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Top 10 Most Valuable US Coins
Last Updated 7th May 2022.
The top 10 most valuable US coins of all time have a combined value of around $83,000,000 as of 2022.
Some of these old coins are very rare with mintages less than 10.
The most valuable and rarest of these collector's items is the 1933 Double Eagle which sold for $18,872,250 at Sotheby's on June 8th, 2021.
All of these highly valuable coins were sold for record auction prices at either Stack's Bowers Galleries or Heritage Auctions with the exception of the 1933 Double Eagle.
I haven't included any privately sold coins in this list because I was unable to find accurate records of their exact sale values and to whom they were sold.
Although according to Wikipedia there were private sales of a 1787 Brasher Doubloon (EB on Breast) for $7,395,000 in December 2011 and a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel for $5,000,000 in April 2007.
Another interesting fact is that 6 of the top 10 list were designed by Robert Scot, an American engraver, who created some of the most popular early coinage designs such as the Flowing Hair dollar, Liberty Cap half cent and Draped Bust.
Most Valuable US Coins List 2022
- 1787 New York-Style Brasher Doubloon MS63 ($4,582,500)
- 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar MS66+ ($4,993,750)
- 1804 $10 Plain 4 Eagle PR65+DCAM ($5,280,000)
- 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar MS66+ ($6,600,000)
- 1861 $20 Paquet Double Eagle MS67 ($7,200,000)
- 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar PR68 ($7,680,000)
- 1822 Capped Head Left Half Eagle AU50 ($8,400,000)
- 1787 New York-Style Brasher Doubloon MS65 CAC ($9,360,000)
- 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar SP66 CAC ($10,016,875)
- 1933 Double Eagle MS65 CAC ($18,872,250)
#10) 1787 New York-Style Brasher Doubloon
Image Source: Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
- Designer: Ephraim Brasher
- Mint: Privately Minted
- Metal Composition: 89.3% Gold - 6.4% Silver - 3% Other
- Diameter: 29.8mm
- Weight: 26.4 grams
- Mintage: 7
- Highest Sale Price: $4,582,500 (MS63)
#9) 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar
Image Source: Courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries
- Designer: Robert Scot
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Metal Composition: 90% Silver - 10% Copper
- Diameter: 40mm
- Weight: 27 grams
- Mintage: 1758
- Highest Sale Price: $4,993,750 (MS66+)
#8) 1804 $10 Plain 4 Eagle
Image Source: Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
- Designer: Robert Scot
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Metal Composition: 91.7% Gold, 8.3% Copper
- Diameter: 33mm
- Weight: 17.5 grams
- Mintage: 6
- Highest Sale Price: $5,280,000 (PR65+DCAM)
#7) 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar
Image Source: Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
- Designer: Robert Scot
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Metal Composition: 90% Silver - 10% Copper
- Diameter: 40mm
- Weight: 27 grams
- Mintage: 1758
- Highest Sale Price: $6,600,000 (MS66+)
#6) 1861 $20 Paquet Double Eagle
Image Source: Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
- Designer: James B Longacre
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Metal Composition: 90% Gold - 10% Copper
- Diameter: 34mm
- Weight: 33.44 grams
- Mintage: 2
- Highest Sale Price: $7,200,000 (MS67)
#5) 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar
Image Source: Courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries
- Designer: Robert Scot
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Metal Composition: 89% Silver - 11% Copper
- Diameter: 39.5mm
- Weight: 26.96 grams
- Mintage: 8
- Highest Sale Price: $7,680,000 (PR68)
#4) 1822 Capped Head Left Half Eagle
Image Source: Courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries
- Designer: Robert Scot & John Reich
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Metal Composition: 91.7% Gold - 8.3% Copper
- Diameter: 25mm
- Weight: 8.75 grams
- Mintage: 17,796
- Highest Sale Price: $8,400,000 (AU50)
#3) 1787 New York-Style Brasher Doubloon
Image Source: Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
- Designer: Ephraim Brasher
- Mint: Privately Minted
- Metal Composition: 89.3% Gold - 6.4% Silver - 3% Other
- Diameter: 29.8mm
- Weight: 26.41 grams
- Mintage: 7
- Highest Sale Price: $9,360,000 (MS65)
#2) 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar
Image Source: Courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries
- Designer: Robert Scot
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Metal Composition: 90% Silver - 10% Copper
- Diameter: 40mm
- Weight: 27 grams
- Mintage: 135
- Highest Sale Price: $10,016,875 (SP66)
#1) 1933 Double Eagle
Image Source: USA Coinbook
- Designer: Augustus Saint Gaudens
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Metal Composition: 90% Gold - 10% Copper
- Diameter: 34mm
- Weight: 33.40 grams
- Mintage: 445,500
- Highest Sale Price: $18,872,250 (MS65)
This 1933 Double Eagle $20 gold coin designed by the engraver Augustus Saint Gaudens and known as the Farouk Specimen is the most valuable US coins ever sold at auction.
It was sold for $18,872,250 at Sotheby's auction on June 8th, 2021.
The seller was Stuart Weitzman who bought it anonymously nearly twenty years earlier in 2002 for $7,590,020.
It was originally owned by King Farouk of Egypt who bought it in 1944, although it should never been for sale due to Executive Order 6102 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
After King Farouk was deposed in 1952 in a coup d'etat, all of his possessions were sold off at auction including the 1933 Double Eagle.
During this time the gold coin disappeared for many years and didn't reappear until 1996 under controversy as it was wanted by the US government.
All 1933 Double Eagles were supposed to have been destroyed and never entered into circulation.
Although some were stolen from the Mint prior to this and the US government has been hunting for them ever since.
The Farouk double eagle was legally obtained by the King through an error of the government, so it is the only one that is legal to own by a private collector.
After the United States government confiscated the $20 gold coin from Stephen Fenton in 1996, due to the obscure nature in which he acquired the 1933 Double Eagle, it was agreed in a civil case that it would be legally sold at auction to the highest bidder.
The sale happened on July 20th, 2002, at Stack's Bowers auction and the 1933 $20 Double Eagle was sold to Stuart Weitzman for $7,590,020.
The final proceeds were split between the US Treasury and Stephen Fenton almost half and half.
