e-letters: Nov. 9, 2022

What is the most valuable coin you have ever owned?

In response to your poll question, the most valuable coin, both in value and sentimentally, that I’ve owned for 21 consecutive years (but the financial crisis in Greece during the 2010-2020 decade forced me to sell it in 2020!) was a Greek 1876 gold 50 drachmai gold. It had a mintage of 176 pieces, less than half of which survived, of which the majority is from pierced to harshly or lightly cleaned or abused, as the pop reports by NGC mostly show.

It was a purchase, basically sight-unseen from Steinberg’s in Florida. Mike had just acquired it at the FUN show of 1999, and by the spring of that year it was mine.

The seller, a Swiss banker, had it raw and was selling it as unc, but every possible buyer asked him to have it graded at the show first. Back then, NGC gave it an AU-58. By today’s standards, it could easily be an MS-61, judging from similar examples that I’ve seen.

Since then, there have been plenty of others between its $10,000 purchase value in 1999 to over twice as much, but this is the one that I’ve treasured the most.

I do not despair to replace it one day. It took Greece 10 years to get out of the financial crisis, so it will take me less to get maybe even a better one, or even a similar one if not the exact same one. It will not be the finest of this one-year type coin, which recently sold for 165,000 euro in Switzerland (an NGC MS-65+*), nor do I want to. But it will one day come back to me.

Dimitri Gotzamanis

Address withheld

The most valuable coin I have ever owned is as follows:

1877 Narrow Date, Great Britain penny (F90) in VF. I sold this coin to a collector in Cardiff, Wales.

Bob Crawford

Muncie, Ind.

I still own an 1803 $10 gold, Small Reverse Stars, graded AU-58+ by PCGS with a CAC sticker.

Name and address withheld

1907 Roman numerals flat rim, MS-65.

Name and address withheld

The most valuable coin I had was the coin my father gave me when he came home from the Vietnam War. I think I still have it. The coin is a 1961 uncirculated nickel that represented my year of birth.

Gregory Northover

Tacoma, Wash.

I am getting ready to sell my 1893-S Morgan dollar in XF-40, graded by PCGS.

Theo Campbell

Address withheld

The most valuable coin I ever owned is a 1913-S Type 2 Buffalo nickel, BU-69.

Paul Alton

Address withheld

Would have to say that the most valuable coin that I have ever owned is my 1009-S VDB Lincoln cent, PCGS MS-60 Red. I still have it and it amazes me every time I look at it.

Dave Burdis

Charleroi, Pa.

My most expensive coin is a 1920 Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle, graded MS-65.

Richard Stevenson

Jackson, Tenn.

I am a small-time collector who was fortunate to find a 1955 double struck penny among some coins that had been in a drawer for years. I ended up trading it for 40 silver dollars, and then traded 17 of that lot for a 1909-S VDB cent,which I still have.

William Margolin

Holbrook, Mass.

The oldest coin I had was a 1942 half dollar that I don’t have any more. I love collecting old coins and keeping them. I have a lot of Susan B. Anthony coins, and I had a lot of coins from Seoul, Korea. When my husband was in the Army, he came back with coins that had a hole through them, and I kept those forever. I used to keep $2 bills. I love getting together with coin collecting companies and collecting old coins and keeping them because now I’m starting over as far as collecting coins. I’ve been on the search for a 1943 penny because I heard if you have one you’re a millionaire and you could win a lot of money. Also, I like Buffalo nickels, old ones.

Lisa Collins

Address withheld

I once owned a 1829 Curl Base 2 dime in PCGS VG. It was part of my complete Capped Bust dime set.

Fred Morgan

Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

An 1803 large letter, Draped Bust silver dollar in AU. Sharply struck, raw, toned. I have not yet sent it to be graded. I purchased it from a longtime dealer.

Michael Apicello

Address withheld

I still own it. A 1934-S Peace dollar certified MS-63.

Brock Hoagland

Custer, S.D.

I have a 1913 PCGS PR-67 Type 1 Buffalo nickel.

Donald

New Mexico

I have a 1914-D Lincoln cent, PCGS MS-65 RB that I paid $7,800 for. That’s my most expensive coin, and I still have it.

Joe Espinoza

O’Fallon, Mo.

1909-S [VDB] Lincoln cent, MS- 64 RB.

Gene Minietta

Cache, Okla.

1990 Greek 100 drachmes in proof.

Name and address withheld

I think that it is an 1877 PF-66 Indian Head penny, professionally graded. I bought it 20-plus years ago as a PF-65 (not professionally graded).

Steve Hopkins

Gresham, Ore.

A 1943 copper penny. I still have it.

William Johnston

Address withheld

I have a 1909-S VDB in XF-40. Otherwise, mint and proof sets all the way from ’50 to the present.

G. Hillyer

Waco, Texas

I have a 1911-D $2.50 gold piece graded MS-63 by NGC.

Kim Romohr

Address withheld

A 1914 D Lincoln cent, VF-25 NGC,

John B.

Live Oak, Texas

In 1998, I had a 1889-CC Morgan dollar in MS-60 grade. I should have kept it, but I decided to sell the coin for the Red Book price at that time for $6,500. At today’s price, the 1889-CC is now listed at $24,000.

Sam Chan

Address withheld

1892-S Morgan dollar, MS-65.

Michael Vaughn

Kansas City, Mo.

1909-S VDB, uncirculated.

Peter DeRosa

Address withheld

1904-S double eagle, MS-63.

Kimberly Ware

Address withheld

1893-S Morgan, grade 45.

R. A. Mossinghoff

Address withheld

1916-D Mercury dime, AU.

S. Giordan

Address withheld

My most expensive coin was a 1901-S Barber quarter with a green beanie [CAC sticker].

Doug Oates

Southern Mich.

The most valuable coin I have ever owned is a 1916 Standing Liberty quarter.

Ric Ludwig

Laurens, S.C.

1847 $5.

Mark Shure

via Facebook

The only known original Confederate States of America trial piece 1/4.

George Corell

via Facebook

1909-S VDB cent in AU-58 condition.

Stan McDonald

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