. It changed the history of American Coinage forever. Until 1849 the highest coin denomination was $10. The Gold Rush led to an abundant influx of gold into the US Mint. Hence there was an idea to produce a higher coin denomination. In 1849 only two pieces of Double Eagle coins came in proof condition. One coin stores at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The whereabouts of the other coin remain unknown. Many numismatics believe that if the coin were available its value would be $4 million. James B. Longacre made the design. It features a profile portrait of Liberty wearing a small coronet.

   7. 1907 Ultra-High-Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

   President Theodore Roosevelt ordered this coin into mint. We would never witness this beautiful coin without him. Augustus Saint-Gaudens made the design. The goodwill to introduce American coinage to the world, and Roosevelt’s affection for Greek and Roman high relief coins, motivated Saint-Gaudens to create this masterpiece. Although the coin was not accepted initially for its impractical design, these coins are considered to be one of the most beautiful and valuable coins in American history. The coin wasn’t accepted because the high relief made stacking coins difficult, They say that around ten of these coins is preserved in Fort Knox. Only two coins are out in the world — one store at the Smithsonian Institute. Egypt’s King Farouk had the other.

   8. 1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent

   In 1943 the USA tried to conserve copper as it was necessary for ammunition in World War II. The U.S. Mint began using steel blanks for the Cents in an effort to retain copper. The three Mints made over a billion “Steelies” in 1943. Philadelphia alone featured designs of over 684,000,000 examples. However, a handful of rare 1943 Cents has been discovered. These were “in error on old-style, bronze blanks.” These bronze cents became one of the rarest coins in American coinage, highly sought after by passionate collectors.

   9. 1913 Liberty Head Nickel

   Here is another coin from the valuable US coins in American coinage history. This Liberty Head Nickel came in an extremely limited quantity. It was unauthorized by the US Mint. This makes it one of the best-known rarities among collectors. Only five of these coins are known to exist. There is not a lot of information about their minting process. However, that was the first coin to break the million dollar barrier at an auction. Jay Parrino bought the coin for $1,485,000 in 1996.

   10. 1793 Chain Cent

   This was the first regular issued coin produced by the US Mint. Additionally, it was also the first large cent in America. This coin came in 1793. Although this cent did not pick up much commerce wise, this coin is highly regarded by collectors as a valuable coin.

   11. 1885 Trade Dollar

   William Barber made the design of this coin. Only five proof coins struck in 1885. This fact made this 1885 Trade Dollar one of the scarce and valuable US coins. In January 2006 the legendary “King of Coins” banker, Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. bought an authentic Dollar for $1.3 Million at an auction in Dallas, Texas, USA.

   12. 1873-CC no-arrows Liberty Seated Dime

   Carson City mints made these Liberty Seated Dimes. Investors consider this coin one of the most valuable in existence. The mint was only around for a short period. The Carson City mint had a more limited series than other US Mint branches. The 1873 Liberty Seated Dime is one of the rarest coins in the American history. Due to the CC Mint record, there is 12,400 of these coins. This was a change for the standard of coin weights. These coins went to melt and re-coin with the standardized weight and the addition of arrows on either side of the date. However, few of these coins escaped melting for assay purpose. The mint storage regained some pieces. This coin bought for $891,250 in 2004.

   13. Brasher Doubloon

   Ephraim Brasher was responsible for the design of this coin in 1787. This coin is not technically part of the US coinage. It is a rare coin in the U.S. In 1979, a buyer bought a Brasher Doubloon for $725,000. It was a record for almost a decade.

   14. 1893-S Morgan Silver Dollar

   The 1893 Morgan Silver Dollars are the rarest coins among all Morgan Silver Dollars. The year 1893 had several events that ultimately influenced the rarity of this coin. The silver purchase clause of the Act of July 14, 1890, revoked on November 1, 1893. There was less need for silver to convert into coinage. One of these coins bought for 414,000 dollars back in late 2001 at Stacks Auction.

   
   15. 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent

   When Victor David Brenner designed this popular coin and placed his initials on the reverse, he didn’t think that one day these coins will go down in history. The public liked the coin’s design. However, they did not like the prominent initials VDB on the reverse. The mint had no other option but to respond to the public by removing the initials in its next coin release. However, 484,000 of these coins came about at the San Francisco facility. The Philadelphia facility made the next releases. It made S Lincoln Cent extremely popular among collectors. Even some coins are in a bad condition, they still sold for a few hundred dollars at Auctions.

   Hope you enjoyed reading our list of 15 most valuable US coins. We will provide more information about different coinage, history of coins, international coins, and other interesting facts in our blog posts. Do not forget to check out other posts and subscribe to our newsletter for more.