Rare and expensive coins
Some people collect sneakers, others hoard vinyl records, and then there are those who obsess over something much older—rare coins. There’s something thrilling about owning a piece of history, especially when that history wasn’t from your own time. For coin collectors, stumbling upon a rare nickel can be like winning the lottery. While most pocket change is only worth its face value, a few rare nickels from over 20 years ago have skyrocketed in price, fetching small fortunes at auction. Here are four of the most valuable ones you should know about.
1913 Liberty Head V Nickel
Only five of these coins are known to exist, making them the holy grail in the coin world. These nickels have commanded jaw-dropping prices over the years. One graded PR66 sold for a staggering $4.56 million in 2018, while another graded PR63 fetched $4.2 million in 2022, per USA Today. The difference in price is largely due to condition—serious collectors pay a premium for coins in near-perfect shape. While there is a lot volatility when it comes to high end coin auctions, one thing is sure, that if you have one of these they are forth a fortune.
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1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel (Doubled Die Obverse)
Finding this one in loose change would be nothing short of a miracle. This Buffalo nickel is an error coin—initially struck with a 1917 date before being re-stamped with 1918, leaving a faint but visible ‘7’ beneath the ‘8.’ In 2006, a well-preserved example sold for $350,750, according to Luxe Digital. Adjusted for inflation, that’s around $549,202 in 2024.
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1926-S Buffalo Nickel
The ‘S’ mintmark on this coin signifies it was struck at the San Francisco Mint, but what makes it truly special is its rarity. While other mints produced millions of Buffalo nickels, only 970,000 of the 1926-S variety were ever made. Back in 2008, a top-tier example (graded MS66 by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) sold at a Bowers and Merena auction for $322,000. Today, that price would translate to roughly $472,096.
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1867 Shield Nickel With Rays (Proof)
Shield nickels were minted between 1866 and 1883, but the 1867 version is particularly unique. Initially, these coins featured decorative rays around the numeral ‘5’ on the reverse side. However, sometime later in the same year, the U.S. Mint decided to remove the rays—creating a rare transitional variety for collectors.
According to the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), a proof version of this coin graded PR66 by NGC sold at a Heritage Auctions event in 2004 for $132,250. Adjusted for inflation, that’s approximately $220,998 today.
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