| Coin collecting. An associate of mine remembers | | | | the 20th century silver type issues. These are |
| receiving as a child a big paper bag of old US | | | | very rare coins and to find one in gem condition is |
| silver dollars, some going back as far as the late | | | | a once in a lifetime occurrence. |
| 1890s. Sometime between then and today he has | | | | Midway up the chart at number 5 is the 1917 |
| misplaced that old paper bag. To this day he | | | | Type One Standing Liberty Quarter. This coin was |
| wonders if any of those coins might have been | | | | made for only 2 years. The exposed breast of |
| worth something. | | | | Miss Liberty caused such a commotion that they |
| There is no arguing that coin collecting is one of | | | | had to radically change the design midway through |
| the biggest and most expensive hobbies in the | | | | 1917. Since the 1916 is a 5 figure rarity (in the 10's |
| world. The price tags of some old coins would | | | | of thousands of dollars) this coin is essentially a |
| turn your hair grey. In this article we're going to | | | | one year issue. |
| review the 10 most rare coins in existence. Wait | | | | At number 4 are the Mercury Dimes. Even |
| until you see what some of these are going for. | | | | though this dime was minted between 1916 and |
| Starting at number 10, there are the "proof gold" | | | | 1945 proofs were made only between 1936 and |
| coins. Today the mint strikes millions of these | | | | 1942. Mercury dimes minted between 1940 and |
| coins every year and sells them to collectors | | | | 1945 are actually reasonably priced and sell for |
| from all over the world. However in the 19th | | | | about $50 a piece. The proofs are a little more |
| century the mint struck only a few thousand of | | | | expensive. |
| these each year and only a handful of proof gold | | | | Just 2 spots from the top at number 3 is the |
| coins. These are very rare and very expensive | | | | Walking Liberty half dollar. This is also one of the |
| and sell very well in good and bad market times. | | | | world's most beautiful coins and extremely popular |
| At number 9 we have early US gold coins struck | | | | with coin buyers. These coins are very hard to |
| between 1795 and 1834. These were minted in | | | | find in mint condition. All five of the issues |
| denominations of $2.50 $5 and $10. Today these | | | | between 1941 and 1945 have made the all time |
| coins are very rare in any condition and super | | | | rare coins price list. |
| rare in mint condition. | | | | Falling just short of number 1 at number 2 is the |
| Coming in at number 8 we have the Liberty | | | | Texas Commemorative Half Dollar. This is actually |
| Seated Dollars. These coins are said to be the | | | | the number 1 commemorative coin on the all time |
| most beautiful ever made and one of the rarest | | | | rare coins price list. Between 1934 and 1938 about |
| of the 19th century coins. Both circulation strikes | | | | 150,000 of these coins were minted. Only about |
| and proofs are very rare. | | | | 60 to 80% of those have survived to this day |
| Hitting the chart at number 7 we have a very | | | | and only 50% of those grade MS65 or better. So |
| odd coin that was minted between 1875 and | | | | this is indeed not only an extremely rare coin but |
| 1878. These were twenty cent pieces. | | | | actually considered scarce. |
| Unfortunately the coin looked too much like a | | | | Finally coming in at number 1 is the Saint Gaudens. |
| quarter to catch on with the public and there was | | | | This $20 piece is probably the world's most well |
| no real commercial need for the denomination. | | | | known coin. It is one of the most beautiful coin |
| Today they are highly prized collectors items. | | | | designs in history. This is one of the few coins |
| These coins today are very rare in top condition. | | | | that didn't drop in price during the 1980-1982 bear |
| Number 6 on the coin hit parade are the Barber | | | | market. |
| half dollars. These were minted between 1892 and | | | | In a future article we'll cover how coin collectors |
| 1915. They are one of the coin markets most | | | | go about getting rare coins and where they can |
| important issues. They are collected by both | | | | be found both on and off line. |
| "date" and "type" collectors and are the rarest of | | | | |