Coin Collecting - The Top 10 List

Coin collecting. An associate of mine remembersboth "date" and "type" collectors and are the
receiving as a child a big paper bag of old USrarest of the 20th century silver type issues.
silver dollars, some going back as far as the lateThese are very rare coins and to find one in gem
1890s. Sometime between then and today he hascondition is a once in a lifetime occurrence.Midway
misplaced that old paper bag. To this day heup the chart at number 5 is the 1917 Type One
wonders if any of those coins might have beenStanding Liberty Quarter. This coin was made for
worth something.There is no arguing that coinonly 2 years. The exposed breast of Miss Liberty
collecting is one of the biggest and mostcaused such a commotion that they had to
expensive hobbies in the world. The price tags ofradically change the design midway through 1917.
some old coins would turn your hair grey. In thisSince the 1916 is a 5 figure rarity (in the 10's of
article we're going to review the 10 most rarethousands of dollars) this coin is essentially a one
coins in existence. Wait until you see what someyear issue.At number 4 are the Mercury Dimes.
of these are going for.Starting at number 10,Even though this dime was minted between 1916
there are the "proof gold" coins. Today the mintand 1945 proofs were made only between 1936
strikes millions of these coins every year and sellsand 1942. Mercury dimes minted between 1940
them to collectors from all over the world.and 1945 are actually reasonably priced and sell
However in the 19th century the mint struck onlyfor about $50 a piece. The proofs are a little
a few thousand of these each year and only amore expensive.Just 2 spots from the top at
handful of proof gold coins. These are very rarenumber 3 is the Walking Liberty half dollar. This is
and very expensive and sell very well in good andalso one of the world's most beautiful coins and
bad market times.At number 9 we have early USextremely popular with coin buyers. These coins
gold coins struck between 1795 and 1834. Theseare very hard to find in mint condition. All five of
were minted in denominations of $2.50 $5 andthe issues between 1941 and 1945 have made
$10. Today these coins are very rare in anythe all time rare coins price list.Falling just short of
condition and super rare in mint condition.Coming innumber 1 at number 2 is the Texas
at number 8 we have the Liberty Seated Dollars.Commemorative Half Dollar. This is actually the
These coins are said to be the most beautifulnumber 1 commemorative coin on the all time
ever made and one of the rarest of the 19thrare coins price list. Between 1934 and 1938 about
century coins. Both circulation strikes and proofs150,000 of these coins were minted. Only about
are very rare.Hitting the chart at number 7 we60 to 80% of those have survived to this day
have a very odd coin that was minted betweenand only 50% of those grade MS65 or better. So
1875 and 1878. These were twenty cent pieces.this is indeed not only an extremely rare coin but
Unfortunately the coin looked too much like aactually considered scarce.Finally coming in at
quarter to catch on with the public and there wasnumber 1 is the Saint Gaudens. This $20 piece is
no real commercial need for the denomination.probably the world's most well known coin. It is
Today they are highly prized collectors items.one of the most beautiful coin designs in history.
These coins today are very rare in topThis is one of the few coins that didn't drop in
condition.Number 6 on the coin hit parade are theprice during the 1980-1982 bear market.In a
Barber half dollars. These were minted betweenfuture article we'll cover how coin collectors go
1892 and 1915. They are one of the coin marketsabout getting rare coins and where they can be
most important issues. They are collected byfound both on and off line.