5 Rare U.S. Coins To Be On The Lookout For
If you're new to the world of coin collecting, some of the most valuable U.S. coins might not be entirely familiar to you. Listed are just a few of the rarest and some of the most valuable coins minted by the United States treasury. If you find one laying about, take it to a local and trusted coin dealer for an appraisal right away.
1943 Copper Penny
During World War II, most pennies that were printed by the treasury were not made of copper, but rather a brass-steel alloy, in order to conserve copper for wartime related construction. However, a few copper pennies were pressed during 1943. It's not always readily apparent when someone owns one of these rare pennies, however. The brass-steel pennies look remarkably similar to those constructed of copper. One of the few ways to make a distinction between the two is to hold 1943 penny up to a magnet. A brass-steel penny will easily adhere to the magnet's pull, while the copper penny will not.
1804 Draped Bust Dollar Coin
The 1804 draped bust dollar coin was not actually pressed in 1804. Rather, these rare coins were pressed in 1834. The dollar coin had not been pressed since 1803, so when it was decided that dollar coins would be once again printed, eight coins were created with the year stamped "1804."
1776 Silver Continental Dollar
As soon as the Declaration of Independence was created, the new country set about creating its own currency. The design is quite striking, if a bit simple when compared to the United States' current currency. Thirteen rings are present on the face side of the coin, representing the thirteen colonies. Although the pewter versions of these coins are relatively common in the world of coin collecting, very few of the silver pressed versions of the Continental dollar remain in existence, making them very valuable.
Brasher Doubloon
Before the Constitution was formally adopted in 1789, states themselves had the right to press their own coins. Although the states were supposed to mint copper coins, several golden Brasher doubloons were printed in the state of New York. Only seven are known to exist.
1861 Confederate Half Dollar
By and large, there are very few Confederate coins. Most Confederate money was printed on paper due to the lack of a precious metals reserve. Some coins were printed, however, like the very rare 1861 Confederate half dollar.
For more information, contact a coin dealer in your area.